Hi David,
This looks like something new and fun but is it? Is this technology replacing, enhancing or transforming learning? Also there are only 8 children in the video in a real prep class there would be 20 plus and they would not be as calm and well mannered when taking turns. Seems like fun for a small group all the same.
Video of teacher using bee-bots to teach a small group, accompanying blog post connects it with some learning theory. Not entirely sure about the links though.
This site has great interactive and print resources for learning all sorts of things. I used some of these this term for lessons on seasons in a special ed setting and the students were very engaged and learnt well.
I like that this site goes from kindy to adults with math mah-jong and solitaire. A very busy site when you first open it but once you read a bot it is clear to navigate around.
For me personally I have seen many of these technologies being used in learning and teaching. Eg - The use of Ipads and computer labs, using the smart board to do internet searches as a whole class by encouraging the students to think about key words relating to what they are researching, and using a software application called Tux Paint to re-create a story scene as an extension from an English project.
ICT tends to mean computers and their peripheral devices
I thought that was the old definition of ICT and that its new definition embraced anything that was available for communication purposes, storing data, gathering it, sharing it, etc. as seen in the Hello Kitty video. I fully support the idea that ICT is not regarded as a piece of equipment but it should be a way of life where it is a/any tool used for whatever is required so rather than thinking how we can incorporate ICT into the school curriculum, it should simply be one of the avenues used by students to achieve what they want to achieve.
what, in fact, is critical is “how” the technologies are used (Reimann & Goodyear, 2004).
While the computer is itself not a catalyst, its valency as a conduit for communication, collaboration and knowledge building has the potential to transform learning.
Yes, the classroom that I work in has a little down syndrome girl who uses an iPad for communication. I know of another class who has a student diagnosed with dyslexia and he uses a computer for typing up all his work.
What a great example of differentiation and inclusion.
a similarly disparate and motley collection of machines of different capacities and configurations may be being used by students and be constituting the learning environment
It is 8+ years since Lloyd wrote this piece. In very recent times we've seen the Digital Education Revolution - where many students were given laptops - but that is now slowly moving onto the BYOD (bring your own device) era. An era where students are allowed (of if they are not, they still do anyway) their own devices (phones, tablets, computers). It's likely that BYOD is likely to end up with "a similarly disparate and motley collection of machines of different capacities and configurations", what are the implications for teaching?
Surely this would encourage discrimination between the students with everyone knowing who had expensive/cheap computers with out of date/the latest versions of software packages. That being the case then it will increase the difficulty of the teacher to both teach ICT and allow the students to use their own forms of ICT. Firstly, because more recent software packages allow greater flexibility (usually) so some students will be physically capable of more complex software usage and also it would be a lot harder to guage what all students are doing on their ICT equipment as a quick glance will not necessarily let the teacher know where each student is at with their work.
The configuration of computers in schools may range from individual machines, to distributed models, and to sophisticated networks
I work in a school that has recently rolled out Samsung slates to all students in grades 4-6. Next year they are going to roll them out from grade 7-12, and then, the year after in grades P-3. They have also commenced using a program called D2L (Desire to learn), to deliver the content to students. It has been very interesting to see how different teachers have coped with the changes. Some embrace it and have done an amazing job of incorporating it into their teaching, while others have resisted the changes and really struggled with incorporating it into their classrooms. No matter what ICTs the school has available it seems, to me anyway, that the teacher will be the crucial factor as to whether these ICTs are used successfully and appropriately.
I agree with you, Kate. When people resist what has to be done, then there is no creativity or extensions or allowing the students to be risk takers themselves. This is borne out by Toomey (2001) when part of his definition of ICT actually includes "manipulating" and "communicating".
There is no standard school configuration of machines
How true is this... I have been to a few schools for prac and each school has a different focus on ICT. One school I attended had a computer lab, put the screens were the good old huge dinosaur ones. Then another school I attend had two computer labs full of up-to-date computers with flat screens etc. It's a same that schools aren't all the same.
I agree Donna, unfortunatley that's where funding and grants come into it as well as the hard work of the fundraising activities, sometimes the budget focus is on other areas as well. Access and equity in relation to current technology is a major issue in educational equality and very topical too.