Wikispaces

A wiki is an online database where people can view, add and edit information or data as they like.

It is a collaborative internet tool that allows for easy and organised communication.

A wiki provides a space for people to collaborate with others and share, organise and edit information for particular purposes.

A wiki space makes it easy to swap ideas and information.

"Wikis literally get everyone on the same page" (Wiki.com).

Classroom context 

Wikispaces are a very effective tool to use in the classroom. Through the use and implementation of wikis in classroom learning the learning manager is allowing students the opportunity for collaboration with their peers. Social learning is able to be established as well as allowing students to engage in rich tasks where they can complete projects in groups to deepen their understanding as well as learn from their peers. Wikis are appealing and fun for students to use. They encourage participation, collaboration and interaction in the classroom. This aligns with the productive pedagogy's (QSA, 2008). Through the use of wikis in the classroom the educator is catering for different learning styles. The use of a wiki allows for those quieter students who may not feel confident to express or share their opinions or information, a space to put forward ideas and their own learning in a different way.

There are numerous ways to utilise wiki spaces in classroom learning. Some ways in which I have researched and would use in my own classroom learning environments are:

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  To create presentations (instead of PowerPoint and other typical forms of presentation tools).
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  To share and collect information for particular purposes
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  Peer review
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  Students portfolios
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  Peer editing
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  Group Projects
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  To create special places for the class (expectations and rules, must read books, resource areas)
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  Reach out to the community with resources everyone can appreciate (menus, recipes, book lists etc.

Please click on the link to take a look at my own wiki: http://torisutherland.wikispaces.com/

Mind Mapping

This is mind map created on Bubbl.us. The mind map gives a simple overview of the topics covered in the first week of this course managing e-learning. I found this tool easy to use and very useful. I feel confident in using this tool both in and outside the classroom. For me this tool is very beneficial to my learning as I am a visual spacial learner so using something like a concept/mind map I am able to visually see my current learning and understanding.

Concept maps are an effective tool in which students can use to store and organise information in useful ways. Marzano et, al. (2006) supports the use of using concept maps to help students not only construct meaning but also helps them to store, or remember, the information they are learning. Students can use this program in many ways in classroom learning. Students may create a concept map in pairs about what they learnt in a lesson or can create a concept map to show what they already know about a topic. This program can also be used in whole class learning where the class can create a concept map using a smart board about a topic. The learning manager can also use these mind maps as a way to assess students learning.

By using a program like bubbl.us students and teachers are able to easily create a mind map for any given purpose and save and retrieve that map for later use. Students are also able to view other students and feedback and discussion is able to be given or generated around the mind map.

I believe this program to be extremely valuable to all students learning and through using such a tool in the classroom students are able to effectively store knowledge from their short to long term memory.

All about Blogging

What is a Blog?

Blogs are simple web pages, made up of short, informal and frequent web posts. The web page and posts are maintained by an individual who frequently posts commentary, descriptions or other materials such as pictures or videos.

Blogs can function similar to a journal or diary or can be used to provide information on a particular topic or subject. All reader can leave comments and feedback on individual blogs.

Blogs are an online form of communication for people to share their thoughts, feelings or knowledge to others.

What are the implications of blogging in the classroom context?

Before engaging in this course content I had very limited knowledge as to the benefits of using a blog in the classroom context. My thoughts on blogging were negative as I was being closed minded to the technology available to learners and learning environments. I guess I could also say I was a bit scared to engage with such technologies and learning as I was unfamiliar with how to use them myself let alone teach them to my students. This perspective has now changed since learning to create my own blog. My eyes have been opened up to the creativity and enriched learning that can come from such tools as blogs.

I have learnt that blogging can be used to engage students in research, exploration and discussion. That they encourage collaboration and peer interaction. Blogs enable students to take ownership of their learning. Students social learning is supported through blogging through peer interaction of discussions and reflections on individual blogs. Such social learning is supported by Vyotsky (1978) "social learning".

Although blogs can enrich the learning of each and every student and can also support the different learning styles that make up a classroom there can be some negatives. One major negative is that blogging can be seen as time consuming.

In my own classroom I would support the use of blogs and would definitely implement them into my students learning. Some ideas for learning would be using blogs for students daily writing activities where they can add each day posts to their blog instead of using pen and paper. Blogs could also be used as a individual learning journey or diary where students can log their learning on a particular subject or topic over a period of time. This blog can then be used as a form of assessment to show students learning.

There are many more ideas and implications for using blogs in the classroom and as I continue on my own learning journey I will hopefully learn and become more confident with the uses of blogs.

Image courtesy of Google.com (www.sarahintampa.com/.../2008/09/blogging.jpg)

My first blog entry

This is my very first blog and to be honest this subject seems a little daunting although I am also excited to learn how to use the online tools and become familiar with their uses in the classroom context. I believe such tools are essential to all children's learning in the classroom and through me learning how to implement such tools will enrich my students learning.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Tori

Image courtesy of ImageBase.com (http://imagebase.davidniblack.com/main.php?g2_itemId=81)