Kevin Donnelly, The Australian’s curmudgeonly education commentator, is inspired by the government’s Digital Education Revolution to broadly dismiss yet another dastardly innovation in education - computers! He writes again [Dec 23] that there is little if any evidence that computers have any benefit in schooling. I must sadly point out that there is no evidence that fountain pens, ball point pens, three ring binders or photo copiers have improved educational outcomes either. It is how you use these tools that makes a difference.
Looking for firm evidence that computers improve learning is a generally futile.
“While it would be convenient to be able to make a direct connection between the use of ICT and learning outcomes, most reputable educational researchers today would agree that there will never be a direct link because learning is mediated through the learning environment and ICT is only one element of that environment.” P16 Newhouse 2002
So while the computer might be a potentially powerful learning aid, achieving better learning will depend on half a dozen other elements being in place. That should not be a discouragement, but a reminder of something that even Mr Donnelly might agree with: that it is the quality of the teacher that is at the core of improvement.
We are seeing this demonstrated in the introduction of Interactive White-boards. It is what the teacher does with it that matters and there are many examples of these expensive tools inspiring great learning, but sadly, there are plenty of instances of the IWB being just a fancy blackboard.
As for the plan to provide all senior secondary students with a computer on their desk, I think this is an inspired initiative. Look at what happens in the so-called real world. Virtually all white-collar workers have a computer on their desk. It is more than a little strange that students who’s daily (and nightly homework) is the gathering, processing and production of information they are lucky if they have the use of a computer for more than two hours a week during their time at school. But it would be a very silly employer who expects that simply providing a computer will make the employees productive.
Most of us take it for granted that a computer on one’s desk at work is a basic essential for effectiveness, and surely this also applies to most students. But let’s not make the illogical leap to imagine that the benefits will be automatic.
Monday 24 December 2007
Friday 7 December 2007
Children, sex and safety on the internet
There was an excellent program on Australia’s Radio National recently titled Sex on the Net about child safety. In the style of this program it is a very sensible and thoughtful perspective and in 45 minutes goes into considerable depth. The link allows you to listen or download the audio and there is a transcript.
In short, the program says: there are serious issues at stake, there is no need to panic and the issues are complex. As usual, there are no simple answers and there is a lovely section in the program where a man who has been working for years in an educational program for children with one message - don’t give out your personal details, who realises that it is probably a useless approach.
It is a topic that school administrators and teachers need to know a lot about, and many of the ‘expert’ on this program said that they don’t really know what is happening.
Friday 30 November 2007
Professional Networking with me.edu
me.edu.au is now in testing mode in preparation for launch by the middle of December. The video below shows some of its features. If you would like to explore me.edu in its test form, visit http://me-uat.edna.edu.au and log in with your edna login, or register. Note, any content added to the test mode will not be retained after the launch.
The initial service includes:
Profile - who I am, what I have done, qualifications
Interests - my professional Interests
Communities - each Interest forms a Community of Interest with whiteboard, links.
Colleagues - people I keep track of
Minifeeds - my selected RSS feeds and those of my Colleagues
New features will be added progressively with the next major release due in March 2008
The initial service includes:
Profile - who I am, what I have done, qualifications
Interests - my professional Interests
Communities - each Interest forms a Community of Interest with whiteboard, links.
Colleagues - people I keep track of
Minifeeds - my selected RSS feeds and those of my Colleagues
New features will be added progressively with the next major release due in March 2008
Wednesday 31 October 2007
Multimedia Simplicity in VoiceThread
The more I use VoiceThread the more I think it is a breakthrough application. It is so simple and clean and feature-packed - three attributes that are hard to combine. The following example shows one of its capabilities, as a quick and powerful instruction and information tool.
An introduction to LibraryThing
This is a small embed to fit into the limited space on this blog. But it easily generates a bigger presentation. And click on the image and it enlarges, click and it shrinks!
The fact that the interactive features of VoiceThread, including the ability to add voice and text memos to a presentation like this one makes it unusually good at fostering two-way communication. Feel free to add your voice memo.
An introduction to LibraryThing
This is a small embed to fit into the limited space on this blog. But it easily generates a bigger presentation. And click on the image and it enlarges, click and it shrinks!
The fact that the interactive features of VoiceThread, including the ability to add voice and text memos to a presentation like this one makes it unusually good at fostering two-way communication. Feel free to add your voice memo.
Saturday 20 October 2007
R/evolution
I have just been watching another fascinating video, Information R/evolution by Prof Michael Wesch from Kansas State University in which he tells another fast moving and engaging story about the revolution or evolution of information management that is taking place. It is a worthy follow up to his spectacularly popular The machine is Us/ing Us. With thousands of fast moving images it tells a frantic story of how the old fixed information in shelves, books, catalogue cards is being replaced by indexed searchable online resources of a much greater quantity. It is well worth viewing.
A lot of people viewing it, like members of Classroom 2.0, are the in-group with new technologies, and we tend to smugly nod and say, yes, it is a revolution and it is transforming the world, and for the better. And we can all think of colleagues we feel a degree of pity for who don't get it, who are largely oblivious or dismissive of the changes that are taking place, and the impact on education.
But like most revolutions, the outcome is not clear. I suspect that the direction of the revolution will depend a lot on how schools react to the challenges and opportunities. The trouble is, the technology is evolving faster than our ability to come to terms with it.
There are two big pot-holes on the road to technological progress in schooling. The first is that it is often easy to learn how to use a tool but darn hard to work out how to use it effectively and appropriately. Take searching. It is very easy to conduct powerful searches but there is a wide and deep range of skills needed to be able to search wisely and skillfully. That's where smart teachers come in. The second pot-hole is that it is not much good just teaching the old stuff in new ways (to paraphrase Mark Prensky). For example, if students have access to a mountain of information, it is not adding much value to their learning if they are sent off to find the information that used to be in their old text book. Much better to learn how to genuinely investigate, then evaluate information buried in the information mountain. Better still if that investigation is a collaborative task using some Web 2.0 tools. If there has been a revolution in information then maybe there needs to be a revolution in teaching goals and methods.
But from what I can see, most school systems are tentative, ill-informed and more than a little paranoid about the new learning environment. We hear denunciations of the use of information from Wikipedia and other informal information sources that are quite detached from the reality of what smart people are doing in the wider society. But it is a tradition of education systems that they tend to be very resistant to change.
So I think it is up to well informed people like members of Classroom 2.0 to not wait for evolutionary change, but to support the information revolution become a teaching and learning revolution.
A lot of people viewing it, like members of Classroom 2.0, are the in-group with new technologies, and we tend to smugly nod and say, yes, it is a revolution and it is transforming the world, and for the better. And we can all think of colleagues we feel a degree of pity for who don't get it, who are largely oblivious or dismissive of the changes that are taking place, and the impact on education.
But like most revolutions, the outcome is not clear. I suspect that the direction of the revolution will depend a lot on how schools react to the challenges and opportunities. The trouble is, the technology is evolving faster than our ability to come to terms with it.
There are two big pot-holes on the road to technological progress in schooling. The first is that it is often easy to learn how to use a tool but darn hard to work out how to use it effectively and appropriately. Take searching. It is very easy to conduct powerful searches but there is a wide and deep range of skills needed to be able to search wisely and skillfully. That's where smart teachers come in. The second pot-hole is that it is not much good just teaching the old stuff in new ways (to paraphrase Mark Prensky). For example, if students have access to a mountain of information, it is not adding much value to their learning if they are sent off to find the information that used to be in their old text book. Much better to learn how to genuinely investigate, then evaluate information buried in the information mountain. Better still if that investigation is a collaborative task using some Web 2.0 tools. If there has been a revolution in information then maybe there needs to be a revolution in teaching goals and methods.
But from what I can see, most school systems are tentative, ill-informed and more than a little paranoid about the new learning environment. We hear denunciations of the use of information from Wikipedia and other informal information sources that are quite detached from the reality of what smart people are doing in the wider society. But it is a tradition of education systems that they tend to be very resistant to change.
So I think it is up to well informed people like members of Classroom 2.0 to not wait for evolutionary change, but to support the information revolution become a teaching and learning revolution.
Saturday 29 September 2007
Infernal technology: the automobile
The Editor,
The Times
29th September 1899
Sir,
I wish to express my dismay at the appearance of the automobile on the roads of England. This increasingly popular form of travel heralds a severe deterioration in the standards of transport of people. A good horse and light buggy provides a quiet, gentle, reflective and throughly pleasant mode of travel. The motor car on the other hand is noisy, smelly, and much too fast for safety. Furthermore, as seems likely, the cost of the motor car is falling below the cost of maintaining horses, and the development of the ominbus with up to twenty passengers, will mean that travel of longer distances will be economic for the lower classes which will lead to the deterioration of roads and crowding thereof. Furthermore, there is the likelihood that crowds of unruly people will congest popular places of leisure.
On a personal level, we must note that Man's relationship with the horse has been treasured by many people for thousands of years and may be lost if this trend continues.
The so called advancement of technology in the form of the automobile may have some benefits, but overall, its introduction is to be resisted because it disturbs our way of life.
Yours faithfully,
Disgusted.
The Times
29th September 1899
Sir,
I wish to express my dismay at the appearance of the automobile on the roads of England. This increasingly popular form of travel heralds a severe deterioration in the standards of transport of people. A good horse and light buggy provides a quiet, gentle, reflective and throughly pleasant mode of travel. The motor car on the other hand is noisy, smelly, and much too fast for safety. Furthermore, as seems likely, the cost of the motor car is falling below the cost of maintaining horses, and the development of the ominbus with up to twenty passengers, will mean that travel of longer distances will be economic for the lower classes which will lead to the deterioration of roads and crowding thereof. Furthermore, there is the likelihood that crowds of unruly people will congest popular places of leisure.
On a personal level, we must note that Man's relationship with the horse has been treasured by many people for thousands of years and may be lost if this trend continues.
The so called advancement of technology in the form of the automobile may have some benefits, but overall, its introduction is to be resisted because it disturbs our way of life.
Yours faithfully,
Disgusted.
Saturday 22 September 2007
Sharing images smoothly
This is not to show off my holiday pics (well, not entirely) but to demonstrate Picasa's nice slideshow feature as well.
If you go to the web site (below) for this album you can access Goggle's integration of applications with Google Maps.
If you go to the web site (below) for this album you can access Goggle's integration of applications with Google Maps.
 |
| Central Australia |
Friday 7 September 2007
The book dead? Long live the book!
Books may be delivered in new forms, audio, digitised, purchased online, but their death has clearly been exaggerated. Google has embarked with some of the world's leading libraries on a project to digitise the world's books. These can be searched and for those under copyright, extracts can be read. For older books, they can be read in their entirety.
Since they have been scanned, old books can be seen in their original form. Sections can be copied as an image, or text, or as an embeded image, like one of the most famous opening lines of a novel......
Since they have been scanned, old books can be seen in their original form. Sections can be copied as an image, or text, or as an embeded image, like one of the most famous opening lines of a novel......
Thursday 6 September 2007
So what to do with your blog?
So now that everyone has a blog, what to do with it? Well...
think about...
The blog format encourages thoughtful reflection. It is a good place to choose a theme, issue or topic that you want to say something about. It can be a little or a big issue. It should be forward looking, pointing in directions to go.
The other characteristic of blogs is that they allow comments. If you provoke comments then it is very likely a good blog. So read others' (check the public ones in your Netvibes or similar). If your blog is private, post a brief note on what it is in the Groups discussion set up for this purpose.
By the way, the slide show is yet another integrated feature of the Google empire. The photo management system Picasa offers to turn images into a slideshow. You can then embed them in your blog.
think about...
The blog format encourages thoughtful reflection. It is a good place to choose a theme, issue or topic that you want to say something about. It can be a little or a big issue. It should be forward looking, pointing in directions to go.
The other characteristic of blogs is that they allow comments. If you provoke comments then it is very likely a good blog. So read others' (check the public ones in your Netvibes or similar). If your blog is private, post a brief note on what it is in the Groups discussion set up for this purpose.
By the way, the slide show is yet another integrated feature of the Google empire. The photo management system Picasa offers to turn images into a slideshow. You can then embed them in your blog.
Monday 3 September 2007
'Disgusted': on social networking
The Editor,
The Times,
London.
September 3rd 1841
Sir,
While there has been much correspondence praising the introduction of the Penny Post last year across Great Britain, I am concerned at a danger that has emerged from this so-called advance in communication.
I wish to express my dismay at the current fashion of young ladies indulging in the practice of letter writing for entirely frivolous reasons. While I do not disagree with the said young ladies, under the supervision of their mothers, writing necessary and polite correspondence to ladies with whom they may have indulged in social intercourse for the very proper justification of thanking them for hospitality or an invitation or making a necessary enquiry. However I am very concerned that this current fashion of young ladies writing entirely frivolous letter to friends of a similar age merely to engage in idle discussion about social activities, gossip and mention of the disposition of young men whom they have met or would wish to meet at dancing parties. Such letters have included reference to books written by the dubious hand of Miss J. Austen, of which little good with flow, as I have expressed in my previous correspondence to this newspaper.
Apart from the content of such correspondence, I am concerned for the young ladies' health which I believe will suffer if long hours are spent manipulating a pen in the awkward position required for proper writing. Furthermore, this insidious fashion will deprive young ladies of time more properly spent on respectable activities such as needlework, reading the Classics and vigorous walks.
While His Majesty's Postal Service can be of use, it is no substitute for real communication, man to man, nor should it be the cause of un-necesary communication. Frivolous exchange of social information can come to no good and I urge that the ready availability of the Penny Post not be the occasion for the corruption of the young.
Yours sincerely,
Disgusted,
Tunbridge Wells
[correction: date of writing was 3rd Sept 2007]
The Times,
London.
September 3rd 1841
Sir,
While there has been much correspondence praising the introduction of the Penny Post last year across Great Britain, I am concerned at a danger that has emerged from this so-called advance in communication.
I wish to express my dismay at the current fashion of young ladies indulging in the practice of letter writing for entirely frivolous reasons. While I do not disagree with the said young ladies, under the supervision of their mothers, writing necessary and polite correspondence to ladies with whom they may have indulged in social intercourse for the very proper justification of thanking them for hospitality or an invitation or making a necessary enquiry. However I am very concerned that this current fashion of young ladies writing entirely frivolous letter to friends of a similar age merely to engage in idle discussion about social activities, gossip and mention of the disposition of young men whom they have met or would wish to meet at dancing parties. Such letters have included reference to books written by the dubious hand of Miss J. Austen, of which little good with flow, as I have expressed in my previous correspondence to this newspaper.
Apart from the content of such correspondence, I am concerned for the young ladies' health which I believe will suffer if long hours are spent manipulating a pen in the awkward position required for proper writing. Furthermore, this insidious fashion will deprive young ladies of time more properly spent on respectable activities such as needlework, reading the Classics and vigorous walks.
While His Majesty's Postal Service can be of use, it is no substitute for real communication, man to man, nor should it be the cause of un-necesary communication. Frivolous exchange of social information can come to no good and I urge that the ready availability of the Penny Post not be the occasion for the corruption of the young.
Yours sincerely,
Disgusted,
Tunbridge Wells
[correction: date of writing was 3rd Sept 2007]
Friday 31 August 2007
For voice messaging, try YackPack
YackPack is yet another very interesting Web 2.0 applications. It is a very simple voice messaging application that is free, in basic version, and allows the emailing of voice messages or can be set up for a group of people to talk live to each other.
A feature of the group conversations is that you can see images of the group and as a person is contacted or speaks their icon grows, giving visual clues to the conversation.
A feature of the group conversations is that you can see images of the group and as a person is contacted or speaks their icon grows, giving visual clues to the conversation.
Wednesday 22 August 2007
Google maps can be embeded
A new feature form Google is the ability to embed a map in a blog or web site. It is very easy, and very useful.
View Larger Map
For instructions on how to do it, see Here.
View Larger Map
For instructions on how to do it, see Here.
The del.icio.us in Delicious
Here is a great little explanation of what social bookmarking is all about a-la delicious. Covers the main concepts very well, and on paper too!
Thursday 16 August 2007
Matt's interesting story
Matt Wohling's blog starts with an interesting and entertaining story about his pathway from school to this course. Others may have similar stories that tell us something about the apparent priorities of government and society.
Wednesday 8 August 2007
Starting your wiki page
A wiki is a very easy to use web authoring site. You each have your own page. If you have not used this wiki before it will be well worth your time to go to http://edflin.editme.com/2305
Your login is your FAN as user name and also this is your temporary password as well. As soon as you log in go to Permissions on the Right menu and put your own password in. See Help Basic for some information on how to get going.
In Multimedia Literacy, go to Student Pages and find your page and have a play with the editing tools.
Your login is your FAN as user name and also this is your temporary password as well. As soon as you log in go to Permissions on the Right menu and put your own password in. See Help Basic for some information on how to get going.
In Multimedia Literacy, go to Student Pages and find your page and have a play with the editing tools.
Friday 27 July 2007
About the course, assessment and all that
This is all preliminary information because the course does not begin until Aug 21, but to allow many of you to get going on some activities now, the following will help.
There are three assignments: 1. a practical task to produce a short movie (PhotoStory 3 for example) that tells a story (20%); 2. online activities using a blog, social bookmarking, wiki, web authoring, social networking, etc (40%); 3. Mutimedia Review - an 'essay' using an online notebook to report on the overall topic (40%). Full details on these soon. The second part involves you in being very active in using the tools we are talking about. No. 2 depends on you really taking the initiative and actively being engaged in contributing.
The first of these is the blog. While many of you have found that it is quite easy to create a nice looking blog, the problem is, what to put in it. The situation that I have created for you is a quite artificial one. Ideally you should be choosing to create a blog for a particular purpose. I'm bullying you into it. So to become familiar with blogland and to have enough experience to discuss its merits and shortcomings, I will provide some stimulation to make it interesting. But I will be relying on you all to provide the bulk of the stimulating ideas and responses.
The main feature of a blog is that it is a place where an individual can write about whatever they want, and hopefully build up an audience which has the opportunity to comment on what has been written. In out context, it would be very interesting to see some of you reflect on multimedia learning. Many of you are doing a major in digital media. Why?
On communicating, I have recommended that you set up your blog as a private one to our group, however this prevents the use of RSS feeds that notify people whenever you update your blog which is a pity. The issue of Private or Public will be a significant issue during the course later.
Of course people don't usually monitor 38 blogs at a time. To help me keep track of things, if you switch your blog to open to 'anyone' send me an email so say so. If you leave it Private, send me an email each time you add a Post to the blog so I know to have a look. When we get going properly there will be a web page to list all the blogs.
There are three assignments: 1. a practical task to produce a short movie (PhotoStory 3 for example) that tells a story (20%); 2. online activities using a blog, social bookmarking, wiki, web authoring, social networking, etc (40%); 3. Mutimedia Review - an 'essay' using an online notebook to report on the overall topic (40%). Full details on these soon. The second part involves you in being very active in using the tools we are talking about. No. 2 depends on you really taking the initiative and actively being engaged in contributing.
The first of these is the blog. While many of you have found that it is quite easy to create a nice looking blog, the problem is, what to put in it. The situation that I have created for you is a quite artificial one. Ideally you should be choosing to create a blog for a particular purpose. I'm bullying you into it. So to become familiar with blogland and to have enough experience to discuss its merits and shortcomings, I will provide some stimulation to make it interesting. But I will be relying on you all to provide the bulk of the stimulating ideas and responses.
The main feature of a blog is that it is a place where an individual can write about whatever they want, and hopefully build up an audience which has the opportunity to comment on what has been written. In out context, it would be very interesting to see some of you reflect on multimedia learning. Many of you are doing a major in digital media. Why?
On communicating, I have recommended that you set up your blog as a private one to our group, however this prevents the use of RSS feeds that notify people whenever you update your blog which is a pity. The issue of Private or Public will be a significant issue during the course later.
Of course people don't usually monitor 38 blogs at a time. To help me keep track of things, if you switch your blog to open to 'anyone' send me an email so say so. If you leave it Private, send me an email each time you add a Post to the blog so I know to have a look. When we get going properly there will be a web page to list all the blogs.
Monday 23 July 2007
Starting your blog
Some guidelines for getting started in Blogger. You need a Google account, then go to www.blogger.com and follow the instructions to build you blog. I am suggesting this free blog because it is a large and powerful and convenient, being part of the Google empire. If you already have a blog or two it is still desirable that you start this one just for the course. The following is advice, not compulsory.
- the blog is in two parts - the visible part, that looks nice, and the management part; when you are in the view section, see the Customize link top right to get to the management area. In this area see the View Blog link to get back, and also the Dashboard link to take you to overall control panel.
- In the management (Customizing) view go through the following....
- Settings: select Permissions and go for the middle setting - only viewable by people you invite.
- Template choose the look you like.
- Posting (writing an entry) Introduce yourself. Add some images if you can. Remember privacy: we plan this to be a closed network, but think about what you want to disclose about yourself. If you open it to public view, anyone can find your information. I just did a google search on my name and Woomera (where I went to primary school) The first search result was this blog!
Thursday 10 May 2007
Lovely little boy?
This is me at my most cute. Things have gone down hill ever since. I am with my two older brothers.
Obviously I was born into a communications era quite different from the present. But be warned! I am not keen on generalisations about old people not being able to cope with computers.
Obviously I was born into a communications era quite different from the present. But be warned! I am not keen on generalisations about old people not being able to cope with computers.
Wednesday 9 May 2007
A little history
This is a little story about me. A few historical facts and a few pictures about my favourite subject.
My father was a school headmaster and so we lived in quite a few country locations as he kept moving around, looking for the perfect place. In 1949 he took the bold step of applying to be Head of the new school at the Woomera Rocket Range in the far north of the state. So here I am with the whole family in about 1952 (me on the left).
As you can see, I look much the same now, though legs are probably not so elegant.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)