Blog Evaluation of Teaching & Learning with Technology

The learning sequence that I decided to use was to provide a face-to-face and on-line information session for the nursing students who are about to attend an Outward Bound Nursing Studies aboard in Singapore in June 2015.

I will be using the TPACK framework to explain my rational for my choice of content, pedagogy and the selection of technology to be used for this presentation.

The audience consist of:

·        3 students in Rockhampton (where the presentation will be filmed) – unfortunately 2 students couldn’t attend as they were on clinical placement.

·        1 student at Mackay Campus – who could not attend as above.

·        1 student via phone link-up from Singapore.

·        1 student via phone link-up in Melbourne.

·        3 students via video conferencing at Noosa CQU Campus.

·        CIS representative via Skype from Vietnam.

·        International Co-ordinator from Rockhampton Campus.

I tried to do the Google Excel – I could download the document but could not insert the information when online.  My computer is quite old and maybe it might have been a different story if I was at work.  Therefore, I have uploaded the excel document here.

Content:

The content of this presentation consist of the following:

Content	Rationale
Welcome	To introduce the students who I am and what the presentation is about and the rationale for including additional information.
General Information about Singapore	To orientate the students and their significant others to the country & to the following information about their trip:
General Information	·        Laws of the Country:  to avoid students getting fined or arrested; what is expected from them. ·        Information about the Australian High Commission. ·        Information about: Education System Health System Food CIS rep Ryan Thompson Etiquette Tips Ramadan
Details concerning the Trip	Our Group Where are we staying Itinerary with emphasis on Changi General Hospital &        Dr Lina Ma from the Lions Home for the Elders.
Closing Information	What to Bring on the Trip Thank you Gifts Ways to keep in Touch Airport departure Information

Pedagogy

Personally, I believe that pedagogy is about leading students to a place where they can learn for themselves.  It is about creating environments and situations where people can draw out from within themselves, and hone their abilities they already have, to create their own knowledge, interpret the world in their own unique ways, and ultimately realise their full potential as human beings.  As a lecturer I like to pose challenges, ask the right questions and present relevant problems for learners to explore, answer and solve.

This outward bound trip to Singapore is about the nursing students to gain knowledge and skill in caring for people from a culture different to their own.  Transferable nursing concepts will be explored and the students will experience and observe the whole health system in Singapore.    The objective for the visit to Changi General Hospital is to disprove the myth that other countries are not as advanced as Australia within their Health Care System.

Effective pedagogical practice promotes the wellbeing of students, lecturers and the university community.  This is achieved by incorporating a variety of teaching strategies that support intellectual engagement, connectedness to the wider world, supportive classroom environments, and recognition of difference.  Therefore, my job as a lecturer is to scaffold the students learning to enable them to become independent learners.  This scaffolding of this learning experience has been achieved in the following ways:

·        The students need to obtain a fundamental knowledge about the country Singapore, its laws, customs and cultural differences.  This enables the students to appreciate the differences between Australia and Singapore. 

·        For learning to occur in and before leaving Australia, I believe that you have to reduce any anxiety about the trip and therefore the students need to know the trip is well organised and that they are in safe hands.  Their classroom will be a lived experience in Singapore and therefore the students require a supportive clinical facilitator.

·        In order for the students to be prepared for the trip to Singapore they need to know what to bring, what will happen at the airport etc. 

·        Assessment of the learning experience within this learning environment will involve the lecturer observing whether the students come prepared as per their induction session information.  In addition, as part of my PhD I will be conducting a pilot study on the students experience called “Home and Away” about their learning outcomes, experience and how prepare they were for this trip.

Technology

The learning experience for this induction session on the student’s trip to Singapore used a variety of technology to support the student’s acquirement of knowledge. 

The best use of technology to support the above learning experience was to design and deliver a PowerPoint Presentation which will support a live oral presentation that conducted via ISL to other campuses and be recorded using ECHO 360 technology.  There are many affordances within this technological mode of this learning experience.

Multimedia	Affordances	Comments
Text Audio Still Images Video PowerPoint Presentation	* Allow learners to process information through auditory & visual channels. *  Affordable and manageable to produce * Resources can be reproduced for other presentations.	PowerPoint presentations can be changed into movies and be uploaded to distance learning programs.  In addition, I added voiceover For distance learning only as a lecturer the use of Camtasia which is record on-screen activity to bring a new level of communication to e-learning.
ISL connection and recording of presentation using Echo 360	*Provides the opportunity to record a live presentation for students who could not attend. *Provides students with the opportunity to collaborate and ask direct questions to their facilitator or in-country representative. * You can show video via this means as part of your presentation.	The downside to this use of technology is that it is live and as a lecturer you can make mistakes.  In addition, you have got no control if guess speakers are also presenting regarding timings as it is a live presentation. During the recording of my presentation – a construction worker accidently cut power or the power line to our Building.  Therefore, I had to send the students my PowerPoint Presentation and add audio narrations to the individual slides.
Social media	Affordance	Comments
Skype Facebook	Social media is used for social interaction and it uses web-based and mobile technologies to turn communication into an interactive dialogue. For the Singapore Induction session – I used Skype and Facebook as Social Media to support the student learning experience.	Facebook only works as a medium if all the students in the class use Facebook in their everyday life.  I discovered that some students that are going to Singapore do not use this Social media device.  Therefore, you risk not have equality of information and learning available to every student.

During this course we have been exposed to many different types of technology.  It is interesting when I compare myself to my friend who is a School Teacher at a Melbourne School teaching Year 2 students.  My friend uses technology within her classroom on a daily basis; from interactive whiteboards to every student have desk iPad.  At the moment the School of Nursing doesn’t have this sort of technology and it takes time to get used to new forms of technology.  Last year I had no idea how to do a PowerPoint Presentation with audio inserted or to change it into a movie.  It was a new experience to record someone on Skype and this with the class with a live audience.  I am determined to keep experimenting with different media sources.

I will provide links to my Echo 360 presentation with live audio and it demonstrates Ryan speaking to the group via Skype before the power failure happened.  I have also included a copy of the presentation that I sent out to the students of my PowerPoint with added audio narration.  These presentations will be provided by my Word document for the coverpage for this assignment.

https://video.cqu.edu.au/ess/portal/section/bfe7cbe8-1618-43de-bba5-ff5b6d7b23c0 

<iframe src="https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/key/aeUz9LUANZG4C9" width="476" height="400" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> 

  

ASSESSMENT 1 - Reflective

This reflective synopsis is an analysis about my teaching context which consists of being a lecturer within a Tertiary Institution by delivering the undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing Program for the School of Nursing and Midwifery.  The following video demonstrates my reflection upon how teaching and learning has changed over the years and how as an institution we deliver distance education by using digital technology.  The challenge for lecturer's today is to engage students within their courses by meeting the students in their learning spaces.

So what is E-learning?  E-learning is about using electronic technology to deliver course content for teaching and learning purposes.  During this course we have learnt about pedagogy and how this can be applied within my teaching context.  In addition, I have analysed excellent teaching practices that I have adopted as part of my personal teaching pedagogy.  Teaching today using 21st Century Technology requires students to adopt addition skills.  These thoughts have been capture within my blog postings called personal pedagogies.

Even though I am a lecturer, I still an active practitioner within the Nursing Industry.  On Saturday, I was working within a Health Facility and I had the opportunity to work alongside a student.  The student couldn't answer my questions of linking theory to practice, so I encouraged the student to Google the information.  After lunch, I asked the student what she found out and we then had an excellent facilitation session.  It was interesting to watch Punja Mishra's famous quote about "for facts go to Google, for wisdom come to me".  As a lecturer or a facilitator it is my job to assist students to join the dots between theory and practice.

So what are the affordances for the following online spaces.  These online spaces are Wikis and Blogs.  I am confident that I can incorporate Blogs within my teaching practice. During this course I have learnt about Wikis and have demonstrated and practice using them. However, I am still considering how I can incorporate this technology within my courses besides just using a Wiki as a tool to display blog addresses.

As for the affordances for still images and video's - personally, I use these digital media all the time within my teaching practice.  However, one thing that I have learnt within this course and discovered about the interaction between course content, pedagogy and technology which is known as the TPack.  This information has changed my teaching practices as I was basing my courses around technology instead of compiling essential course content, then adding pedagogy followed by technology.  All three areas need to interact for effective learning to occur for my students.

So how can I implement what I have learnt during this course.  I believe as a lecturer you should scaffold your students learning.  This can be achieved by setting your students engagement activities every week.  This is often known as constructivism learning.  Some of the guiding principles of constructivism pedagogy can aid students learning by using Web 2.0 technology. Basically, students learn by experimenting and constructing their own knowledge about course content.  This had been demonstrated via this assignment - which is a very clever way of engaging students and building positive learning experiences.

Affordances of Digital Media

I have used the following digital media being video and still images frequently over the past several years within my teaching practice.  As a lecturer - I am very much a visual presented of information and I like putting up images and discussing course content around that information.  I find that this engages my students to participate in learning and this becomes a Blended Learning Opportunity. The following is some thoughts of Affordances on using still images and videos within my teaching context.

Personnally, I have not used pure audio technologies.  Actually, I have used it once in a Residential School environment where I took the class through a relaxation exercise using an audio recording. The class responded really well to this form of digital technology.  I think this form of technology is very limited within the Tertiary Teaching Context.

Educational Wiki

https://turtlestravel.wikispaces.com/EDEL20002

I have only used a Wiki during this Graduate Certificate to access information on other students Blog Pages.  So what is the difference between a Wiki and a Blog?

A blog consist of "postings" from the author and other members of the community or public post comments to that particular post.  No one person can change a comment or post made by another.

Whereas, a Wiki allows others to change what one person has written.  Therefore, it is an interactive web site that allow for interaction for others.  There is always a danger that some people can change your information or post false information on the Web.

Can a Wiki be used in my University Courses that I teach?  The simple answer is "YES".  You can use a Wiki to write your lecture notes onto a Wiki.  One of the advantages of using a Wiki over a Blog is that students can save there finished or unfinished projects in their own folders on a Wiki. This allows all students to view and edit those folders.  As a lecturer you can do teacher editing and grading by usingWikispaces and this done by the user settings and profiles.

I like the following YouTube video which teaches you how to Build an Educational Wiki:





Wow, I been able to embed my first video into a Blog.




After viewing the  above YouTube clip on Wikis in plain English, I now understand Wikis a little bit more. As a lecturer, am I gain enough to use a Wiki to help plan the trip in June as I am taking 10 nursing students to Singapore for a cultural experience.  At this stage, I am not sure.

I was originally wanting to set up a out-of-term Moodle Course for the Outbound Trip - this will enable me to do Blackboard Collaborate sessions with my students.  Then it was easier for CISAustralia to set up a web page to keep the students up-to-date with information.

http://www.cisaustralia.com.au/winter-study-abroad/custom/cqu-nursing-singapore

The other option that I thought of was doing a group Skype session.  I am not sure if I can use a Wikis for this activity?

This morning I had a brainwave (don't die) about using a Wiki instead of Blackboard Collaborate Session.  There is some advantages and disadvantages of using these means for assist students to have a forum to discuss Assessment Task.  Please refer to the below summary:

The only thing I would question is whether a Wiki is similar to the CQU Moodle site for courses?  Is this a form of a Wiki?  However, it was fun playing on my Wiki site.  This mode is something that I need to consider for my future teaching sessions with students.

Affordance of Blogging

Blogging has been a new concept for me and I first heard about in the 2004 however, I have only managed to get enough courage to actually have a go at Blogging since 2014.  I originally undertook this Graduate Certificate in E-Learning as I was personally aware that I was not keeping up with Technology.  Most adults learn new technological advances from their children, however, I do not have any children and it is very easy to get left behind in these areas.

A blog is simply an updated online personal journal or diary and it can be anything that you want it to be.  

Affordances of blogging by Marina Cousins

Some other affordances of Blogging are:

• Sharing
• Engaging students in collaboration and discussion
• Students are able to form opinions and express them.
• Use critical thinking skills and creativity of expression and reflection.
• Provide students with a voice and a audience

TPACK - What is it?

The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge is a framework that helps teachers in Australian School teachers to consider how their knowledge domains intersect in order to effectively teach and engage students with technology.  I believe this TPACK model will be useful in my preparation for my courses at the CQUniversity School of Nursing &Midwifery.  This is my first exposure to this framework.

Let me explain this model:

Content Knowledge (CK) is about what the teachers know about the subject area you teach. So this section is about the facts, concepts and theories about your course.

Pedagogical Knowledge (PK) is about how a lecturer teaches using various strategies.  This includes methods of teaching i.e. assessments, instructional strategies and teaching methods.  Like think, pair and then share.  Other examples might be direct instruction, inquiry base learning, debate, group discussion, modeling, graphic organiser.

The Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) is the areas the knowledge you have a how to effectively engage students in learning concepts and skills.  This is the intersection between content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge.  This knowledge includes approaches for addressing different learning styles and scaffolding content for deeper understanding.  This section is sometimes referred to as teaching at its best.

Technological Knowledge (TK) is often known as the partner and is about how technology is used to deliver and assist your teaching sessions.    The quality  and selection of content that is integrated into your course by using apps, website, games, laptop (project, smart board), ipad, camera, blackboard collaborate.

Technology Content Knowledge (TCK) is about pairing the technology to your content of your course.

Technological Content Knowledge (TCK) refers to how technology is used in a subject area for deep and lasting learning.

Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK) is about as a lecturer you choose and manage technology for your students.  What technology will ease your students workload throughout your course; the use of collaboration tools like Blogs for students to share their learning together.

The intersection between Content, Pedagogy and Technology is the core of TPACK.  This intersection is about your understanding of how tools can enhance your teaching and support student learning into deeper  and more effective knowledge.

As a lecturer, I need to start with content, then pedagogy and then layer into my course how will technology be used to enhance my students learning.

TPACK is an effective model for teaching and it does take a bit to get your head around.  However, I am confident that I can you this framework to improve my university courses that I am preparing for Term 2, 2015.

See below for some of my strengths and weakness within the TPACK model.

                                                 Strengths                                                    Weaknesses

Content Knowledge:  
                                   
                                      Industry experience approx 20 years                   Only working within
                                      Still currently working Industry                          Renal Nursing & no
                                      Attained high level of clinical skills                    longer working in
                                      Influenced by accreditation                                Conorary Care Unit.
                                      My nursing practice remains up-to-date
                                      in relation to teaching clinical skills.

Pedagogy Knowledge:

                                     Professional education has altered my                   There is so many
                                     personal pedagogy i.e E-learning course.              strategies to learn
                                     Learner centred.                                                     about effective
                                     Constructivist approach.                                        ways to teach.
                                     Use flipped classroom methods
                                     Blended learning
                                     I incorporate technological knowledge
                                     into my pedagogy and sharing of content.
                                   
Technology Knowledge:

                                     Open to change in technology &                        Get frustrated when
                                     updating technology.                                           trying new                                                                    Incorporating more technological                       technological apps
                                     tools within my courses to enhance                   & they don't work -
                                     my students learning.                                         particularly if you are
                                                                                                               working to a deadline of a                                                                                                                         due date.

References:

Mishra, P. & Koehler, M. (2007). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK): Confronting the wicked problems of teaching with technology. Retrieved from www.aace.org/conf/site/mishra_invited.doc

Self-assessment & Blog Reflection

Oral & Written Communication:

• I encourage students to write and express their own opinions via class forums and blackboard collaborate sessions.
• I like to encourage my students to think outside the box and challenge students to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Personally, I love interacting with students and to me this is what provides students with a positive learning experience this can be achieved by face-to-face meetings (if students live in Rockhampton) or via Skype or other means.

Other qualities:

• As a lecturer, I do believe we should be building hope and optimism through our courses as this encourages our students to strive for better grades but also you are encouraging the student to have a vision for their future.  After all, this is why students put themselves through university.
• It is hard to build grit and resilience in students today - particularly with the younger generation of students.  They seem to give up very easily.  I like learners to know that I am providing them with the opportunity to turn their failures as opportunities to grow.
• Self-regulation:  again this goes with the above point.  Some students say that there work load too much and it is always a challenge to turn that students thinking around so that they reflect on how to complete their obligations of their coursework.  I always find it interesting when students say I don't know what it is like and then I explain my workload and the subjects that I am studying.  I find it is about getting people to work smarter and more efficient.