Overwhelming Creative Potential

I'm freaking our with how much potential these multi-modal tools have. It's the same reaction I have when any open ended task is handed to me. I have no grasp on the overall picture and panic!!!

BUT for now I'm not going to worry about the overall picture and just play around and be messy for a bit.

Ok so have a look at some stuff I've been up to



http://realtimeboard.com/app/2243091/Physical-theatre

So this is a site like Prezi but a bit different. It uses many of the same tools but goes a little further. It's more like an online interactive whiteboard. Meaning that anyone can add change and contribute. It also has a cool link with Google drive/docs so you can view and edit documents on the site.

Wiki's are definitely more flexible with the things you can embed but you can link wikis to this page as well.

For students it gives them an exciting and versitile interactive place on the web to freely create and in the end all the areas created on the Board can be linked in a slideshow.

My only problem with this and other online programs is that they are less flexible and require an internet connection in order to use it. This can be a major problem with some students not having regular access to high end internet and computer hardware at home in order to run these programs.

Music Teaching With Sound and Image

The Visual Side

Although not exclusively. While in music the aural experience is the most prominent it is use for learning to have visual cues.

one way that this is used is in games like Guitar hero where the visual cue tells you when to play certain keys at a certain time and pattern. (which can produce some amazing results)

using this same technique in teaching to read music it could be helpful for the learner to have a visual cues connected to the sound and notes that play where a video can show a visual cue to play along with the music.

The Sound of it

It is almost a necessity in music to use sound because that is musics realm, so I thought I might become complacent in how to use the sound tools to teach music.

I started with a simple wiki, creating a resource page on definitions of musical elements. I can create the structure and students can contribute their ideas and examples from the internet that they can embed in the wiki and expand on the question "what is music?".

Having the resource of the internet is amazing with the amount of content in the form of music that can be used in examples for teaching. It's also useful for the students because they can draw on their interests and find streams samples and podcast of the music that they are interested in and use those to contribute to their learning, which would not only be limited to genre but could be useful in techniques in playing, theory on style and how the history of music contributes to their interests.

What I am interested in though is how students create their own works and how they can be created collaboratively outside the classroom. Sites like Google Drive and Dropbox have the ability to let people share files with each other instantly. Students could use these file sharing sites to swap recordings that they  have made in order to create Group compositions, and the ability of the teacher to monitor the sharing increases their ability to check who is contributing the ideas and help shape the process.

they can then use any music composition or audio editing program like Sibelius to create their pieces.

How to be a great teacher...

So this is a wiki set up by Angela Jensen.

It's a great idea. It's a place where you can talk about those things that inspire us to be great teachers. It's got a page on who are your favorite teachers and one on tools and ideas that are useful.

Have a look 

How to be a great teacher. . .

Look through the site and add some of your own experiences and ideas to these pages


Great Teachers I've Know
Great Teaching Ideas

from some of the comments below I have to reiterate this is not my creation, I am not taking credit for it.

The Multi-Sensory Digital World

So here we go with my rant on Group 2 technologies which I dub 'The Senses'.

I will forgo the references to touch, taste and smell in this post but when the technology becomes better to transmit these experiences digitally (I've always wanted smell-0-vision).

So lets explore those other senses that we can use in a digital context, sight and sound.

All jokes aside there is a revolution that has occurred and we are not even aware of it. In the past the ability of the average person in the developed world to communicate was limited to direct communication using a text or voice based delivery system think letters and phone calls and talking to someone right in front of you, and using any other medium or platform was the realm of experts, think radio, television, professional photographers and artists. But as the technology has got better and 'easier' the ability of the average Joe to use different mediums has increased, and the ability to broadcast those new mediums has grown too.

So now not only can everybody write and speak, but we can generate images, Moving image, illustrations, modified sound, and music, and more and more it's easier to combine all of these in different combinations to create personal ways of communicating that are tailored to how an individual best expresses themselves and to how your audience will best respond.

This evolution of the ease of multiple expression is most evident in the social media world. Originally text Blogs were all the rage on expression and then in became easier to add images and then video but that was very much a one way expression. When platforms like Facebook and twitter came online then the conversation became more Multi-directional but still grounded with text and image and sound accompanying. Now there are platforms that make audio and visual the main focus like Imgr, Instigram, Soundcloud and Audioboo, and there is even and new platform called Pheed which allows all modes of communication to be integrated in any area whether its a post, message or comment, so you can post a like and have a audio file as a comment and a then 3 more images as a full conversation.

I believe this is a natural progression. We as humans derive the most useful cues in conversation from body language and vocal intonation, so its's natural we would want to have those same resources when we communicate in any context in order get our point across.

GIF animations

I know it might seem a bit old but gifs are a very quick and easy way to make small data sized moving images like so:

 

This one was made with the first gif creator I came across (gickr.com) and is only 156k of data. I took 4 photos with my camera and uploaded them and the site created this gif using those photos.

and this one used a different webtool called imgflip.com using a YouTube clip

And because they are based on images they can be uploaded like a photo.

Imagine students making small videos of the photo's they have taken of a seed they planted and show show how the seed grew in an image that they can share on their blog/website/wiki. and then have it as a part of a presentation of their findings in a PowerPoint.

Embed Spotify

This is for Susan who had trouble with trying to embed a spotify track into her blog.

Just remember to paste the embed code into the HTML not the Compose section. and make sure it has it's own line by pressing ENTER (But not in the middle of a line)

and here is the result (BUT you need spotify installed for it to play, because it plays off spotify. As a place to share music while it has a huge library it's a bit limiting)

Embedding Multimedia

So I just found a way to embed video/audio/gaget into blogger from anywhere.

Now there is some limitation unless you know how to code HTML but a lot of of different websites and software make it easy for you. The reason being they want you to share their product with others who might use it as well and bring them to the original website so they can either sell you stuff or show you advertisements.

So the file that you want to embed needs to be hosted on the internet somewhere, and there are many places where you can upload files for the purpose of embedding like YouTube, sound-cloud, and even Google drive can host video files that you can share. Just find the one that works best for you.

As a note on the sharing ability of online software, there can be a risk that the students can be exposed to areas that are not desirable. YouTube is especially guilty of linking videos at the end of the clip so maybe trialing the embedded file and following any links it shows in order to find where it might go.

but lets go to the how now

Story telling

So was raking my brain about how I could use a blog, wiki or website in a drama context and I didn't want to use the old context of compiling journal entries about "how the week has gone" or "This is what we did in class" or collaborate on wiki to draw information together, or create a resource laden website, but something  that could help in how these kids could tell stories. So I thought could any of these help with writing or story telling in some way?

so here is a story I wanted to tell.

Who Am I

.

A wiki could be a great tool to tell a story as a group; adding scenarios, information, images that enhances the groups ability to expand a story. The only down side is that could get very messy with everybody telling their own story and going off in many tangents. (but a good idea to try to look at multiple journeys)

a website while could be great as a story telling tool in a final concept stage with it's ability to take the audience down a story arch with links and pages that can only be accessed in specific orders, doesn't have the room for much feedback.

I realised that a blog is a great tool for sharing and exploring each individuals stories in a way that can grow as others respond to it

You can create an universe told through the blog be it letter correspondence in a historical or fantasy piece, the logs of a Starship Captain, or like I've done a person locked in a room who doesn't know who they are.

The great thing about it is the ability for the students to have control on the material and also have feedback for it, and the feedback could also be a continuation or adding to the story itself. There might be those who want to be hurtful but they their comments can be deleted.

The wide variety of content that can be added could also enhance the exercise with the inclusion of images audio and video for extra stimulus.

If anybody else can think of other ways stories could be told or if you think there might be anything that could be a threat to the students in this form please  comment.

and if you want to add to the story got to the link

Prensky's digital native. Game players

I was intrigued by the concept that Prensky states in Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants (2001) that modern adolescents brains may have changed to that of older generations from the simple fact that their experiences of the world are fundamentally different. That game play and fun experiences are the norm.

Now I'm not sure if that is true but it makes me think about the different forms of education I was exposed too. I remember some methods of teaching more vividly than others not because they were better or that learned anything but because I was almost in pain by the the boredom and stress I was feeling. In fact I think i may have been so stubborn that I learnt things in spite of the pedagogy I was exposed to. In contrast the things that I know I have learnt very well I know have come from engaging situations. I might not be able to remember the form or context of when I learned that knowledge but those sense memories are still there.

for example when I first tried riding a bicycle without training wheels. more than anything I remember the physical exhilaration that at any moment I might fall off and that the momentum of my body may drag me across the ground. I still get that feeling every single time I get on a bike but I have learned to accept that feeling and us it. The reason I have those feelings is because the experience was engaging. It may have been terrifying but engaging, and it's not limited to physical experiences.

In a maths class I remember solving a number of different real world problems and got a similar exhilaration in the process of executing different solutions to the problem and finding which one would work the best, even being challenged by other peoples solutions was thrilling.(although at the time I didn't  want to admit that even to myself in case I got caught Loving MATHS!!!!) but now I ask myself why was I so engaged?

Why am so engaged when watching a good TV show, Movie, Video game? is it because of the exiting visuals and sounds? Maybe, but a painting could have those same visuals and music with the same sounds wouldn't hold my attention as long. It's how they come together to either tell a story that draws in me or an experience that challenges me or dares me to go deeper. (Sorry I may have not added books but they too give the same experience if they are written well)

It's no wonder students don't to learn sometimes with the stories and experiences we give then that don't have the same thought and care those movies and video games who have multi-million dollar budgets and years of preparation behind them, but we can create experiences that do the same.

Prensky (2001) shows an amazing example of that kind of teaching with "The Monkey Wrench Conspiracy". An instruction manual that is fun to use. The story is not just as set of instructions on a page but is you taking the role of a intergalactic secret agent taking on the evil Dr Monkey Wrench, and the only way to do that is create the tools you will need with the CAD software at your disposal. which would you be more engaged with. While "the Monkey wrench Conspiracy" is a good example of engaging educational experiences there are also examples out there that try to do the same thing and fail, and usually it's due to the fact that they even though they have bright visuals and an interesting premise they miss that fundamental engaging element which is how they tell their story, what kind of experiences are they offering.

I don't think that "digital natives" or contemporary students demand fun and engaging experiences. All human beings want to have fun and be engaged. It's just that the modern generation might be more aware that they can have fun. So why can't we give them those kinds of experiences and not just instructions on a page.


I tried to find the original  Monkey Wrench Conspiracy  but they seem to be out of action.

But I did find a teacher who tried to find what was more engaging, Narrative of Game Play with his students with interesting results

Week 3 tutorial

In groups we used the Learning Scaffolding Tools of PMI's and SWOT for different aspects of different ICT tools and concepts

I've gotten used to using one online tool for brainstorming text2mindmap which I'm finding has a few disadvantages with being able to order information in a more personalized or specific way but as a quick visualization tool its great

As always use the links below if you want to add anything and make some comments down below.

But Here is the PMI (Plus, Minus, Interesting)  for Blogs

 text2mindmap.com/Vuqgqp

and this is the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) for Digital learning overall

text2mindmap.com/iduXuA

Polling The Student Body

As you can see over here. . . 

I have added a poll

and what do adolescents love. PUSHING BUTTONS!!!!.

but seriously as a tool in blogs it can be a great way to get quick and general feedback on a number of different subjects and issues. It can be used by teachers to get feedback from a group of students which is personal and also anonymous and students can also use them to get feedback from other students about their  work.

But there are some drawbacks

If some students spam the poll they can create skewed results and may have the ability to frustrate and hurt each other but because of the control that you have over the results this can be minimised.

It doesn't however leave room for higher order thinking but that could come about from the discussion that the results produce in a post or in class.

White board hand writing?

Here is an example of my hand writing.

Post comments on what you think and how I might be able to improve.

and a question

Is it still important to have good handwriting with a smart board?

Noted this post was added using a mobile device which also captured the image. This type of mobility would be useful in an education context because students would have the ability to learn and share in any situation be it in school or out in the world.

And then add to any other format like pinterest or glogster.

Prensky's rage

It's good to see someone really passionate about engaging students and really looking at the world that they live in to find positive solutions.

If you can imagine themillions of dollars that go into developing music, movies, tv, and video games, how that money is spent on the latest graphics, recording and producing technologies, celebrity performers,and now think that it's only a fraction of the amount that they spend on MARKETING, how can teachers compete.

Well for one instead of working,against this reality, use it. As adults we might not like some of the elements of those products that engage our youth but it's important that we understand that they do ENGAGE our youth. If we understand how and why they do then most of the hard work is done all we have to do is tap into that resource.

I'm not saying that engaging students in what we think is valuable is easy, but if we look further and deeper into what children and adolesences are interested in, we might find they value the same things just in different ways.

Broaden the scope of our own interests

Blog PMI

If you would like to add anything Please head to this address
text2mindmap.com/vdMp8o

TPACK (My new Rapper name)

I thought I would just add this Clip that AlyssaJayneGDLT got me onto. It explains TPACK incredibly well

This did get me thinking why hasn't the technology aspect been brought up before. Technology doesn't have to mean digital it just means in its most simplest term a tool, whether that's a computer, smart phone, App, or book, printing press, pencil and paper or Language.

The Mishra and Koehler reading made three very good points in connection to technology for teaching. The drew on one of the reasons Shulman brought together the PCK was "the ways of representing and formulating subject to make it more accessible and comprehensible." and this is still true. What Mishra and Koehler say is that digital technology in particular has become more and more into the forefront since Shulman's 1980's.  Mishra and Koehler also say that "the rapid rate of evolution of these new digital technologies prevents them from becoming ‘‘transparent’’ any time soon. Teachers will
have to do more than simply learn to use currently available tools; they also
will have to learn new techniques and skills as current technologies become obsolete."

But not only is technology growing and changning faster it's also at the same time creating new ways of seeing the world we live in and profoundly changing our understanding of our world, universe and ourselves. It's important now more than ever that we are aware of what we teach (content) with what tools we teach (technology) and how we teach (pedagogy) our children into the future  because our picture of that future is changing every year, month, day, hour, minute and even second

Rant on Mobile Phone WIKI

go to the wiki for reference

My (Worrying) Experience

To be honest I didn't like the experience of the online wiki. Visually it didn't appeal to me, the amount of information that people contributed was overwhelming (so Much INFORMATION) and the rough and tumble style made it feel very unorganized, even thought the organizing tool of De Bono's hats was there. Also the formatting tool is not very user friendly

I'm under the impression that the activity is designed in this way so that everyone can contribute in a way they can feel most comfortable, so that means that it is going to be very, as Gary said, "Messy". I'll try just to accept that sometimes it has to be messy so people can try things in different ways in order to find the best way for them.

Oh and one more thing. When I was making a contribution someone else was as well and after I finished they did so as well and overrode my changes. This is something that might need to be looked at in the wiki itself.

The learning Experience

The Impression that I had was that this exercise is like and information gathering activity like a brainstorm but in an online format. The use of De Bono's hats gives everyone the chance to give their point of view or if you don't have a point of view a choice of how to give one, so catering for a wide variety of learning styles. 

(I like the touch of some people adding their own pictures of the hat they are using - Man in the Yellow hat)

area I feel is missing is the other types of learning styles like spacial and aural. having some options or instructions on how to share pictures or audio tracks would benefit a number of people, but that might be something you workout with the students either before hand or if it's the first time you are using the wiki tool, apart of the learning that comes out of the online tool. 

I have tried my best to find an economical way of adding an audio file but I might need to do some more research on imbeding them.

Have a listen to how we went though:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8NJXpxobHQJMTZCbGJNbU0tdzQ/edit?usp=sharing

Connecting to the Readings

Even with all my criticism I still think it's a good example of and effective use of TPACK, or more specifically TPK (Technological Pedagogy Knowledge). But I think as the technology gets better and more connected with different formats the pedagogy will resonate with the variety of learners out there