Blogs and Wikis: Classroom Advantage?

I am just becoming more familiar with these two new technologies. Yes, yes... to be a young person in her mid 30s I realize I am lagging in the technology department. Before March 2, 2009 I had only read other people's blogs and viewed two wikis. I deduced the blog was a type of online diary and today that notion was confirmed. Jacobs and Williams state, "the blogging phenomenon has evolved from its early origin as a medium for the publication of simple, online personal diaries" (2004, p.1). I am just beginning to understand what a wiki is. I have recently begun to use both technologies myself and I must say wow! Both are really user friendly.

Blogging:
Richardson writes "millions of kids are already blogging...very few are using their sites as places of critical thinking and analytical writing" (2009, p. 44). The primary or secondary school subject that might benefit most from using blogs is Language Arts. I see this technology as a reflection tool or as a tool that gives novice writers a place to practice their skills. In order to write an effective blog the authors must have good critical thinking skills which becomes stronger as they search sites for interesting ideas (p. 29). However, with the advantage of hyperlinks to connect common ideas, students must practice caution because some sites may not be appropriate for them to visit. Although many schools across the nation incorporate some kind of filter software to avoid unbecoming material from being viewed.

Wikis:
These collaborative communities are useful in any subject. According to Jacobs and Williams, wikis allow its users to "freely create and edit web content via any browser" (p. 2). They are great forums that allow shy students to express themselves as well as more outgoing students to showcase their knowledge. Wikis are great places for students to learn because they chronicle and store information usually related to one topic within a subject. These communities can be considered as "a digital filing cabinet for students to archive their work, and creates a space for an online portfolio of work" (Richardson, p. 22).


Reference:

Jacobs, J. and Williams, J. (2004). Exploring the use of blogs as learning spaces in higher education sector. Australian Journal of Educational Technology 2004, 20(2), 232-247. Retrieved March 26, 2009 from http://eprints.qut.edu.au/13066/1/13066.pdf

Richardson, W. (2009). Blogs, wikis, podcasts and other powerful web tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Computer and Web Based Learning

My assignment this week was to search for a post that coincided with this weeks topic and respond. The blog chosen was Nik's Learning Technology Blog at
http://nikpeachey.blogspot.com/2007/11/exploiting-two-computer-based-rpgs_09.html

I think that learning aids come in all forms. From the descriptions, the two games mentioned at Nik's Blog (Stick RPG and Third World Farmer) could be an asset in a family and consumer science course. The description of the games seem to be fun and interactive and at the same time they teach life lessons. Both games seem to teach valuable economic and general survival for living in either an urban or rural environment.

I attempted to play Stick RPG, but the site never fully loaded and after 10 seconds of it trying to load I was automatically redirected to another site called Break Media and a video called Jet Propelled Bicycle played. The next game, Third World Farmer, did download. It was not as much fun as I thought it would be. In my opinion, these games would not hold the attention of a teen because it is not exciting enough. It lacks entertainment value. I also did not appreciate having to view a movie trailer for a scary movie as the game loaded. I would not recommend going to either of these websites because the ads and other items at the site are not appropriate for a primary or secondary education learner. The ads are a distraction. In addition, the content on the pages may be blocked by institutional filters anyway.

Constructivist Theory

Educators that believe in technology integration and use it on a regular basis may not realize it, but they are practicing the constructivist theory. Technology tends to encourage students to take control of their learning and to explore worlds outside of the classroom especially since the invention of the Internet. The constructivist theory focuses " on the learner rather than the teacher. It is the learner who interacts with his or her environment and thus gains an understanding of its features and characteristics. The learner constructs his own conceptualisations and finds his own solutions to problems, mastering autonomy and independence" (Thanasoulas, 2009). Emergent technologies like collaborative software and student response systems are examples of the types of tools used that engage students and encourage them to take a more active role in their learning. These technologies allow students that would not normally participate in class discussions to have a voice. They are able to 'come out of their shells' and ask questions and/or work on group projects without ever having to be seen. However, they are still learning and able to do so at their own pace and on their own terms.


References:

Thanasoulas, D. (2009). Constructivist learning. Retrieved March 12, 2oo9 from http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/Teachers_Page/Language_Learning_Articles/constructivist_learning.htm

A New Experience

Hi all. This is my very first blog ever!! I have a lot to learn.