Embedded Task 5 - Reflection on Simulations, Interactives (or Technology of your choice)

This week there has been an eclectic mix of technology types introduced that I have previously not encountered before. Platforms such as Google docs and online timeline were ways of involving the class that before this week I have not thought could be used within a classroom setting. The use of each tool was attached with a good case for use within the classroom, however both have some considerate downsides. Google docs allows any user access to a single document (such as a class) and can edit the document simultaneously, which can lead to students typing over each or potential disruption of a class especially if the document is projected to the entire class at the time of editing. Timelines are also a great tool to introduce new information to students in an online and easy manor however personally the time it can take to create a valuable learning tool can outweigh the benefit of using the platform.

The platform for this week, which I found the most user friendly and easily adapted into a classroom was concept mapping. It allows an author to precisely create a concept map (sometimes called a mind map) and customise colours, layout and text variations. The experience level to operate this tool is very low, if one can spell and comfortably use the ‘tab’ key on the computer than one can create a concept map on https://www.text2mindmap.com/. Although this program is single author, how it can be incorporated into the classroom demands no more, with the ability to quickly download and turn the concept map into a PDF file.

Text2MindMap’s primary advantage in a modern day classroom I believe revolves around the beginning of a lesson/year/topic. Being able to either collect student made mind maps on previous knowledge or creating a full class version can give great insight into the students existing knowledge of the topic or subject area. Being able to astatine previous knowledge in a ‘test free way’ gives the teacher a great platform to allow the building of goals or adapt their pedagogy to accommodate an either advanced or at risk group or individuals. Other techniques that could be drawn from the use of Text2MindMap, could be students being able to take a large group of notes and transform them into a mind map, allowing a different way of conceptualizing study. Although these are only two examples of what Text2MindMap can do, it does them extremely well and without too much preparation or requirement or prior knowledge of computing software or programming, which can be beneficial, especially when attempting to introduce them into a lower aged or special needs classroom.

As mentioned above the core application for concept mapping will occur at the begging of a topic or term, I will incorporate it into my classroom as a graduating teacher in this manner. Although the software has some limitations and lack of customization it does everything necessary to assist me in getting an overview of my student’s knowledge and areas for improvement.

 “The NMC Horizon Report: 2014 K-12 Edition examines emerging technologies for their potential impact on and use in teaching, learning, and creative inquiry in schools” (Johnson et. al. 2014)

This report encompasses a large number of high priority areas that will influence the pedagogical practices of many teachers focusing on the inclusion of ICT into the classroom. As specified in the report there are some adjustments that may happen short terms and some that have to be a 5 to 10 year transition (Johnson et. al. 2014). This report practically covers everything looked at in the last six weeks of course learning, including detailed examples of why and how ICT can be introduced into the classroom. (Johnson et. al. 2014) alludes to the fact that ICT is a key way in which students will engage in the learning at hand and potentially aid the successful outcomes of tasks throughout schooling life. The team that created this report also created an extremely insightful and useful teacher tool in the form of a creative classroom framework, which allows the reader to get a quick insight into how ICT is changing the way 21^st century educators teach (Johnson et. al. 2014).

(Johnson et. al. 2014)

SAMR

Substitution- Replace ‘dot point’ note taking with a mind map creation 

Augmentation- Turn hand written notes in a virtual mind map using Text2MindMap.com

Modification- Students will be given a task as a group in which each student must create a section of a mind map and then collaborate with other group members to submit a full product

Redefinition- Students will be given 2 – 3 short response questions as a part of an exam or text and the students must create a mind map for each question then download it and send it to the teachers email 

References

Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., and Freeman, A. (2014). NMC Horizon Report: 2014 K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.