Saturday, April 3, 2010

Comments on Never Too Late’s blog

Comments on Never Too Late’s blog:

On ‘Session7: Mobile technology in school or workplace’

Referring to your example about providing automatic feedback using mobile technology, you are absolutely right that it can really help teachers and students save a lot of time. I am just wondering how mobile technology stands apart in this example. It seems that automatic feedback can be done effectively even with non-mobile technology.

On ‘Cases of applying IT in TnL around the world’:

A really great site. Just watched a video about how some schools in the U.S. collaborate with professional communities to organize informal academic and interest groups for students after school (http://www.edutopia.org/citizen-schools-after-school-program-video). Students appear to have their generic skills enhanced. A must see for the EDB which advocates the generic component in the new curriculum.

On ‘Our potential research topic’:

Totally agree with your justification. It seems that a lot of the local primary and secondary schools are only using ICT to enhance staff communication but not teaching and learning.

Two things may be added, including students’ perceptions and learning behaviour, which makes the proposed research more process-oriented. Sometimes what students have gained (e.g. becoming more confident, using more learning strategies) may not be reflected in the learning outcome.

Btw, I am wondering how we should deal with ‘effectiveness’ and ‘efficiency’ in this research. Effectiveness means ‘doing the right thing’, whereas efficiency means ‘doing the thing right’. I think learners may really not do the right thing all the time when using ICT (i.e. not effective / there is off-task behaviour such as not talking about the writing topic but other topics), yet it is possible that it may enhance students’ social presence or sense of belonging and thus eventually make the students even more effective and then more efficient. IT-enhanced learning has been criticized by many as creating a socially-isolated environment and thus reducing learning motivation and hindering knowledge construction. The aforementioned ineffectiveness may actually (and sarcastically) be a possible solution for the problem.

On ‘The main areas of research on and with ITE’:

I think within the domain of ‘with ITE’, there can be two sub-domains, namely ‘for the learners’ and ‘with the learners’

For the learners: how teachers develop IT platforms or IT-related materials for the students and how students use these platforms and materials to enhancing learning (i.e. more teacher-centered)

With the learners: how students explore IT applications and use them to explore knowledge (i.e. more student-directed).

On ‘Google Map with HK Street Views (Chinese Version)’:

Great! I am thinking about how to use Google Map in teaching and learning.

A simple activity in an English grammar lesson can be as follows: students describe what they saw in Google Map in English and practice how to use prepositions of place.

A more complicated activity in an English writing lesson can be as follows: students are real estate agents and asked to write promotion leaflets. They browse Google Map in groups and describe an estate and its surroundings. This is great for those who consider field trips as not a very viable teaching option.

In these two cases, Google Map provides students with an authentic context, which may be highly motivating.

On ‘Introduction to Voice Thread‘:

This is great stuff, but it seems that the free version of voice thread has got some technical limitations, like unstable recording, poor recording quality and being unable to cover original track when making a new one. Not sure whether the first two problems are just due to my network and computer.

On Photo Story 3 - complementary tool to Movie Maker”:

True, Regina. The EDB should allocate more funding to schools to develop / redevelop IT. The school that I worked for a few years ago needed to organize fund-raising events for buying new computers for the students! And the computers for the teaching staff are just good enough for opening IE and a few Microsoft applications and would lag to death when we used video-editing software.

On ‘Digital Storytelling - Movie Maker Trial’:

Right. This is a great software. You can add and modify elements of a video such as subtitles and transition effects within a few simple steps. One of the limitations is that it is not very flexible when adding subtitles (subtitle is a crucial element in educational videos I suppose). For instance, the places that you can put the subtitles are more or less fixed and you cannot retain the subtitle of the previous slide in the current slide.

And you are right, Kui. I believe, however, that the Windows Movie Maker is one of the simplest and most user-friendly video-editing software, as compared with other software like Pinnacle or Adobe Premiere.

On ‘A Learning Object for the 'Scientifically Challenged'’:

Learning object is truly a present for learners. In a learning object, complicated concepts can be visualized and can be acquired by learners in an interactive manner. If Albert Einstein was still alive, I think he would love it, as he had dyslexia and learnt by visualizing things.

But of course, a learning object should be treated as a supplementary learning element. I believe that knowledge should be and can be best constructed via social interaction.

On ‘Limitation of Short-term Memory and Dual Coding’:

Great summary and reflection. Just that I am not sure about your phrase ‘enhance the short-time memory capacity’. It seems that short-term memory has a finite capacity / memory span (i.e. the capacity / memory span cannot be increased). People may improve their short-term memory through chucking (i.e. increasing the size of the items memorized in the short-term memory), but the capacity / memory span is still the same.

It is good to raise the issue of using PowerPoint to deliver verbal and non-verbal information. Some teachers in Hong Kong, however, just use PowerPoint as a kind of ‘electronic blackboard’, that is, they only use PowerPoint to present textual stuff. They may have to be reminded of the benefits of presenting audio-visual information.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Comments on "Fresh" blogger

Comments:

Feb 1 (Session2: Cognitive tool in classroom)
Good finding!
I think cognitive tool should be related to mind mapping plus database.

Feb 1 (Session2: Mind map of learning theory)
I find something on the learning theory as following:

Behaviorism: Based on observable changes in behavior. Behaviorism focuses on a new behavioral pattern being repeated until it becomes automatic.

Cognitivism: Based on the thought process behind the behavior. Changes in behavior are observed, and used as indicators as to what is happening inside the learner's mind.

Constructivism: Based on the premise that we all construct our own perspective of the world, through individual experiences and schema. Constructivism focuses on preparing the learner to problem solve in ambiguous situations.

(Schuman, 1996)

http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/mergel/brenda.htm

Feb 1 (Session 2: Review on How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School)

Your group gives a good book for us! I read "Chapter 3 Learning transfer", I think learning by practice is good for knowledge transfer into the permanent memory. On "Chapter 9 Technologies to support learning", I agree using of new technologies may be not guarantee on effective learning but inappropriate to use technology can create barrier to the learner is absolutely true!

Monday, February 8, 2010
Session 3: Multimedia narratives from Interactive Narratives


It is a good review to remind my memory. The impressive image let me remember the forgettable things. It refreshes my mind.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Session 3 Activity: Using Learning object on Teaching and Learning


Both games are come from the primarygames.com. I see this site not only Mathematics can learn by games. Other knowledge such as language, science and social science can learn from this web. Moreover, it can submit your own games. I think it is a good learning object for primary school student.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Session 3: Theoretic Issues-Combing Visualization and Interactivity


I agree with the article your group provided “Interactive Modeling and Visualization in Undergraduate Survey Courses” that say Java is a powerful and interactive tool to combine visualization and interactivity. But I think the importance to combine the visualization and interactivity is no need to concern about the tools such as Java or Flash. The main issue to concern should be how to use the tools to integrate the technology become interactive. I think not only image/video/picture (visualization) use, the utilization of sound/voice should add on teaching and learning, which is an effective way for producing interactivity. An interactive learning material should be a combination of audio and visual.

Sunday, February 21, 2010
Session 3: Limitations of Short-term Memory


When I study computer’s architecture, I think the RAM (random access memory) is an example of short-term memory. Otherwise the ROM (read-only memory) is an example of long-term memory inside a computer system. When using this example to comparing to our brain, I think short-term memory is volatile, which is not good for learner. I think the knowledge and skill should be on a long-term memory. It should embed on our mind. The limitation of short-term memory is not permanent that easy to let the learner to forget it.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010
How Blog supports teaching and learning


I think Blog is a communication tool between the teacher and the learner. The teacher can post their teaching material on Blog. The learner can read from the Blog and post their comment. This is one-way learning. But I think the Blog can more than that because it can deliver the knowledge by sharing between teachers and learners. It can distribute the knowledge not only from one teacher. Blog can be an effective ICT tool from many-to-many communication (many tutors versus many students). However, the shortage of Blog is no verification on Blog content. The world has many blogs, some information is correct but some is wrong. Not all the world’s Blog has verified!

Monday, March 15, 2010
Session 6: Solution to an Education issue


On your group’s “Cons” part, I do not agree with you on some points. But this is only my points of view!
First cons: I agree e-learning should be the people have a high motivation on self-learning. However, if the people are low motivation on learning, they can absent of class in traditional learning! Whatever typical learning or e-learning, the interest on learning is most important thing to concern.
Second cons: I think a good developed e-learning system, which should have this checking tool to prevent plagiarism. Moreover, a good e-learning system can embed or link to the outsider tool for checking like Turnitin (http://www.turnitin.com) as well.
Third cons: I think not only drill and practice can perform on e-learning system. The marked assignment with comments or conversation between tutor and student can work on the e-learning platform. It is an interactive ICT between the teacher and the learner. Also, this system can be embedded with many enhanced function such as instant feedback or discussion board.
Fourth cons: I think the effectiveness is a certain thing! One example is the Open University (www.open.ac.uk) (www.ouhk.edu.hk). It is a typical for the e-learning system.
Fifth cons: I do not think only ‘multiple-choice’ or ‘fill in the blanks’ question can work on e-learning platform. I think other assignment or assessment such as writing an essay or answering a short/ long question can occur on it. I know Open University of Hong Kong that the tutor can marked the assignment online for the student. Then the student can get back the marked assignment from the system. The OU student calls it TMA (tutor-marked-assignment) system!

Monday, March 22, 2010
Session 7: Uses of mobile technology in school


On the disadvantage, I do not agree that the handheld with a small screen is unhealthy to the child’s eye. Right now, for example, the typical mobile device OS includes Apple’s IPhone, Nokia’s Symbian, Google’s Android and Microsoft’s WinMobile. These devices have the zoom function and multi-touch sensor can let the user to use the finger script to zoom the screen’s one particular part easily.
I think one bottleneck in the mobile device is the bandwidth nowadays. Because the highest speed is HSUPA plus MIMO (can reach 28Mbps on highest, it can 3.75G mobile network), but the typical speed cannot reach this level. I think this technology barrier can solve by 4G mobile network (LTE).

Sunday, March 28, 2010
Summary of Teaching and Learning with Technology (6024)


Your mind-mapping is good for our reference. But I think besides Web 2.0. I think the terms Cloud-computing and Open-source software will be an essential part of teaching and learning in the near future!

Monday, March 29, 2010

Comments on "4ITGuys" blog

Glogster Sunday, January 31, 2010

REAL said...

I have just signed up and have a try. Quite funny and the cartoon is funny. Also, it is quite user friendly thus students can easy to use. Thanks for posting!

In addition, just think that the product is some kind like a knowledge management pool..e.g. student can put all the things that he learnt in a semester for a specific subjects together and form a poster...
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Digital Story, Saturday, February 27, 2010

REAL said...

A very good storyborad showing application. Thanks.!
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Voki: A free, animated avatar, Tuesday, March 9, 2010

REAL said...

i have tried this tool and believe this tool could arous student's interest, however some modification might needed as the pronounciation is not very accurate.
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Comments on the main areas of research on and with ITE, Monday, March 15, 2010

REAL said...

Just a little opinion..

I think the problem is there are some few people know what is exact meaning of "ICT in Education". Even government, they just think that using techonology in the processing of teaching is enough, however, definitely not! As a result, they just know to input resources because they think if schools have resources, ICT in education can be reach! The main problem is...the concept of "ICT in Educaton" is wrong.!

What is needed are ICT-based pedagogy! If a school is well-equipped with latest hardward and software, but teacher just use Word, PPT, Excel or web. That is meaningless! Policy needs to be changed! I think the first thing should do is ..highly focus in ICT-pedagogy. Try to put it as important as it can. Put it as a major subjects in all PDGE! Even non-IT teacher...then, combining with Government resources, situation maybe better
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Group research topic: How IT infrastrcuture can affect teaching and learning in education, Monday, March 15, 2010

REAL said...

some opinion, IT infrastructure just serve a good sharing tool in that case, while the number of IT tools does not affect the level of involvement.
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Thoughts on the CETL Learning Space, Monday, March 15, 2010

REAL said...

I agree that the room is very good in design. But I think I want to spot out, which is I think the room is only suitable for lectures who fantastic in new technology.

Also, this room has its own teaching pedagogy. Traditionally teaching and learnning is not very desirable in this venue.

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Mobile Learning in Education, Monday, March 22, 2010

REAL said...

really very mobile! also, another advantage is it can be used on iPod, ie. no need to buy a specific device...

Lecture 8 Activity: Feelings on the new IT Classroom

Here are some comments from our group:

- Nice layout
- a bit larger screen for those besides table
- good setting encourage group discussion
- voice will a bit soft
- not necessary for the teacher desk that near the entrance
- 1-2 more PC on each table if neccessary
- learning will be more effective than traditional classrooms if there are collaborative tasks and multimedia presentations

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Lecture 7 Activity: m-Learning in School

Our group think that one of the application in the field of mobile learning, can be Interactive Whiteboard (IWB)

What is IWB?
In short, IWB is a technology that, teacher and students both have a handheld tablet in hand. When teaching, teacher can write on his tablet and all the writing can be shown both on the screen and students’ handhelds. Moreover, student can also ask his question by writing it on the handheld and teacher can just switch the control to his handheld to see what his question is. Additionally, students can save the screen that the contains teacher's writing. Furthermore, the recent version of IWB actually can install the ebooks.

What is the benefit?
1. Surely, teacher can show more complex steps in this way of teaching
2. the lesson can be more interactive
3. Literatures show that students are more concentrated and happy in lessons

In terms of m-learning…
1. no definite sitting plan of the class
2. no geographical issue about the venue of the lesson take place.
3. student can use the ebook function (study everytime everywhere)

Limitations…
1. The lecture venue should be network equipped
2. Costing issue regarding student’s handheld (who pay for it? Administrative controls?)
3. Limited resources in ebook

Monday, March 22, 2010

Lecture 6 Activity: Main areas of research on and with ITE and Potential research topic

1) Main areas of research on and with ITE
a. The development of ITE software and web resources
b. Students and teachers' perceptions of the value and effectiveness of using ITE
c. The relationships between components of ITE and learner, teacher and task variables
d. Government policies on ITE

2) Present a potential research topic that would be useful in providing a solution to an educational issue (should be relevant to IT)

Title: The impact of using MOODLE on students' motivation and learning outcome in the context of learning English as a second language

Research design: quasi-experimental

Participants: local secondary school students

Intervention group: a class that learns English writing skills, grammar and vocabulary on a MOODLE platform

Control group: a class that learns English writing skills, grammar and vocabulary in the classroom

Dependent variables: students' second language learning motivation and learning outcome (students' essays, grammar tests, vocabulary tests, etc)

Friday, March 12, 2010

Lecture 5 Activity: How can Web 2.0 applications support teaching and learning



I have given up to use Voicethread to create the presentation. The reasons are as follows:

1. The quality of the audio comments (produced by using the recording function of the site) is quite bad. My utterances were cut up into pieces. I then recorded using windows recorder and attempted to upload the clips to the site, but the site required me to upgrade my account (i.e. I have to pay)

2. I can’t figure out any way to remove completely my old audio comments for a slide (i.e. my new and old audio comments co-exist). I have to upload the slide again if I want to get rid of the old track, which is troublesome.

3. The audio recording function of the site always malfunctions. Sometimes I even couldn't find the ‘record’ button.

So I have decided to use Windows Movie Maker to create the presentation.