Week 8: Lifelong Learning in a Digital Age

(EdTechReview, 2014)

This week’s topic covered lifelong learning in a digital age. Lifelong learning is simply “learning that is pursued throughout life” (Lifelong Learning Council Queensland, 2013, p. 1). When I think about lifelong learning, a Chinese proverb comes to mind: “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”. In the classroom, this translates to the idea that rather than giving students facts and figures to memorise, teach them practical skills about how to digitally source information for themselves so their knowledge will continue to blossom throughout their lifetime via self-regulated learning. Importantly, this also supports part of the second goal of the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians: “All young Australians become successful learners” (Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, 2008, p. 8).

 

(Getting Smart, 2014)

Reflecting back on this unit as a student, I see how some of the knowledge I have acquired can lead to further expansion of my knowledge base through self-regulated learning. For example, this week I learnt how to use Prezi, and in order to learn Prezi, I used YouTube as a self-regulated learning tool. That is, my knowledge of the use and existence of Youtube lead me to acquire more knowledge, being, how to create a Prezi presentation through watching informative videos. Further, I used Boolean operators and truncation symbols to expand my Google searches for information on Earth Day Network. I see first hand how teaching students self-regulated learning digital skills will help them prosper on their lifelong learning journey and benefit the world in which they create as global citizens.

 

My final Prezi presentation

 

References

EdTechReview. (2014). Lifelong learning [Image]. Retrieved from http://edtechreview.in/news/592-apps-for-lifelong-learners

Getting Smart. (2014). Keyboard [Image]. Retrieved from http://gettingsmart.com/2014/02/will-lifelong-learning-relationship/

Lifelong Learning Council Queensland. (2013). What is lifelong learning? Retrieved from http://www.llcq.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=12

Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs [MCEETYA]. (2008). Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. Retrieved from http://www.mceecdya.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf

Week 7: Digital Blurring

This week I saw gaming in a whole new light as I excitedly began to see the true potential digital blurring has to offer the greater good of the planet. Digital blurring not only interchanges a platform of skills amongst different digital technologies (Howell, 2014), but can further blur from the cyber world into the physical dimension, as indicated by the below video.

Children are the future, and if we want to alter future mindsets in order to heal the world what better way to reach children than through gamification, as gaming is a fun and interactive way to scaffold students’ learning and evokes  “blissful productivity” (McGonigal, 2010).

 

As a teacher, I would employ games that go beyond basic moral messages contained in this simple Sploder game I created: aim for prosperity and avoid ‘bad people’. I would expand to incorporate games that produce skills and knowledge, as well as spark emotion, about authentic global issues that need urgent attention (McGonigal, 2010). Examples of these issues include environmental preservation and destruction of the segregation illusion that comes with patriotism, race, and status. McGonigal (2010) talks about gamers coming up with unique solutions for global issues. However, for primary schools, I suggest having multiple choice option games where constructive actions that can be taken to achieve positive outcomes for humanity and the planet warrant ‘correct’ answers. Children’s mindsets influenced by gaming are then blurred and transferred to the physical dimension where, hopefully, these new ways of thinking become a norm and the planet gradually transforms.

 

(Blue Mountain, 2010)

(Sedona Crystal Rainbow, n.d.)

 

References

Blue Mountain. (2010). Child [Image]. Retrieved from http://blog.bluemountainlodges.ca/family/tips-for-a-family-vacation-with-a-toddler/

Howell, J. (2014).  Living and learning in the digital world mod 02 04 week 7 [ilecture]. Retrieved from http://echo.ilecture.curtin.edu.au:8080/ess/echo/presentation/9d8a1cd3-f679-4184-8791-6765f6454274

Interinclusion. (2014). Laptop [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.interinclusion.org/inspirations/upgrading-the-video-game-of-life/

Kendoan. (2012). Faces [Image]. Retrieved from http://kendoan.wordpress.com/2012/10/01/online-identity-in-online-gaming/

McGonigal, J. [TED]. (2010, February 1). Gaming can make a better world [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world

Sedona Crystal Rainbow. (n.d.). Peace earth [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.sedonacrystalrainbow.com/Heart.htm

 

Week 6: Digital Fluency

(Langwitches, 2014)

This week addressed each student’s need for digital fluency.  Digital fluency is the ability to use digital technologies relevant to one’s life with ease to achieve a desired outcome (Howell, 2014). This week, my digital fluency increased a little as I learnt about Boolean operators, memorising that using “OR” between words in a Google search will present results containing either word entered, in addition to both collectively. Further, knowledge about using Scratch was acquired and my understanding was demonstrated by generating the below animation. I found the idea of Scratch quite daunting, but the execution proved to be simpler than I thought and was, surprisingly, a quite enjoyable experience.

 

Using an animation program like Scratch in the classroom could be an interesting way to address authentic issues, such as cyberbullying, whilst simultaneously advancing students’ digital fluency and multi-literacy skills. For instance, students generate an idea for a message they would like to convey about cyberbullying, and harness self-regulated learning to understand how the program can reproduce their idea. Students then design and execute the visual, audio, and dialogue aspects using the program, and edit for completion. Critical and creative thinking skills and ethical understanding is further employed here, which are two of the General Capabilities included in the Australian Curriculum (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2013). I feel the multiple tasks and various digital modes used will encourage multi-literacy in students and increase their digital fluency, heightening their ability to participate in the digital world.

 

References

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2013). General capabilities. Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/GeneralCapabilities/Overview/general-capabilities-in-the-australian-curriculum

Langwitches. (2014). Digital fluency [Image]. Retrieved from http://langwitches.org/blog/2013/02/18/skilled-literate-fluent-in-the-digital-world/

Howell, J. (2014). Living and learning in the digital world mod 02 03  week 6 [ilecture]. Retrieved from http://echo.ilecture.curtin.edu.au:8080/ess/echo/presentation/69320b47-1f26-4f87-ae1c-7ba4e48e0050