Course Reflection

Blooms Taxonomy is used as a learning tool in school from kindergarten to year 6. This is a great way to allow for students individual needs to be met in relation to their different learning abilities. Blooms taxonomy as a digital tool allows Second Life, Flicka and Bubbl to be linked to the tools used in Blooms. For example: using the tool creating in Blooms, would allow for the webtool Bubbl to be utilised in the classroom, as this encourages mind mapping in all different grades.

The Web 2.0 course has allowed me to examine and explore webtools that I had never heard of, let alone explored before. Completing each module slowly allowed me to implement things I had learned in my kindergarten class and also implement webtools on the Kindergarten wiki, we had created before this course began. For example I created a voki for the kindergarten wiki which the children loved. It introduced the wiki in the wizards voice.

I also discovered that each webtool is easy to use and will link to the subjects we teach in all grades. For example, digital storytelling allows children to share the story they have written through podcast and animations. This is great as these webtools focus on children’s individual learning styles and needs.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this course and feel that it has benefited me as a teacher in a 21st Century classroom as it has guided me thorugh webtools that will benefit myself and the children in my class’s learning.

I posted a comment on Cathy Hansells blog.

Module Ten

How can Web 2.0 assist in improving learning outcomes for all students?

Web 2.0 is a great way to help students improve their learning, as it is visual learning, with interactive games and activities that can enhance the students outcomes. For example, using Wikis such as bookleads and other educational blogs would be quite difficult in a kindergarten classroom as the children are still learning to read and write. Yet it is a great teacher’s resource as it is allows for teachers to expand their own understanding of what the web can offer in regards to learning resources. Also, the podcasts on the bookleads wiki gave me the idea to look up podcasts on itunes in regards to picture books and allow children during the reflective time to listen to a story instead of meditative music.

Digital storytelling is a creative way to enhance a narrative that the children have written themselves. It is also a great way to show children another genre of writing that is not only informative but visual. Digital storytelling allows for teachers to explore different ways to create stories and guide childrens understanding in a creative way. I think digital storytelling would work in kindergarten as a teacher’s resource, not as a tool for children to use. This would work better in upper grades. However the wiki 50+ways to tell a story is a great teaching resource as it allows you to look a digital story sites and also review what other educators feel in regards to digital storytelling.

Module Nine

The scootle website allows students to follow a learning path in regards to key learning areas they are doing in class. It also has some amazing resources for teachers to use in class. I especially like the idea that they have been created by teachers, therefore they always keep the children in mind.

Social networks such as face book, twitter and second life can be used as a way to share resources, ideas and websites to all different types of educators. I have joined a group on face book which allows teachers to share existing educational resources. However, I must admit I didn’t find it, one of my colleagues did. I had never heard of Second Life before as a social network and am not sure how I could use this as a way to share educational resources.

In saying all of this I do like the idea that these social networking sites can allow for resources, ideas and even lessons to be shared. Even behaviour management techniques, excursion ideas and so much more could be explored using social networking sites. The ideas are endless…………

Module Eight

Google reader is a great way to always be up to date on various blogs that you follow. As google reader allows for you to subscribe to various blogs and then be reminded of any updates, by the blog being in bold if their is a new post up. Many parents in kindergarten have asked how they can find out if their is any new information on the kindergarten blog. Now, I can recommend that they join GoogleReader and subscribe to the kindergarten blog. I will explain that when their is a new post, the blog would be bold. What a great way to always find out if their is any new posts, without have to go directly to the followed blogs each time. WOW!

Module Seven

Deli.ici.ous is a great way to bookmark webistes that you frequent regularly. Before, if I remembered I added it to my favourites. However if I was on another computer I would have to try and remember either the whole website or where I found it. Del.ici.ous enables me to bookmark websites I frequently visit, then when I am on another computer I can find these websites bookmarked in my del.ici.ous account.

Blogging is a great way to investigate how other people perceive things and also a great resource for teachers. My kindergarten class has their own blog, this allows the parents to see what the children have been doing at school, and what they are learning. It is a great way to communicate with the parents, whilst also being a great talking point between parents and their children, as they are able to see what is happeneing in the classroom and then talk about it with the children when they get home from school. I have only ever followed one other blog, and that was written by a friend of mine, it is called daddy dilemas. This allowed me to keep informed in regards to how he was feeling about becoming a daddy. It was and still is a great blog.

Module 6

Mindmapping is a very useful tool in all classrooms as it allows for the students and teachers to communicate, collaborate and reflect on what they already know, what they want to know and what they have learned. I have used a mind mapping tool in my kindergarten classroom when doing the unit 'Toys - On the move'. This allowed me to explore and understand what they already knew, before beginning the unit.

I found Glogster difficult to use. There were many things to do to to create a visual literacy for a topic of your choice. I believe that if I was teaching older grades I may persevere and work towards creating my own visual literacy using glogster. However, at the moment, I found it to challenging and therefore would not use it in my kindergarten classroom.

Module Five

Digital Storytelling involves many different webpages such as itunes, podcast and youtube. A way to use digital storytelling in my kindergarten classroom is by allowing the children to create their own podcast on a narrative, information report or recount they have written or drawn. This allows the teacher to listen and then assess children orally on their comprehension of specific units of work. In kindergarten we also use youtube as an educational tool, as it caters to all different types of learners. We have found educational shows such as Sid the Science Kid and Superwhy which enhance the students knowledge on specific instructions.