Digital Photography

Personally I have a lot of experience with manipulation of digital photography. For about 6 years now I have enjoyed manipulating personal photographs as well as professional photos for personal and professional use.
On my Macbook I have started playing around with Iphoto (which includes Piknik) and previously worked on Picassa and a few other image manipulation software.
As I am a huge photo fan I would have nothing but positives for the use of photographs and digital images in the classroom. As shown during an online tutorial, one picture can achieve many different perceptions considering that each individual has had a range of different experiences. As once said "Photos/pictures speak 1000 words." When looking at photos in a classroom environment it is a great way to start a lesson by introducing and image, lets say for a rainforest theme, confronting students with a beautiful lush rainforest and allowing them to talk about what they see and what they feel whilst looking at the image. Then move on to an image that is of a rainforest that has been cleared for wood, land etc and allow the students to see if they can make any links to the previous photo and if now their feelings have changed from the previous image. This allows students, who sometimes are not as great at using their imagination, to picture what is being spoken about and create feelings and knowledge based around what they may previously know about.

In achieving these feelings and linking previous knowledge through the photography, students are able to more easily link that information through their sensory memory through to their working memory. Having that clear image and link, along with the information that follows it makes information easier to retrieve from the long term memory. Knowing from previous experience, I have remembered photos in my life over blocks of text that accompany it. I know that there are many different types of learners but allowing text and visual aides along side the text often intrigue learners to continue reading.

As a learning teacher I enjoy using digital images and photos in every opportunity that I can. It allows students to freely tap into their emotions about a subject and if they are unable to identify the information they can able to see what the teacher is speaking about. Images are a great conversation starter more times then none create a topic to talk about.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths	Weakness	Opportunity	Threats
-      -    Visual learners achieve greater learning and understanding -      -    Easily accessible now due to internet resources -        -  Due to the range of different experiences the perceptions can change therefore sometime creating new knowledge for certain students.	- Students may have different ideas about one different photo which could create confusion and conflict       - Images need to be appropriate to the lesson or the idea portrayed	-  Ability to explore and feel other countries environments        - Adds dimension to information       - Allow students to show of their own work	- Teacher not being prepared.  - If image not saved image URL may not be available anymore.  - I do not really believe there is any threats - Children do not get a chance to

Weebly, Blogger and Wikispaces

After exploring the Weebly website setup I am amazed at how easy it is to set one up!
I think this is a great tool for classrooms. Students and parents can access it at home and classroom activities can be linked into the website for students to complete in class or at home. It is all there for easy access and it easy for teachers to navigate and add to. It would be a great opportunity for students to access other resources at their own will for extra learning.

Wikis and blogs are a great learning tool for classrooms as well. Allowing students to access the Blog or wiki and have the opportunity to post videos, web links and other information that they thought was useful to the rest of the classroom. In some cases this could add more work and or stress for the teacher or it could work the other way and be a useful tool in allowing the students help the teacher research for information.
It is another great way for teachers to learn about their students interests and ability as well. A great profiling technique if used appropriately.

Mobile Phones within the Classroom

After participating in de Bono's thinking hats wiki about mobile phones I have been left with a lot to think about. Depending on the group of students that you had within the classroom as well as the maturity age all could have a huge influence as to whether you would allow access to students mobile phones. I believe that they are a cheap, flexible way of allowing students access to the internet and other applications. Incorporating time limits and calendars into the classroom would be a great assets to learning tools. Although as I read through the other entries it became apparent of if I were a student would I do the right thing if I had the opportunity to have a mobile phone at the age of say 8? I know during class in high school I often was texting friends and playing games. And what about the issue of cyber bullying and the emotional effect of communicating sites such as Facebook. I know personally myself I have deactivated my own Facebook account due to cyber bullying and the emotional strain it gave me. So if there are students out there such as myself, as there would be millions, is this really the right thing to be promoting into the schooling system? Would it be beneficial to teach students at a young age how to use these sites appropriately?


My opinion is give it ago. With appropriate scaffolding of your class and with correct and appropriate resources such as wireless internet access throughout classroom why not give it a go. Why not use something that nearly 80% of students all have. Just be mindful to keep a close eye on the activities that are being engaged in and make sure that students are given a time to privately reflect on their usage.

Participating in the collaborative wiki in regards to using mobile phones in the classroom and having a structure such as using de Bono's thinking hats allowed me not only to add my own thoughts but to ponder other peoples suggestions and thoughts. I believe this is a great collaborative learning tool that could be used with the correct group of students. Tools like this need to be used once a teacher has appropriately profiled their students and agree that this activity would be beneficial in their learning.

Plus	Minus	Interesting
- Collaborative learning tool - Allows students to see topics in a different light - Allows students to see other peoples opinions and broaden their own opinions. - The information is stored in sections therefore easy to find information if required. - For students who are nervous about adding information in front of a group it allows them to anonymously contribute.	- In a wiki students can change other students ideas - Students can criticize others comments - If not noted, students can contribute anonymously and therefore teachers are unable to identify useful information.	- Having different views of a range of ideas over peoples thoughts. - Allows on topic discussion

21st Century Learners

From what I have learnt over the past one and a half years about 21st Century learners, is that students in this technological society learn different and have extended capabilities when it comes to ICT's. Over the last 2 weeks it has become clearer that in order for students to reach their capacity teachers need to be one step ahead in the ICT world. Children are pretty much born with Iphones in their hands. Knowing from experience, my friends 2 1/2 year old son has his own Iphone so that he can play games and songs without interrupting his parents personal information in their own Iphone. After seeing him in action the other day, he knew how to use Iphones better then me! If children are becoming experienced in this kind of technology at such a young age who know what they are capable by the age of 12.

ENGAGE OR ENRAGE
I believe there is a heap of substance in the Engage or Enrage story.
Student are confronted by so much technology, video games and internet and computer that they don't find exploring and learning new things as exciting as previous generations. Most students are brought up with what they have to do to complete a game or achieve the top score on a game. When it comes to schooling students aren't sometimes challenged in such a was as to achieve the 'high level'. Schooling these days is fast paced and students often only get 30-60 minutes on a subject before the teacher moves on. Students aren't given the opportunity to finish what they started and often get left feeling disheartened. In saying this children in the current generation are used to doing 5 things at once on the computer. From checking emails to communicating on Facebook and texting or web searching as well. Is it time that classrooms allow students the freedom to have a computer at hand and range of activities at hand to keep them going throughout say a 2 hour block? If students are used to doing 5 things at once why can't they have a list of activities that they need to complete by the end of the week and allow them to their own learning time. There is an extensive range of learning games found on software and on the internet that there is no reason that these can not be used extensively in the classroom.
So yes students need to be engaged otherwise they will get 'enraged' as they will be bored doing things that they no longer are needed to do in everyday life that we know today. There are too many students these days that are diagnosed or classified as ADD or ADHD. I believe that they don't all have these problems I believe it is the teachers and parents today not having enough knowledge to keep up with the technological era and therefore students are physically just getting bored.

Blooms Taxonomy

"You can not understand a concept if you do not first remember it, similarly you can not apply the knowledge and concepts if you do not understand them" (Educational origami, 201).


Blooms Taxonomy consists of three domains: The Cognitive, the Affective and the Psychomotor.

Drawing 2. Bloom's Revised Taxonomy (CISCO, 2008)

ICT's help with this process of thought. As the myth states; that we remember:

10% of what we read
20% of what we hear
30% of what we see
50% of what we see and hear
70% of what we say
90% what we say and do

Using ICT's work hand in hand with providing people/students with the tools they need to learn effectively. Now days with the Interactive white board, IPads, internet connections and the range of accessories and programs that are available for computers and laptops students are given the opportunity to find information that is presented; Visually, Verbally and Interactive. These three main learning strategies caters for the majority of all learning needs and often can be incorporated together to gain a better understanding and often a different view. When students are given the information in a way that they can understand best they are more likely going to remember what was taught. Therefore as stated before if you remember the information you are more likely to understand the information. When they understand the information then they can apply the knowledge to everyday life as well as other techniques and subjects.

I agree with Blooms Taxonomy to an extent. I can apply knowledge personally but often cannot remember the information to relay it. The only way I can then pass it on is to study it again or to just show the technique with out the monologue to accompany it.
Personally I can apply information (not to a full extent) without being able to recall the information that accompanies it. Often individuals make evaluations on things without having the knowledge or comprehension to follow the evaluations through.

Learning Styles

Over the past week I participated in Gardner's Multiple Intelligences test and The Learning Style Scale test.  My results from both showed that I am a Kinaesthetic, Naturalist, Musical, sensing and visual learner. I found these activities interesting as they reflected on my stronger learning styles and what I am most interested in personally. Using learning style test and getting to know what each entitles would enhance teaching practices in the classroom. Getting to know how each of your learners learn is an important aspect of planning for learning experiences. Having short quizzes would help teachers efficiently profile their learners and therefore create effective learning strategies to cater for these students. Overall these exercises where beneficial to partake in.

My learning Styles
Naturalist:
 A learner who like/is interested in the nature and the world around them. This is true for me as my family owns a wholesale nursery and I have enjoyed working out there since I was young and I love animals as a whole, owning dogs, horses, chooks, cats, fish etc.

Musical:
A learner who can recognise musical sounds and enjoys learning through music. This also relates back to myself as well. I play the clarinet and piano and love listening and learning about music.

Kinaesthetic/active:
A learner who learns through 'doing' the activity. It is someone who loves sports. Again this is me down to a tee. I am constantly involved in physical activity from netball, to dancing, horse riding and touch football I love the great outdoors.

Visual:
A learner who learns best by seeing the information in front of them. I learn best by seeing not hearing. This visual helps me to see what is needed to do and i can relate to it more.