Task 2: Reflecting on Wikispaces and it's Potential

This week we had to look at three different types of technology: Website, Wikispace and a Blog. We had to create, explore and experiment with our chosen digital tool and ultimately reflect on our experience and how it could be used in our classrooms. I chose Wikispaces because it was less familiar to me. I have used and created websites before, and I am currently writing in a blog, so I thought it best to try something new.

A Technological Overview of Wikispaces:
Wikispaces is an online collaborative classroom designed as a space for teachers and students to communicate freely and effectively within the parameters of the space. Data can be uploaded and shared amongst a network known as the'classroom' to provide students with vital information. It also allows for tasks to be set and for teachers to monitor student engagement and involvement.
Navigating the layout is simple enough, but does take a little bit of time to adjust to. The Wiki 'pages' are listed in a permanent tool on the right. For this exercise I copied my Task 1 blog into the classroom as  page, this can be seen below. This tool bar allows students and teachers to flick between pages with ease. Using these tools and options Wikispaces can be used as a website, a blog or a sophisticated collaborative tool for classrooms. 

My Wiki Classroom

You are given five options when on your classroom (see the image below). The piece of paper creates a page, the paper clip allows you to upload files, bubble sets up a chat for all members, little chart allows you to set up a class project and the calendar allows to set up events; both have time constraint settings. These allow for the creator to use multiple methods of communication within one setting. For example, instead of just uploading a task and a date, you can use the chart tool to set a specific date and time, with a layout that is specific to your needs. 

There is a settings icon up in the top right corner that allows the creator to organise the page. This includes functions such as inviting new members, customising their classroom, change titles etc. Inviting people to your page and making the page accessible by other can be very confusing, it took me a while to get the hang of it. I finally realised that their sharing system works much the same as Google Docs. As in Wiki allows you to invite members into your classroom and can also create a URL address and code to share with people, so that they may simply access your classroom from a link. The URL option seems much more efficient in sharing with masses.  Plus, the creator  can edit how much editing power other people can have in the Wiki, so it stops unwanted guests from changing your Wiki.

Settings in My Wiki Classroom

The personalisation aspects of Wikispaces is very limited compared to that of a website or blog. The basic layout is fixed however the creator can experiment with the colours and text. Wikispaces does allow creativity in the form of images, links and videos.
While the overall look of it seems confusing; once you create a page and play around it become easy to navigate. 

Perhaps the best aspect of Wikispaces is the collaborative capabilities. Unlike a website or blog Wikispaces allows for multiple authors. Teachers have the tools to design a scaffold on a page and get the entire class to answer questions and provide research. Students have the power to answer, edit, add delete the page. This is much the same as last weeks thinking hats task. However the Wiki page does have some flaws and issues. It only allows for one person to edit the page at a time, so this presents a time pressure situation if you want to use Wikispaces in class. There is also the issue of people deleting each others work; but this can be fixed by using the 'History Function' which can recover anything lost. Plagiarism is also a potential problem due to having everyone's work and ideas laid out for the class to see. It comes down to how much a teacher wants monitor the work and how much they trust their students. 

Learning Outcomes From Wikispaces:
The Year 12 Biology Vignette from Moodle shows the potential Wikispaces has in practice. In this passage is about how ICT can be 'seamlessly integrated into the learning of the students'. The Wiki allowed for students to communicate efficiently and to keep a communal space of information that they could all access for their individual reports. 

In summary, the benefits and learning outcomes of using Wikispaces are:

• It offers students the chance to participate in collaborative learning
• It creates a chance for students to develop higher order thinking skills through the use of problem solving, critical thinking and evaluating your work and others. 
• It will develop and enhance ICT skills, as even people who use the Internet daily might be new to Wikispaces. 
• It allows for masses of information to be stored in one central location; this would make setting class work much easier, as well as the students being able to access all their required notes from one point. 
• Wikispaces supports a number of learning styles, such as group work; something that is very important for the real world. It is here students can learn to work as a part of group and share/delegate work. 
• Allows students to work at their own pace while the teacher keep and eye on their work. This will build confidence 

Using Wikispaces As A Part Of My Pedagogy

My areas of study are English and History. I feel that Wikispaces has great potential in these areas, though this would dramatically alter my pedagogy. I could use Wikispaces as a centre point for information within the subject.  By uploading daily or weekly tasks it allows me to directly engage with the students when they are not in class, and also allow me to follow their participation and engagement. Students would have the opportunity to edit their work after learning new information, and learn at a pace that suites them. It could be used a scaffolded research tool for students to fill in the information they're learn't. I could also appraoch Wikispaces as a blog or website, by uploading infomation into a page with restrictive editing or asking students to create interactive blogs or messages. 

Here is a link to my Wikispace :)
https://abbiejarrettuniwiki.wikispaces.com/ 

Education for Generation Z: E-Learning

ICT is designed to ENHANCE face to face learning; NOT replace it altogether. The use of digital tools in the class has both its advantages and disadvantages; but its up to teachers to learn how to get the most out of most the ICT available.

(http://studenthousingmatters.com)

Generation Z: Dealing With A Whole New World
The GenZ slideshow opened my eyes in many ways. I never knew that I (1996) was a Gen Z kid; I had only though people younger than me were apart this group. Anyway, I have had a lot of expereince with Generation Z other than me being one. I have spent time in class with younger students, with my younger sister and her friends as well as being out on prac. I have always thought that the large majority of GenZ teens are way to reliant on technology: I have seen people fall apart without the use of their mobile phones for a few days. I feared this heavy use of technology would make them take shortcuts with work and become socially isolated. And while I still agree with my previous beliefs, the slideshow shows how beneficial technology can be for students, provided it is an effective and productive learning experience. The slideshow also provided me with some key ideas on how to connect with GenZ: 

• Depict them as diverse
• Talk in images 
• Use snack-able content 
• Don't talk down to them
• Get them so create and make things
• Tap into their entrepreneur spirit
• Be humble and admit mistakes, just as they have to  
• Give them control in the form of preferences for work
• Collaborate
• Use multiple screens and devices
• Give live streaming access
• Include passion projects, or social issues that they can fight for
• Introduce the idea of sustainability into the classroom 
• Help them to become experts 
• Tease their brains (games, puzzles etc.)
• Try to involve food (they love cooking)

Big Thinkers:

The following are they key concepts from the video by Judy Willis, Big Thinkers.

• Do everything you can to stop your students from being bored. Bored equals stress, which means they learn nothing
• Create and maintain a safe environment, both mentally and emotionally
• Find something they love and run with it! If its interesting and fun they will love to do it and learn faster. 
• Teach students skills they can use for real world application, such as problem solving and planning.
• Video games are something you can model your pedagogy off. The concepts of a base level, and progressing up levels of capabilities until they find a challenge. This will help each student find their own capabilities and challenge themselves.

(http://imgkid.com/classroom-students-bored.shtml)

I love the idea of making the classroom an interesting and vivid place of learning. The concepts of incorporating games and technology would certainly spark an interest in my students. By using technology in a positive way I can create an environment that will entertain students and enrich their learning. However there is potential for negative issues to arise. Though Generation Z are supposedly better team players than their predecessors, but bullying is still present. If not monitored, technology within the classroom may give way to cyber-bullying and plagiarism. 


Education Is Killing Creativity: 

The TED talk by Sir Ken Robinson was inspiring. It made me laugh, made be want to be a teacher all over again, and made me think about how the current education system is. Flawed. 

(http://sfpsmom.com/?p=1814)

His main message is that we are educated out of creativity; something I hope never happens in my classroom. He made a point that really stood out to me: every educational system in the word is the same. Maths and Languages at the top. Arts on the bottom. If the system is weighed against you, how can you ever succeed? If you are a gifted artist, but are told not to pursue it because it will amount to no career, why bother continue painting? Teachers desperately need to change this.

ICT offers a solution to this creativity crisis.
The jobs in digital media, advertising and graphic design now rely on creativity and originality. there are thousands of jobs in these sectors, which will continue to grow. By placing value on such skills, and encouraging them within the classroom not only will teachers better themselves, but students will be able to flourish in areas that they were previously told did not matter. Incorporating digital pedagogy is vital to the success of our students and their creativity.

You can't just give someone a creativity injection. You have to create an environment for curiosity and a way to encourage people and get the best out of them 
- Sir Ken Robinson

Task 1: de Bono's Six Thinking Hats and WikiSpaces

This week we participated in a WikiSpaces Activity based around de Bono's Six thinking Hats and the use of mobile phones in the classroom. While the activity was seemingly about the use of mobile phones in schools, the real content was found in the learning design of the activity on WikiSpaces.

Learning Design: Using WikiSpaces To Enhance Learning 

21st century technology offers educators the change to completely transform their pedagogy. With the introcution of more ICT into the classroom students will be provided with the skills required to function in society, as well as flourish academically. However, before students can explore this, teachers need to master it. It is imperative that pre-service teachers fully understand and appreciate the use of technology, such as WikiSpaces, 

Wait A Minute, What Is WikiSpaces And Why Use It? 
WikiSpaces is essentially a space where teachers and students can collaborate. It provides a space where teachers can set task and students can respond, comment on each other's work, receive peer and teacher feedback and many many more things. 

"Wikispaces Classroom is a social writing platform for education. We make it incredibly easy to create a classroom workspace where you and your students can communicate and work on writing projects alone or in teams."(WikiSpaces.com)

When I was first shown WikiSpaces I had my doubts. Okay, I hated it. It just seemed so fiddly and unnecessary, something I would never use again. Turns out I was completely wrong. The de Bono's Hats activity showed me how great it could be. So easy! click on a link and all of a sudden we could all be online doing the same thing and looking at each other's work. It dawned on me that while this might have limitations, I could really use this as a part of my pedagogy. Furthermore, this site could support the building of knowledge, both higher and lower order thinking; and collaborative learning. By completing this activity myself via WikiSpaces and not on a work sheet, it proved to me that if I can use this website, so can my students, and why would I use a worksheet when I can use e-learning in such an effective manner?

If integrated properly into pedagogy, this digital tool could increase student interest and participation as it offers the chance to create an individualised learning space. It is an excellent tool for self reflection, much the same as a blog, but with a privatised feel to it; as you can be members of groups. Such digital aids can motivate, intrigue and include students. 

The Benefits Of WikiSpaces:

• Offers students the chance to participate in collaborative learning
• Potential to develop higher order thinking skills in students
• Develops communication and ICT skills
• Able to store vast amounts of information and work
• Can support a variety of learning styles (individual/group work/entire class)
• Can support a range of activities
• Is a new form of engagement to develop skill sets.

The Drawbacks Of WikiSpaces:

• Students may become distracted while on the Internet 
• Not able to support more than one person editing a document at a time
• Requires an Internet connection
• High risk of plagiarism
• They layout may become confusing if not managed properly 

Scaffolding Design: Six Thinking Hats
The activity was centred around the de Bono's Six Thinking Hats. It was a straightforward, yet had hiddle complexities. Particpants were not able to answer the question; should mobile phones be allowed in schools? With a simple yes or no, followed by a justofication. 
The actvity forced  me to consider alternative points of view and internally assess if they agreed or disagreed with that point of view. If successful, this hat scaffold develops the participants higher order thinking skills, in particular evaluation, as they have to make judgements and write from different perspectives. The six hat scaffold was as following: 

• Black - Judgement: What is wrong with this? Why will this not work? Is this safe? Can this be done?
• Blue - The Process: Where are we now? What is the next step? Where have we been? What sort of thinking is needed?
• Green - Creativity: What new ideas are possible with this? What is my suggestion for success? Can I create something new?
• Red - Feelings: How do I feel about this? What do I like about the idea? What don't I like about the idea?
• Yellow - Benefits: What are the good points? Why can this be successful? Why is this a good thing?
• White - Information: What information do I have? What are the facts? What information do I need? What do I want to KNOW?

The six hats directly relate to Bloom's Cognitive Taxonomy as they offer approaches to thinking that facilitate all the domains. I found myself moving steadily into the analysis, synthesis and and evaluations segments, rather than sticking with what we already we knew back in the knowledge, application and comprehension segment. 

Blooms Taxonomy (https://juliaec.wordpress.com)

SAMR Model
(https://sites.google.com/a/richland2.org/svh-tech/pedagogy/samr)

Branching away from Bloom, the hat scaffold fits into the SAMR model by trying to develop a pedagogy that is entirely student driven and technologically focussed. The activity sits in the Augmentation level, as while it is a substiution for pen and paper, technology through the use of WikiSpaces has made a functional improvement by allowing students to collaborate. By including students from other classes this activity has potential to fit into the Modification level, as networking with a wider community is not feasible without technological tools such as WikiSpaces. 

How Could This Be Applied To My Disciplines?
I believe this type of activity could benefit students and contribute to learning outcomes. 
WikiSpace based work, if used successfully it has the potential to boost student engagement across all disciplines, its just about finding an activity that will suit the format. My discipline areas are English and History and I believe this sort of activity will be useful in both areas. For example in History, students might have to research a topic and create a report in Wikispaces. Students would be expected to teach each other about topics and ask questions on one and others WikiSpace.  Comparatively, it could also be used in an English classroom  to hold a recorded class discussion about a set topic.


References: http://suzielporter.blogspot.com.au/                            http://clarebielenbergedse.blogspot.com.au/p/home.html