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I have finally got around to putting a "Voki" on my blog. This application would be a great resource to use in an educational setting. I believe that students would be more inclined to be egaged with aspects of entertainment that they are use to. I think back to my learning experiences at school and wish that I could have be entertained whilst learning in this way. My two boys would much rather see a cartoon figure advising them about information rather than seeing and watching me talk!
We are not sure about what will change in the future concerning teaching methods but fun, engagement, real life learning and life long learning could and should always be enhanced in any way possible (Sir Ken Robinson, 2006). It's also the small things that occur whilst using technology that are beneficial. Important occurances such as improved reading, improved writing, better understanding, better analysis and more risk taking take place in many ICT learning environments. Students need to become experts in transferring new information from their sensory memory to their working memory and then embedding this information in their long-term memory (Dr. Graham Cooper, 1998). Vygotsky (1962) stated that social interaction
greatly influences a persons learning in a positive manner. This, I believe,is what ICT is all about, the interconnection of engagement, socialising, learning, risk taking and memorising.
regards
Michael
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Hi Michael,
ReplyDeleteI found your comments about new age teaching and the uses of ICTs very insightful. It is so easy to revert back to teaching practices that we experienced ourselves, that were mostly teacher-centric and forget that learning should not only be engaging, but social, too.
Probably the most important skill we can impart to our learners to be successful in the world, is to be able to interact appropriately in social settings. Using Wikis and discovering 'netiquette', collaborating and communicating both on and off-line, analysing other perspectives and refelcting on and defending our own, are as important aspects in the learning journey as specific knowledge gained on the KLAs. I suppose this is why the Essential Learnings are so generalised, to allow not only for interpretation but to supply those broader skills required by learners to be successful in the future.
If you don't mind, I may even quote you in my Reflective Synopsis (properly referenced, of course); I thought your final sentence was succinct and thought-provoking.
Alice