I love Prezi!!!

I had actually discovered Prezi while researching options for the Literacy and Numeracy (secondary) Assignment 1 - Design a resource that communicates the importance of Literacy and Numeracy.   I have embedded the finished product below.

Positives:

• I found the tool incredibly easy to use, though I did just use a 3D template provided on the website.  Younger students may require explicit instruction before attempting to use the tool independently
• Attractive and engaging result
• Students can progress through presentation at their own rate
• Allows for incorporation of video, music, images, website links
• Plenty of attractive templates to use
• Freely available online for educational purposes
• Public or private security settings
• Can import powerpoint slides to convert to a prezi

Negative:

• If students were to prepare a prezi for an assignment, the creative side may take over at the demise of content.  Careful scaffolding would be required
• Doesn't work well on mobile phones
• Can take some time to load

Interesting

• You can change settings to make the Prezi editable by others.  This would allow students to collaborate on one prezi from around the world. 

I definitely think that Prezis would be useful in the maths/science teaching context, and in any subject really.  Both myself and the students could use it to spice up presentations.  I think it would also be amazing to use when going through assignment worksheet or criteria sheet.  I could upload a PDF and go through the sheet on the interactive whiteboard, zooming into the relevant sections for discussion.  I could then directly add notes, comments or links to the prezi and then each student would have an online record of the discussion.

Prezi would also be fantastic as a revision tool.  As a class we could make a mind map of the topics covered during the semester.  Students could navigate through at home and add to the prezi as they like. 

Legal, safe and ethical issues
As usual, all photos, videos, information etc. should be appropriately referenced when using Prezi.  For my assigment I added references in the comments box and also in an attachment handed in with the assignment.  I also included citations in the Prezi under all externally sourced photographs.

Photo courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Prezi_logo.jpg

Digital Video

It can be so easy to create a video! The video embeded below just is a short compilation of a few photos from my trip to Brazil, Argentina and Peru in 2012, with accompanying music. I used the Windows moviemaker, which was a breeze even though I had no previous experience with the program. An important issue to remember when uploading video and other digital media to the internet is the rights of individuals pictured in the media. All individuals pictured in my video have provided consent for the images to be uploaded to this publicly accessible blog. 

 

Digital video is something that I did personally use during my high school years, mostly watching films in english or history class.  My opinion is that video is  a fantastic tool to support learning, but it has not been used to its full potential in schools.  Students need to do more than just watch videos - they need to learn to create, collaborate and critically analyse using digital video.  In this modern world, video and digital imagery are everywhere.  Thus, the skills to use and make meaning from video are essential literacy skills. 

In terms of using digital video in a maths and physics context, one particular idea that I love is using motion analysis to investigate 'real world' examples of mathematical concepts such as sinusoidal relationships. There are several free motion analysis software programs that can follow a particular object in a video clip (eg. a rollercoaster ride) and allow users to analyse position, velocity, acceleration, momentum etc. 

Of course there are drawbacks in using digital video in an educational context, as indicated in the below PMI analysis.

Pluses:
 

• Windows Movie Maker is easy to use
• Videos cater to a range of learning styles
• Fosters media and technological literacy, creativity and critical thinking skills

 

Minuses:

• Videos can sometimes take up a lot of disk space, and take a long time to buffer when completed
• Younger students may find the programs difficult to use and may need explicit instruction

Interesting:

• Digital videos can be used for learning across all KLAs.

References: http://jabryan.iweb.bsu.edu/VideoAnalysis/index.htm

Using web-based podcasting

Below is a link to a podcast by 'The math dude' entitled 'What are Numerators and Denominators?'.

http://mathdude.quickanddirtytips.com/what-are-numerators-and-denominators.aspx

I think podcasts such as this one would be  a great tool for learners to use as an introduction to a new topic.  For example, before begining a unit on complex numbers, I could set a homework task that involves listening to a podcast describing the relationship between real numbers, imaginary numbers and complex numbers.  Students would have a bit of background on the subject before coming into class, and the podcast may already have sparked some questions for students. 

They would also be a great tool for revision.  I could create my own podcasts simply by recording my lessons during class.  Listening to the lesson a second time at home may help to consolidate the information for learners. 

One problem with using podcasts is that the information contained will not necessarily be correct.  It would be my responsibility to review the podcasts before referring students to use the material.

References: http://www.aol.org.au/?feed=podcast&category_name=Meditation

Resizing and uploading digital photos

Success! I have uploaded a photo from my trip to Peru in 2012.  Using the photo resizing program was an easy process and the program is something I can definitely see being useful in education.  I think digital photos could be used in a great range of ways to support learning in my teaching areas of maths and science.  For example, students could use photography to understand scale, investigate the impacts of different angles of shooting an image, or to demonstrate how light behaves as both a particle and a wave. 

Potential of Wikis in Maths/Science context

Wikis are easy to use and provide a great forum for collaborative learning.  Here is a link to a wiki I have created, which provides an overview of De Bono's Thinking Hats learning theory. 

In a maths context, one way to use the wiki would be as a collaborative tool to solve complex math problems.  Students could contribute ideas or each perform steps of a calculation.  However, wikis may be a little more difficult to use for math than other subjects, as mathematical equations etc. would be difficult to input.  In terms of using the wiki for science, I love the idea of creating a collaborative text book.

In terms of supporting safe and ethical use of the wiki, I would work with the class to develop a set of rules to work by.  As the students will be owners and editors of the wiki, they also should have ownership over the rules and regulations applied.  The set of rules could even be uploaded as a page of the wiki to serve as a constant reminder to students.  A good thing about the wiki is that I could have administrative rights to view all edits to the wiki.  This means that misuse of the tool could be easily monitored. 

Benefits of using the wiki

• freely accessible online - students can use almost any time and in any place
• everyone has a voice and every voice is represented equally
• students may feel more comfortable expressing an opinion or contributing ideas toward this type of forum, compared to speaking out in class.

Drawbacks

• anyone can contribute anything they want. There's plenty of room for misuse of the resource to post potentially harmful material.
• information added to the wiki doesn't have to be referenced or come from a reliable source. Facts and figures presented on a wiki could be totally incaccurate. This is often the case with sources such as Wikipedia. Students need to understand referencing standards.

Image source:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/dec/10/education-international-league-table-schools

Creating a blog - reflection

Pluses

• Easy to use
• Attractive, colourful
• Accessible
• Students work is on a public platform, encourages self editing
• Students are likely to already be using blogs in their personal lives, and are more likely to engage in assignments that use blogs
• Mobile phone technology would allow students to access their blog anywhere and at any time
• Introduces students to different writing styles

Minuses

• Potential for cyber bullying / harmful comments
• While you can edit and delete posts, once something is on the internet it can never be removed completely and users need to exercise caution

Interesting

• Prospect of starting conversations between learners from across the globe
• Getting a comment on a blog somehow feels more exciting than someone commenting on your views in class.  Maybe that's just for blog newbies like me though :)

Reflection on wiki

My first impression of a wiki is that it's a fantastic tool for collaborative learning.  I think this forum is mostly reflective of constructivsm - it is a resource that encourages sharing of ideas and it is based on social interaction to help students to move beyond the 'zone of proximal development'.  The De-Bono's Hats scaffold encouraged students to think about different perspectives on the topic, promoting higher-order thinking.  

Benefits of the wiki - everyone has a voice and every voice is represented equally.  In a school setting, students may feel more comfortable expressing an opinion or contributing ideas toward this type of forum, compared to speaking out in class. 

Drawbacks - anyone can contribute anything they want. There's plenty of room for misuse of the resource to post potentially harmful material.  Also, information added to the wiki doesn't have to be referenced or come from a reliable source.  Facts and figures presented on a wiki could be totally incaccurate.  This is often the case with sources such as Wikipedia. 

I think wikis would make a great tool for use in the classroom, when monitored and controlled carefully. 

Image source: http://www.smh.com.au/news/next/life-the-universe-and-wiki/2005/09/19/1126981972225.html