In the Middle

Just a quick update, I am at the end of completing two rather long assignments but am coping really well. I would like to thank all of you who have followed my blog so far and please stay tuned for some more as time goes by.

Declarative and Contstructing Knowledge

I didn’t realise that their were so many different types of knowledge the two I will look at today are Declarative and Constructing Knowledge.

Declarative Knowledge is knowledge of knowing something exists fro example that parliment house is in Canberra or Sydney has an opera house. I am not sure where this type of knowledge comes from but to me it seems as if this knowledge comes from prior learning and has just been accepted as true and correct even if you havn’t visited these places. This is a very interesting topic and I would like to delve into it further. The other type of knowledge is Constructing Knowledge.

Constructing Knowledge is where students explore problems while under the guidence of their teacher. During their inquiries students then develop a new pattern of thinking. I think this type of knowledge would work well with Procedural Knowledge as the students can really get down to how things function. What do you think?

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ACARA

ACARA – Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority.

I have spent a lot of time looking at ACARA this is due to not only my studies but also because it is a requirement every teacher must be familiar with. ACARA is a national program that is used by teachers all over Australia to support the development of student learning. It also supports teachers with assessments and schools with a base for their curriculums. ACARA was set up to help students all over Australia to receive the same level of education and the same learning opportunities. It also provides a consistent reporting system for Teachers and Schools.

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Digital Citizenship

From what I understand Digital citizenship is how you use information Communication Technologies. If you buy something online or use social media or simply download information then you are a digital citizen. You earn your digital citizenship by being responsible as you use online reasources, by knowing when something is real and not a scam or by using referencing your resources so plagarism does not happen. Being a digital citizen means being responsible for the way you use ICT not abuse ICT. I found this interesting because it relates to the way we live our everday life by being a good citizen and helping in our community.

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Unit Plans

To begin planning a unit, first outline the academic goals of the big vision of the unit. This phase includes deciding what students should know and be able to do at the end of the unit, the number of days or weeks required to maximise learning (great units always require slightly more time than expected), and selecting textbook chapters and stories and other materials to incorporate. Next divide everything into the available class periods or time slots to determine how to fit the pieces into the unit. Build in extra time for review and enrichment to ensure that all students have learned the material. With each lesson, pinpoint the specific goals and desired outcomes that are to be met to ensure your students will meet the learning goals of the overall unit. Document shortcomings and successes for future lessons. When you know where you are going, you have a far better chance of arriving at your destination. Planning your unit road map for learning is an excellent way to stretch your thinking and impliment the big picture. Having a clear goal and deciding what routes best allow you to reach your destination increase the likelihood of success. The stops along the way for refuelling and refreshing are the strategies and assessments that enhance the trip and the total learning experience.

 

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Technology Rich Learning Expereinces

When used wisely in the classroom, technology can promote higher-order thinking, deep learning, collaboration, interactivity, and student engagement. Teachers who are integrating technology with best practices wish to improve learning in all content areas and to help students create authentic work as they collaborate with peers and experts. Teachers may also address how to avoid the pitfalls of technology rich environments as information overload bombards our studetns and plagiarism dominates. Before they start a lesson they may also address the downside of social media including bullying, and how technology can be a distraction from learning. both in and outside school. To create a rich classroom students also need to be involved in research projects and they need to feel like they are part of the department. Teachers also need to infuse their teaching practices with values and they need to design curricula in a holistic and coherent way that maps students experiences. 

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Khan Academy

Khan academy was started by a young man named Salmon Khan. I have read a little bit about this academy but am not totally convinced in its actions. Basically the Khan academy is based on a virtual classroom Please Correct me if I’m wrong. this classroom is run using a huge amount of online videos covering a rather large range of subjects from mathematics to Science and physics. The Khan academy also uses online excercises that are self paced that generate problems based on skill levels for students to solve this is all well and good if you come from a home that has unlimited internet access and supportive parents hence why I am not completly sold on the idea. It would be good however if you wanted to brush up on some skills that you didn’t quite get right while you were at school. I think I will let you be the judge on this one.

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Procedural and Transforming knowledge

From what I have read about these two types of knowledge I have come to the understanding that Procedural knowledge is the knowledge you gain when you you are allowed to pull somthing apart and put it back together again it is very hands on I really like this kind of learning because I am a very hands on person I like to see what makes things work. Children also seem to learn best when they can explore and get their hands dirty.  the other type of knowledge that I wish to write about is Transforming Knowledge this knowledge comes about when both teacher and students uncover new content and investigate new understandings and answer new questions this allows for exploration and excitement in something that is new not the same old boring thing that we can become used to when we teach and learn.

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My Learning Experiences so far

I have had a lot of fun doing this course. I really enjoy the learning pathways it makes it easy to keep up with the tasks that need to be done to complete this course. I have not struggled which is great because I have always been a bit hesitant when it comes to learning ICT. I am also enjoying the learning content it has been really well produced and makes a lot of sense. this course also puts forward a lot of wisdom and important teaching points that I can use in the future. This course has also shown me that I cannot afford to remain with the old style of teaching the way I was taught when I went to school, i need to be more flexible and explore other avenues and ways to deliver a lesson or unit of work. I think I will have a lot of fun investigating new programs, software etc to help enhance the way I teach.

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