Reflective Synopsis

During the 20th century, teachers were considered to be the fountains of all knowledge. These were the people who had read the books and knew a great deal about the world. Teachers were the people who opened the doors to the world to their students and showed the next generation what was possible. Now in the 21st century life is very different.

Prenksy (2001) refers to today’s students’ as “digital natives”, and today’s educators as “digital immigrants”. Teachers are working with students whose entire lives have been immersed in the 21st century media culture. Today’s students are digital learners – they literally take in the world via the filter of computing devices: the cellular phones, handheld gaming devices, PDAs, and laptops they take everywhere, plus the computers, TVs, and game consoles at home.
Despite these significant changes in the world around us our purpose as educators has not changed. The purpose of education is to enable our students to reach their full potential as human beings, individually and as members of society. What has changed is our role. The role of the learning manager has changed from opening doors to helping students make sense of the superabundance of information they now have.

McInerney and McInerney (2006, p. 3) suggest “Cognitive psychology in general, and learning theories derived from cognitive psychology in particular, have become very important in helping to explain effective learning and its relationship to effective teaching.” McInerney and McInerney (2006, p. 3) suggest “Effective teaching occurs when individuals construct their own understandings.” This fits nicely with Kearsley and Schneiderman (1998) Engagement Theory. Kearsley and Schneiderman (1998, p. 5) suggest “Engagement theory is presented as a model for learning in technology-based environments which synthesizes many elements from past theories of learning. The major premise is that students must be engaged in their course work in order for effective learning to occur.” The Engagement Theory uses three primary means to accomplish engagement:
1. An emphasis on collaborative efforts
2. Project-based assignments
3. Non-academic focus


It maybe at this point a learning manager may ask how can put this into practice. Oliver (1999) a researcher in ICT developed an ICT Learning design framework in which learning experiences using ICT’s can be framed using three essential processes:
1. Learning tasks that learners are required to do.
2. Learning resources that support learners to conduct the task.
3. Learning support mechanisms that exist from a teacher implementing them.

Oliver’s framework helps guide the learning manager design a learning experience for students, particularly ICT mediated learning experiences.

Learning tasks
The learning design framework suggests learning tasks should be problems, investigations, projects or role plays. McCain suggests that by giving students problems to solve, it engages the mind, teases and tempts the brain to find a solution. Giving students problems to solve presents them with an unfinished picture that ‘begs to be completed and that draws them into the task.’ He uses role-play extensively in his classes to present new tasks. The benefits abound. First, by taking on a role of a business or community person, students begin to get the perspective of people from outside the school system. Second, when in role play, students do not have access to his teacher expertise and when he is in teacher mode, they no longer have access to the business person, so learning to ask the right questions at the right time is paramount.

Learning Resources
While working through the Teacher Delivery Technologies we have been introduced to a number of new generation Internet and digital technologies. These technologies have the potential to transform learning as never before, and to engage our learners in collaborative learning. Something that emerged while manipulating these technologies is that apart from Eportfolios through Mahara (which cost $5.00) every tool we used was free. These new technologies are increasingly less expensive and accessible to more and more people every day making our job as learning managers better every day. So what did we explore? What tools could be used in my classroom? What tools would not be utilised?
Tools explored: Blogs, Wiki’s, e.Portfolio’s,Voki Avatars, Powerpoints, interactive whiteboards, videos, static websites, flikr, picnic, animations & simulations, quizzes, you tube, podcasting, google earth, webquests, wikipedia, slideshare, file storage, music on web, voice thread.

Tools to be used: All of the above.

Tools that would not be utilised: None of the above.

Each and every one of these tools could be used by themselves or simultaneously to enhance a learning experience and each have there role to play in engaging our diverse range of learners that exist within our classrooms. These tools not only reshape learning but reshape the relationship between teacher and student and in so doing enrich our students with a global economy skill (Reich and Daccord, 2006).

As a soon to be professional learning manager I am always seeking out resources to add to my collection to deliver better lessons, encourage more conversation within the classroom and to expose my students to the real world. Those of us who have actively engaged in exploring these tools have now enriched our resource toolbox with tools for our students in the classrooms today – 21st century learners.

Learning support mechanisms.
Reich and Daccord (2006) explain Picaso said, “computers are useless; they can only give you answers” great teaching is driven by great questions that scaffold student learning to higher realms. With these great technological tools learning managers can expand classroom conversations in all directions. Geographically, students can talk at school, at home, in the library, on the sportsfield. Students can converse with their school friends, or their peers around the world. We can now give them the tools to communicate with experts in the community anywhere anytime. WOW, who said teaching is boring!



Reference List

Boyes, L. (2007). Education today, Minnis Journals Pty Ltd. Retrieved August
19, 2009 from
http://www.minniscomms.com.au/educationtoday/articles.php?articleid=20

Kearsley, G., & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement theory: A framework for
technology- based teaching and learning. Retrieved August 19, 2009, from
http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm

McInerney, D.M., & McInerney, V. (2006). Educational psychology, Frenchs
Forest, New South Wales, Australia: Pearson Education Australia.

Oliver, R. (1999). Learning designs: Products of the AUTC project on ICT
-based learning design. Retrieved August 20, 2009, from
http://wwwlearningdesings.uow.edu.au/project.index.htm

Prensky, M. (2001). "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants". Retrieved August
19, 2009, from http://ducause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0553.pdf

Reich, J., & Daccord, T. (2008). Best ideas for teaching with technology: A
practical guide for teachers, by teachers, New York: M.E. Sharpe, Inc.