By introducing the use of ICT in the classroom to provide students with these valuable learning experiences can benefit both the teachers and students. The tools that are available for students to experience through ICT can all lead to the same development area for students. The main development area is collaborative thinking. Having the use of ICT does allow the student to work with other students and the teacher more closely (Spencer & Stewart, 2002). Working and communicating with other peers and the teacher are vital to learning, as expressed by Lev Vygotsky in 1972 ‘learning happened within a social environment where the learners construct their own understandings, this was known as 'social constructivism’ (Smith, 2007). We learn more through interaction with each other and the use of ICT can only enhance students learning.
New technologies are an extension of our existing communication mechanisms. It is an evolutionary development of drawing, writing, speaking, reading and listening supported by technologies that can combine all these areas (Smith, Lynch & Knight, 2007). The world of e-Learning allows learners to not delete information that is already known, but to build their ideas of the knowledge processed. By introducing ICT in the class, answers to questions start having ‘no right answer’, as the student needs to be able to experiment, explore and think differently to come up with solutions to problems. They need to create their own ideas and knowledge (Spencer & Stewart). The tools that are used in ICT helps develop these areas of the brain; enhancing their thinking process, learning, critical thinking, evaluation and decision making skills (Spencer & Stewart, 2002).
Blogs
A blog is an online journal that can be used to record individual or group experiences, observations, reflections, impressions, opinions, questions and research notes across a range of different subjects (Queensland Education, 2010). It allows the creator to voice their opinions on certain topics with a personal point of view. It then allows the public to comment on the posting made by the creator.
Students will be able to benefit from these technological tools, as it allows students to interact with each other and the teacher in or out of school. Blogs encourage students to become more creative and adventurous with their writing skills (Queensland Government, 2010). At the same time of enhancing their writing skills, students can grasp the basic technology skills of the internet and how to use it effectively in their writing (Queensland Government, 2010). Blogs will be able to enhance the students of grammar and punctuation, and they will know how to use their creative ideas in written assessments. Students will also be able to improve their collaborative skills with blogs, just by sharing ideas.
Wikis
Wikis and blogs work in a similar context, however are completely different from each other. Wikis will be able to enhance the writing skills of students; however it works on collaborative thinking and learning more. As blogs allows others to comment on the written posting by the creator, wikis allow the public to edit the entire posting (Cincom Smalltalk Wiki, 2010). By having that advantage of editing information posted, teachers and students can work collaboratively in sharing and adding ideas to basic knowledge (Cincom Smalltalk Wiki, 2010).
Wikis would be an excellent way for students to finish homework, and completing group assignments. Having the power to add onto information helps students to acquire and integrate knowledge and then allows students to refine and extend the old knowledge into new knowledge. If wikis have the ability to help students relate their new skill/knowledge to what they already know, students then can shape the new skill and make it more efficient to them as the learners (McRel, 2010) then why wouldn’t they be used in the class. Wikis are a great opportunity for students to grasp the context of sharing and adding more information to the post, allowing students to analyse the problem or topic more deeply, rather then just surfacing the knowledge.
PowerPoints
A tool that can be used for both displaying information to a class and can be also used in student’s presentations is the common Microsoft Powerpoint. With moving animations, sound effects, pictures and even interaction it’s no wonder why students become so engaged with the concept of the use of Powerpoints (Donald, 2004). Microsoft Powerpoint optimizes a student's visual learning experience and allows instructors to incorporate multimedia in a manner that is far less cumbersome than are ways that are available without access to such an application (Donald, 2004).
As students all learn different, Microsoft Powerpoint can deliver to kinaesthetic learners, audio learners and visual learners. As Powerpoints benefit most learners, they will become more engaged and active through their learning (Donald, 2004). Collaborative learning is being developed at the same time of communication skills between students and teachers. They are quick to create, intriguing to the audience and can turn any boring topic into interesting new information (Donald, 2004).
Digital Videos
Another option that can turn boring topics into fun and engaging information is digital videos. Finding a way to display information through a video created by the teacher will also engage students in their learning and develop certain skills needed in literacy. As stated by Theodosakis (2002) ‘video production in the classroom enables the development of media literacy, higher order thinking skills, project based learning experiences, real world relevancy experiences, and a deeper connection to the curriculum being explored.’ This will also be able to expand student’s collaborative thinking (what goes in the movie, how to present the movie etc) when working in groups to present homework or an assignment (Grossmount Union High School, 2002).
With these four ICT tools taken into consideration, it’s easy to tell that e-Learning in the class will help provide students with the relation of school work to real life situations. Blogs can be about political issues, wikis can be used for planning trips, Powerpoints can be used for a speech display and digital videos are used in advertisements or TV shows. Introducing e-Learning into schools can only benefit the teachers and students instead of down grading them. The 21st century has brought changes to the way we live and the way we work (Spencer & Stewart, 2002), now it’s time transform the way we learn so we can learn at our best potential.
Reference
Cincom Smalltalk Wiki. (2010). The difference between a wiki and a blog, Retrieved November 12, 2010, from http://www.cincomsmalltalk.com/userblogs/cincom/files/wikis-and-blogs.pdf
DEECD. (2010). E-learning support and services. State of Victoria (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. Retrieved December 15, from http://www.education.vic.gov.au/management/elearningsupport.htm
Donald. K. (2004). Examining powerpointlessness. The American Society for Cell Biology. Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC520839/
D., Spender & F., Stewart. (2002). Embracing e-learning in Australian schools. Commonwealth Bank. Retrieved from: http://www.bssc.edu.au/public/learning_teaching/research/embracing%20e-Learning%20000-731.pdf
Grossmount Union High School District. (2002). Digital video in education: student research, student views, student learning. Education Technology Resources. Retrieved from: http://edtech.guhsd.net/video.html
McReal. (2010). What is dimensions of learning and how is it used. Retrieved November 12, 2010. from http://www.mcrel.org/dimensions/whathow.asp
Queensland Education. (2010). About blogs. retrieved November 5, 2010, from http://education.qld.gov.au/learningplace/communication/blogs/aboutblogs.html
R., Smith. D., Lynch & B., Knight. (2007). Learning management: transitioning teachers for national and international change. Pearson Education Australia. Frenchs Forest. NSW.
Smith, R., Lynch, D., & Knight, B. (2007). Learning management: transitioning teachers for national and international change. Pearson Education Australia. Frenchs Forest. NSW.
