Educational Computer Games

Today saw us look at educational computer games and their software, and how they can be used within the classroom.  Now as someone who actually enjoys computer games as a past time I have been looking forward to this workshop to see what is available specifically for the education market.  I was not disappointed to experience the programs presented to us, but did find some a little challenging to use.

Dance to Advance

The program we looked at was called 'Dance to Advance'.  It is, as its name suggests, a dance game.  A dance mat is connected to the computer and is used as the controller.  The screen then displays options in a circle - usually about 8 answers - and in the centre is where the questions are presented.

In order to answer the question, children have to step on the correct 'button' on the dance mat that links to the correct corresponding image or answer.  This type of activity engages both sides of the brain as children have to think about and answer the questions while coordinating their movements to select the correct answer.  I think that this is an excellent to get children involved, groups of children can encourage classmates and create team atmospheres when answering questions.  My only qualm about using this in the classroom would be the issue about space, as not all classrooms will have the space to accommodate the dance mat.  

Would I use this in my teaching?  If this program and resource were available to me and I could use it in a meaningful and suitable way, then I would most likely incorporate it into my lessons.  But it is important to only use a resource like this rarely as it enhances the special-ness of the activity and will not give children the opportunity to get bored easily.

Scratch

No, I'm not suggesting the physical act of scratching.  Scratch is in fact a programming software which gives children the opportunity to learn how to program a character on screen to move as they wish.  In advanced cases, children can create their own games or animated films using the software.

As the above image suggests, bright colours are used to make instructions easily identifiable and also to make the interface more interesting for children.

Personally, I found this program to be very confusing in the way you use it.  I will admit that the colour coding helped but I found it to be complicated when trying to move the character forward and changed appearance.  If given more time, I may have been able to understand and eventually gain some kind of mastery over the software.  The same can probably be said when children approach the program; with time I am sure that children can create some interesting pieces of work.

Anything else?

While these programs are useful and intuitive for a classroom experience, it may be productive to also think about and include other sources of interactive educational computer games.  Nintendo can be regarded as the pioneers of this technological era in educational gaming, with the introduction of their brain training games, children found enjoyment in learning without realising they were actually learning.

With the introduction of the xBox Kinect, this is another version of the 'Dance to Advance' premise that can incorporate physical movement with intellectual processes.  In fact, there are some games, similar to the Nintendo Brain Training available for the xBox that follow along the same kind of lines.

Wordle
As well as looking at interactive educational games, we were also given the opportunity to look at different ways of creating displays for our classroom environments.  Wordle is a website that takes written text and converts it into a word display in a variety of shapes, colours and arrangements picking out the most common words used - aside from the more convential words of 'it', 'a', 'as' etc.
The following wordle art is created from all the words this blog has used over the weeks:

And Finally.....

Ultimately, in is most likely that computer games in some way, shape or form, are going to become commonplace in schools at some point in the future.  All I can say is that as long as the technology is used appropriately and effectively, I don't see why it can not create a niche in the interactive education area.  Again the main issue is not to use it constantly as this can cause children to get bored with the technology and stop to see it as a treat or something different.

Later Days,

Literacy: Speaking and Literacy

Today was a continuation of the practical workshop we took part in last week - see Digital Media and Computer Control.  In today's session we have looked at the use of speaking and listening resources and digital imaging.

We started by looking at how digital equipment can be used to aid in literacy classes.  More importantly, we looked at this use of sound recording and what benefits it has.  There are many different ways in which technology can be used to help aid the education of Speaking and Listening in Literacy, including the use of talking tins and other such talking devices, and pod casting.

Talking Tins

Talking Postcards

These talking products can be used to record voices and play back at random.  A teacher can record themselves saying a phrase such as "Good Work" or "Well Done", or possibly even something else.  Talking Tins are an excellent resource for phonics lessons, allowing the phoneme of the day to be recorded and, if more than one talking tin is available, words that are related to that phoneme can also be recorded on individual talking tins for children to listen to.  They can be used as part of interactive displays on tables and walls throughout the school, to really get children into their learning.

Podcasting


Podcasting is the radio show of the modern age - well, in most ways any way.  It is essentially a pre-recorded radio show that is broadcast over the Internet for all to hear.  This is an excellent for children to work on their Speaking and Listening for Literacy as in some instances they may be required to draft what they intend to say before actually recording it.


Some Primary schools have used podcasting to create their own radio stations that get publish on the school's Learning Environment for everyone to hear.  They can also be uploaded to iTunes via the program iPodder.
These podcasts can range from relaying school information on a school wide scale [what's for dinner in the canteen?, what school events are taking place], to creating replica radio stations in the style of World War 2 broadcasts for history lessons.  They could be used to record times tables that can be accessed by children on their electronic learning area and used as learning aids.


There are some examples of Primary School Podcasts which can be found at:
Downs FM
Radio Anywhere

Podcasting programs like Podium are very good for use with younger children, allowing them to get to grips with the idea of creating podcasts.  It has an easier interface that embraces this.  For older children, Audacity is a more suitable solution and gives them more creative control.They are able to import sounds, cut and move sections of their recording to suit what they are creating and are pretty much given free reign to create engaging material.





Digital Imaging & Recording

Digital imaging involves still and moving pictures and can be used in a variety of classroom settings.  Still imaging is an excellent way of recording children's achievement in class and this can then be uploaded onto the school area for parent's and everyone to see.

Moving imaging aka digital filming, is up and coming within education.  There are digital cameras that are specially made to create films, more to the point, stop-motion animation.  The camera can be attached to a stand, directly connected to the PC and the children can create their own stories frame by frame.  This is a great tool to use alongside an English topic, as the children would be required to come up with a story and then proceed to make a storyboard so they knew what they were doing before they started - a good way to utilize the time with the equipment.

I found this to be most enjoyable.  Below is my group's attempt at creating a stop-motion animation.  As you can see we have been able to add in effects, sounds and borders to our finished product, another engaging extension that can get children thing about the presentation of their work.

This kinds of activities take up a lot of time, but they can sometimes produce some of the best work.  When using equipment like this, it is important to take into account how much time you will need to execute it properly.  If you are only giving them a small amount of time to explore and work with the equipment, there is no way to ensure there have understood learning objectives and have had a quality learning experience.

Ideally, digital imaging in all it's forms will become more commonplace.  Stop-motion animation allows for creativity from the children and hopefully an understanding of an art form that is underused.

Next week, I'll be writing about more interactive media like programming products and more physically uses for ICT in the Curriculum.

Later Days,

Digital Media & Computer Control Across The Curriculum

Before we go any further it is important to understand what is meant by Digital Media & Computer Control.

In the world around us there are a number of gadgets and devices that have been made to make our lives easier, or to keep an eye over places, areas or people where an actual person is unable to do so.  For example, the congestion charge cameras throughout London that make sure all those that go into the zone pay, this is one of the ways in which to describe computer control.

The term Digital Media is in fact the plural for a digital medium. "A 'medium' is a communicative form" (Davis, 2010, p14), it can be represented in print, film or even the Internet.  In the classroom this can include the use of cameras for still pictures and films.

In this weeks session we focused on the use of Dataloggers, Digital Microscopes and Programmable Toys.

Dataloggers

Data loggers, like the one seen in the image above, are generally used to measure sound, light and temperature levels.  This information is recorded onto the central unit and once you have finished recording the information you need, it can be transferred over to the PC, where it can be displayed in a number of different options.  You can created graphs, charts and table to show the data that has been collected.

I was given a substantial amount of time to learn and explore with this resource and I found it to be a very interesting, and fun, piece of equipment.  From just my first description, it is easy to see how they can be used for science lessons. Below are just two suggestions that the data loggers could be used for:

• Recording light and soil temperature data for plant experiments
• Recording sound levels in different parts of the school

They are very simple to use, so the children in school can easily oversee their own practical activities.  Personally I would hopefully like to see data loggers being used in my own school experience, but as of yet, I have not seen them.

Programmable Toys

When I was in Primary School, we used to have a resource which we called the 'Turtle'.  It used the computer programme 'LOGO' and with it we learnt how to create shapes, different angles and how they were used in relation to shapes.  We also learnt how to navigate our way through mazes drawn onto the floor using direction and angles once more.  It was an experience that was fun and a good way to embed information.  The one negative about the LOGO Turtle would had to have been the fact that the turtle itself was quite large and took up a lot of space.

But that equipment was from the 1990s.  Today we have smaller versions of the turtle.  Today we there are, to my knowledge, two versions of a programmable toy suited to Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 children respectively.  First we will look at the BeeBot.

The BeeBot is a basic version of the LOGO turtle and I believe it would be best used for the Key Stage 1 pupils.  The description for the BeeBot and what it can do is as follows:

• Robust and small design.
• Clear and bright buttons.
• Memory of up to 40 steps.
• Clear and bright buttons.
• No confusing degrees to program.
• Sounds and flashing eyes confirm your instructions.
• Fantastic cross-curricular resources also available.
• Moves accurately in 15cm steps at a time and turns in 90 degrees.

(taken from http://www.suppliesforschools.com/productinfo.aspx?id=-1&tier1=EDUCATIONAL+PRODUCTS&tier2=Primary&tier3=ICT&tier4=Bee-Bot&tier5=Bee-Bot+Robots&cmd=list&catRef=ITSBOT)

It is a colourful and fun way to teach children about shape, space and angles.  The buttons on top are easy to see and easy to manipulate.  Hopefully this will provide a fun and meaningful learning experience that will engaged children.

The next 'step' up from the BeeBot is a small machine called a Pippin.

The Pippin is most like the turtle I once used at school.  It can be used to draw shapes by placing a pen or pencil into it.  It is much more accurate than the BeeBot, as it can work in all different degrees of angles.  The input on the device allows for users to have more precise control over it.  The Pippin is more suited to Key Stage 2 children, in particular, those in the later years - 5 & 6.

Both programmable robots have their place in both Key Stages and I find them to be brilliant resources for children to use, especially when it comes to learning about shapes and angles.

Digital Microscopes

I did not get a chance to actually get a hands-on experience with the digital microscope, so I can only go by the reaction that others in our class had.  From what I could see and experience from observing, they are useful pieces of equipment.  The microscope is connected directly to the computer so whatever it sees can be seen on screen.

 

Predominantly these again can best be utilized for a science lesson, looking closely at different materials and what they are made of.  But this activity could also be a brilliant starting point for a literacy class, getting children to describe what they see and put it into a piece of writing.




And Finally.....
It is clear to see that each of these resources has it's place in the classroom and each can provide an enjoyable, interactive learning experience for the children to improve their knowledge.  I hope that in my teaching career I will have the opportunity to use these in my lessons and use them effectively to give the children I teach a meaningful educational experience.


Later Days,
















Reference
Davies, M (2010) Children, Media and Culture, Open University Press

VLE/MLE and Learning Platforms

This week we looked at VLEs/MLEs and Learning Platforms and how they can be best used within the classroom.  Now before I go any further I think I should start with an explanation as to what these acronyms actually mean.

A VLE stands for 'Virtual Learning Environment'.  It could be best described as the schools personal website.  Teachers, parents and pupils all have access to it and through this everyone is aware of what is going on within the school.  Teachers can upload homework for pupils to complete, or even put up a schedule as to what is going to take place within the classroom in the coming weeks.  Parent's can also be kept inform of any necessary information about the school.

A screenshot from a Primary Managed Learning Environment

A MLE is a 'Managed Learning Environment'.  In essence, it is pretty much the same as a VLE but with one major difference - it is completely connected to the schools network and all types of information can be accessed from it.  As well as pupils being able to download and upload homework, attendance numbers can be access so parents can find out if their child is actually in school.  Behaviour diaries, or behaviour management information can be accessed also.

Both of these learning environments are known under the umbrella term of 'Learning Platforms'.  They enable member s of the school community to stay in contact and, unfortunately for the children involved, they will always have access to the school work, wherever they are.

While I have tried to explain what they are as best as I can, I think the following videos will provide an even simpler explanation:

                                                           

For the purposes of this blog I'm going to refer to VLEs/MLEs as VLEs just to avoid confusion.

These Learning Platforms (LP) have a variety of online activities available to pupils to help enhance and further their learning: there are Discussion Threads/Forums, just like on other websites, where the children can get involved in debates about a topic they are studying in school all the way to what they had done at the weekend or on holiday.  These are a good place for teachers to see who contributes and who doesn't.  A lot of the time some pupils may become 'lurkers' (someone who reads the thread but doesn't actively participate in the discussion) and these pupils can be seen as being on the thread by the teacher who can subsequently encourage them to get involved by asking a direct question to them on the thread.  This will hopefully encourage children to get involved and make them realise that their opinions do matter.

As I have mentioned before, work can be downloaded, completed and then submitted all via the VLE.  It is also a place where that work can be celebrated.  Teachers can upload pupils work for everyone on the VLE to see.  Children love to be recognised for the hard-work they have done and by putting it up on the VLE, not only does the school get to see what they have achieved, but everyone at home gets to see as well.  The VLE is a place that allows parents to stay in contact with the school, or even with a specific class teacher, in order to stay updated with their child's progress.  I believe that it is a great way for home/school communication to remain strong.  Below is a video from the BECTA youtube channel.  It looks at what pupils and parents think about the VLEs and how they help the home/school link, please note that those featured from the video are from a secondary school setting but all the points raised can be transferred to a Primary situation.

There are many types of VLE in the market today: Fronter, KnowledgeBox and Kaleidos just to name a few.  Each one offers an online education experience and depending on which school you visit will depend on which LP you see.  In our workshop we were looking at the KnowledgeBox LP.  Personally, I have never interacted with VLEs before, despite spending time in Primary Classrooms; I have been shown the VLE by the class teacher, what the class used it for and what information is kept on it, but I was not given the opportunity to really explore it.

From my experience briefly using KnowledgeBox during the session, I find it to be very easy to use.  I believe that it was designed specifically for the Primary stage as it presents itself with bright, bold colours and large, easy to read fonts.  I will admit that, at first, it was a little confusing to navigate, but I'm sure could be said for all LPs the first time you use them.  I really liked the idea of being able to group your class however you wanted, depending on the subject and attainment ability.

I wish I could make a more informed decision about VLEs, but right now, without experiencing them within the classroom setting, I am unable to.  In the next few weeks, we will start the beginnings of placements and through this I hope I can discover more about the VLEs and maybe report back what I find.

Later Days,

Interactive White Boards

Technology in the classroom has come along leaps and bounds; blackboards to whiteboards, and the introduction of the Interactive White Board is helping further the educational experience for pupils.

I have not really used an Interactive White Board (IWB) before this course.  I have seen it being used in classrooms, but I've never had the opportunity to give them a try.  From my own research and talking to other trainees, there are different options when it comes to using an IWB, as a number of companies provide software and hardware.

For the purposes of this blog, I am going to focus on the SMART Technologies software and equipment, mainly because this is all I have had the opportunity to use and explore.


The software - SMART Notebook - is fairly easy to use. I personally found that having a few minutes to play around with the software, exploring what it had to offer, was very helpful.  I was able to learn how to do a number of things that may have taken me much longer to find out if I had not been given the initial opportunity to explore the software.

The following video (created by SMART Technologies) gives a teachers view of why the SMART board is so easy to use.

The Software


The SMART Notebook software can be described as being very 'Paint-like' in the way slides or pages are created/presented, but this I guess adds to the simplicity of its use. Even though I do say that it is simple to use and to create resources, this doesn't mean it isn't susceptible to going wrong.  Files may not load, or aspects of the file may not work; because of this it is important that teachers are prepared for every eventuality.  Having a lesson plan with a contingency in place, appropriate resources that do not required any technology in order for the teaching to take place, is key to ensure that the children's learning does not get disrupted or interrupted.

There are a number of different ways you can use the SMART Notebook software to create resources.  In our recent ICT workshop we were given the opportunity to create a small interactive resource to give us a chance to acclimatize ourselves with the software.  We were introduced to the 'Rub and Reveal' method of creating a resource.

This would involve placing pictures or words onto the slide and then 'painting' over a word or picture so it is hidden.  What would happen next is that the class would be asked what is missing; after some discussion and a decision on the answer, the teacher would then remove or 'reveal' the answer using the eraser tool on the whiteboard.

This is a very good resource for younger pupils and would hopefully encourage discussion within the class.  I found that creating this resource from scratch was challenging, especially given the time constraints we had.  I came up with a resource that used the 'Rub and Reveal' technique we had been shown; but also incorporated images that also had a sound attached to them.  I felt that this would add another dimension to the interactive element of the resource - having the picture covered over, playing the sound attached to the picture and then having the class guess what the sound is representing.  It's a simple idea that I believe would be perfect resource for a Foundation Stage class or even a Yr 1 class, due to the simplicity of its presentation and the task it sets out.

The Hardware

The SMART board hardware has been making its way into classrooms for some time now and the majority of schools in the UK now have an IWB as part of their learning resources.  The board gives you the opportunity to write on top of the slides, adding notes and children's contributions to the screen so everyone can see them.  This will give the class the time to take in what other members of the class have said and hopefully inspire them to also contribute to the discussion.

Again, the IWB hardware is not free of issues.  The main problem that most teachers come across is the calibration being off on the board and not everyone knows how to fix this.  An issue like this isn't the end of the world though; it may just be that when writing on the board the image you create appears to the left or the right of where you are writing.  This isn't the end of the world though, it would just be a case of adapting, and knowing where your writing will end up on the board.

And finally.........

In the end, I believe that Interactive White Boards are going to be around for a long time to come and hopefully as time goes by, this technology is going to get better and better.

Later Days,

Web 2.0 and Blogging

Right, on to the summary of my first ICT workshop.

This session looked at the web and blogging - and since you are reading this, I can safely believe that you know something about the nature of blogging, so we will get to that later; but what about the term Web 2.0?

Now what do we mean by Web 2.0? Well, according to all sources this is just the name of the internet as it stand today; no fancy changes or upgrades, just the way it is and the way it is used.

It is the way that the internet encourages creativity, information sharing and collaboration amongst its users.  This ‘era’ of the net is predominantly recognisable due to the number of social-networking sites, wiki’s [online sources of information – very similar to an encyclopaedia] and blogs.

See my previous blog about eSafety to read about the implications of this type of internet usage.

In The Classroom

As technology becomes more and more integral in our everyday lives; it is only understandable that it takes a bigger place within the education system. 

PCs have been part of classroom learning for many years now – even I remember using them to creating words for displays and other similar projects – but computers are now seen as an extension of child’s ‘pen and paper’* work when it comes to creating projects and other classroom work.

With the introduction of the Interactive White Board, classes can access the internet while still sitting on the carpet during the lesson, accessing information instantly.

*when I say ‘pen and paper’ I just mean the average classroom activities that we used to do without the aid of computers.

Schools could use all this technology in a number of ways to help enhance the learning of pupils.  


A lot of schools now have a Managed Learning Area to keep home and school more connected.  Each class has their own 'room' on the network and from here class teachers can let everyone know what's in store for the coming week or term; and even present work from the students.


This is a great way of showcasing children's work - especially because they can share it with their whole family no matter where they are in the world; all by giving out a web link to where their work is displayed.


There are a number of ways that schools can use the internet to enhance the learning experience for children; but I believe that the most effect use of the internet - apart from for researching topics and homework - is using it within the Managed Learning Areas, sharing the work of the class with their families.

Digital Identity

Everyone likes to keep their personal information personal but how far can you go to really achieve that when online?

What is your Digital Identity?
Your digital identity is anything and everything that you have ever put online - names, addresses, photos - that can be accessed by anyone across the world.

So I have a Facebook page, what's wrong with that?
Having a Facebook account to keep in contact with friends is great and even using Skype to call your cousin in the States is amazing, but have you ever wondered what happens to all the information you put in to sign up to these things?  What happens to all those photos you put up on Facebook?

Yes, they are available for you and your friends to share, but sometimes they wind up elsewhere if you don't know how to protect them.

Again, so what?


Believe it or not, the way you portray yourself in any situation can have repercussions.  Most employers these days are using the internet to scan and research potential employees, and what you have on your facebook profile may be what decides whether you get the job - or not.



So be careful with those pictures from that last night out you had OK?


But everyone's got one......
This is true, so the main rule is - BE CAREFUL!

The majority of people in the world today have some kind of Web presence in some form or another.  But what about the people who don't?

People like this, most likely, don't have access to the internet or are not too sure how to get started in the first place.  Right now I could say that these people we are talking about are too old to understand the internet; but I know plenty of older people who in some instances know their way around a computer and the internet better than me!!!

People in positions of responsibility, let's say a parent or teacher, for example, have to be even more careful with what they put online and they also need to watch over what is being publish by those under their care.  Children especially are prone to putting up very sensitive information with regards to their location, age, sex, and their name.  It is imperative that you watch over children online as you never know who they are talking to on the other end of the conversation.

So what can I do?

I will be the first to admit that I have encourage people to sign up for countless websites, where they have to continually input their personal information.  Some people have been known to change the odd digit of their phone number or even give a false name entirely, but if you can't do that, you need to know how to hide your information.

• The first thing is to check the websites FAQs or help section - these usually provide information about how to protect your identity.
• Secondly, be aware of what you are signing up for.

In essence, you need to be vigilant to everything you see and hear online.  If you want an interesting exercise, just to see how well you have or have not hidden yourself, go onto Google.

'Google yourself' and see what comes up.  Often people are surprised at what they find.

Well that's all for this outing, at least it wasn't as long as eSafety.  Hope to have you visit again soon.

Later Days,