Language and Literacy

Summary of Web 2.0 Tools: 
So far, we have covered three common web 2.0 tools. Here is a summary of what I've learned and which context each tool is best suited for in education:

• Blogs are ideal for individual tasks which require self reflection such as journals/diaries.
• Wikis and discussion boards are intended for collaborative work.
• Wikis are created to be informative and provide documents open to editing and modifying by all. Wikis are useful for communicating and organising information between groups of people. Good for: brainstorming and projects.
• Discussion boards are created to provide group support, where users can share ideas and offer a variety of answers. 

Digital literacy:
Kress (2010) states that the traditional concept of literacy (reading and writing) has radically evolved to suit new forms of media. For instance, texts are increasingly multimodal (appear with images) and ipads, are replacing paper books. Atchison (2010) argues that, "dramatic changes in educational technology demand reassessment of related pedagogy."

E-books and Hypertext:
To be specific a 'hypertext' is a text displayed on an electronic device with references (hyperlinks) to other text that the reader can immediately access, usually by a mouse click or keypress sequence. Hypertext is non-linear meaning that users navigate through layers of related text from one section to the next move from one section of text quickly and easily. Hypertext provides students with a level of control over their learning by offering multiple paths on inquiry. Moreover, instead of flicking through chapters in a book, hypertext is a great way for students to make connections and create deeper meaning quickly because of the visual associative nature of hypertext. However, some worry that a digital textbooks with interactive elements may actually inhibit a student's ability to concentrate on the reading material.

So, are electronic textbooks set to take over? Just as ipods have replaced walkmans and discmans, I believe that traditional textbooks will eventually be replaced by electronic textbooks with hyperlinks and highlighting vocabulary that links to Wikipedia and other informative sites.

There are a wide number of advantages to adopting the use of e-books in schools:

• Generally cheaper. Beneficial for financially disadvantaged students.
• Easily updated online. 
• Greener- helps save the planet!
• No worry of running out of copies and delays in delivery. 
• Multiple textbooks can be transported in one device.
• Easy to use.
• Its second nature. Most students are more used to staring at a screen and navigating a web page than reading a book.
• Caters to different types of learners.
• Benefits visually impaired students. For instance, screens can be enlarged.

 As well as plenty of disadvantages of e-books in schools:

• What if the battery on reading device runs out?
• Tactile loss. It's not the same as flicking through the pages of a paper book.
• Can be harder to navigate.
• Ebooks can have expiration dates and might not be able to update because technology is outdated. 
• Danger of screen glare and eye strain.
• Reading devices are more expensive than paper books and need to be updated.
• Kindergarden/early primary children using e-books?

Overall, the prospect of paper books, particularly wonderful picture books, becoming obsolete saddens me.  However, we cannot expect young children to learn the same way we did growing up and we cannot halt the advancement of technology. Therefore, as with all new technologies, I feel that as teachers we should embrace new technology and integrate them into our teaching in order to enhance student learning.

End of Paper Exams for Digital Generation

After reading up on multiliteracies last week, I wondered if the rise in digital literacy would eventually lead to the demise of pen and paper in the classroom.  I browsed online and found the following article entitled, End of Paper Exams for Digital Generation . Having completed my secondary education in HK in a school which followed the British curriculum, I am familiar with the UK's examination system. Overall, I think that introducing an electronic examination system is a natural progression. British exams still rely heavily on handwritten papers which is an outdated method of assessment for any country/school. Plus, it's such a waste of paper! In addition, factors such as a students' handwriting have been known to affect final grades. My handwriting is far from perfect and after turning out multiple essays being sat in a string of three hours long examinations and over a period of two weeks or more, my handwriting looked pretty dismal by the end of it...I apologise to those who had to mark my papers and decipher my writing! I believe that in exams, people should be judged by the quality of the content written and not handwriting as well.

However, despite an increasing reliance on modern technology, I think there is still a place for pen and paper in the classroom. Firstly, technology is not 100% reliable. Second, handwriting is still an essential tool for communication in the classroom and assists young children with fine motor development. Finally, students should be taught and encouraged to maintain good handwriting as handwriting is regarded as a personal reflection of oneself and people are still judged by it both in and out of school.

Multiliteracies

The term 'multiliteracies' was coined to describe what constitutes literacy in today's world. Literacy has in the past had been centered on language, but with globalization and use of new technologies, literacy in the traditional sense is no longer relevant. We now encounter, use and interpret multiple kinds of literacies (visual, audio, graphical, spatial, gestural etc) which are embedded in multimodal text- meaning that is more than one way to communicate meaning (Cope and Kalanstzis, 2000). In order to achieve in the future, students now need to be literate (read and write) in multiliteracies whist often processing several modes of text (sometimes operating simultaneously) (CEO Sydney, 2010).

The multiliterate approach states that:

• Students should be taught the skills for all 5 semiotic systems- grammars of language, still and moving images, music and sound). 
• They will also need to produce text that use all 5 systems. For instance- email, video, powerpoint presentations etc. 
• Understand the purpose and ideal context for using multimodal forms. 
• Be critically literate- able to analyse texts through understanding how we construct and communicate information in our society and others, identify their origins and understand how they have been constructed in order to perceive their gaps, biases etc (Anstey & Bull, 2007).

Even from a young age, students should be taught basic multiliterate skills such as the 5 semiotic systems, producing their multimodal text and some critical literacy skills. During the lecture we were introduced to a variety of multiliteracies that I had never even heard of and left the class feeling excited about trying out these new tools for myself.
These included:

• Podcasts & Vodcasts: Podcasts are audio files which can come with accompanying text and/ or images. Vodcasts come in video form. They can be downloaded and played on computers or mobile devices like iPods. Users can subscribe to podcasts and receive new episodes automatically. I created my first Voki the other day which I have embedded on my main blog page. Voki allows teachers to choose different characters and their voices. Examples of use in education: podcasts and vodcasts for school radio stations (Shaw, 2010). Voki- can be used for narratives or engaging students before starting a new topic. Programs such as Blabberise allows students/teachers to record their voice and an avatar speaks for you. This is useful for protecting student identity online.  
• Digital Storytelling: Uses multimedia narratives such as a combination of text, images, audio and video. Examples of use in education: To help students practice writing narratives, the class could write a narrative and create a mulimodal story, or, teaching ESL students through simple narratives with programs such as Story Bird. Below is my first attempt at using Story Bird. 

• The Extremely Hungry Robot by krisparker on Storybird

• Social Sharing Services: Widely used in education and business. Users can share resources like text (scribd), photos (Flickr etc) and videos (You Tube, Teacher Tube etc) and audio files (AudioBoo).Examples of use in education: collaborative projects 

There are so many multimedia programs out there that can be used to engage and enrich students learning experiences in the classroom. Teachers need to be knowledgeable and capable enough to help their students develop essential multiliteracy skills in this global and technological world, otherwise, how do they expect their students to succeed? 

Wikis

Image retrieved from: 

http://schoolcomputing.wikia.com/wiki/Wikis

Wikis:

Before the tutorial on wikis, I thought Wikipedia was the only wiki out there! However, I have learned this is clearly not the case.  A 'wiki' is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser. They can be incredibly simple to use, time efficient and allow collaborative input. I posted the video we watched in class. It explains wikis in simple laymen terms and I found it to be pretty entertaining!*snap!

Wikipedia:

Wikipedia is often considered as the 'poster child' for web 2.0, however, it's reliability is heavily criticised. Wikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation.  Based on personal experience, I think Wikipedia is an awesome tool. If I am interested on reading up on virtually any topic, I usually look it up on Wikipedia and get a pretty detailed outline. I've always known that I should be cautious using Wikipedia because their pages are not created entirely by experts in the field (although, some do contribute), but rather, are open to the public to create and modify. Fortunately, Wikipedia does have safeguard options. For instance, viewers can click on the 'history' tab which lists the page's previous revisions, including the date and time of each edit, the username or IP address of the user who made it, and their edit summary. This is not only useful because you can perform background checks on the reliability but also, the 'history' tab  allows you to delete previous edits if deemed incorrect or unsuitable (as in the case of Justin Beiber's Wikipedia hacking incident: http://hollywoodoncrack.net/justin-biebers-wikipedia-hacked/).

Due to the growing popularity of Wikipedia, many other sites have been developed claiming to be a more reliable source of information such as Scholerpedia, which relies on collaborative input, however, scholars approve the final addition. I found a website listing the Top Seven Alternatives to Wikipedia. Conversely, just as the reliability of information presented on Wikipedia should be questioned, alternative sites should too. For instance, Conservapedia presents information but largely from a conservative Christian point of view. 

Despite ongoing questions on Wikipedia's reliability, a study by the Nature journal in 2005, found that

Wikipedia is about as good a source of accurate information as Britannica.  The following article for the Wall Street Journal discusses: Will Wikipedia mean the end of Traditional Encyclopedias?. After reading the article, I agree with Lewis Mumford's closing comment. Long before the explosion of Web 2.0, Mumford predicted that the mass influx of information could "bring about a state of intellectual enervation and depletion hardly to be distinguished from massive ignorance." To overcome this, people need to be selective with what they follow. As,Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales stated  "I think there is a general view among a lot of people that it has no errors, like, 'I read it in Britannica, it must be true.' It's good that people see that there are a lot of errors everywhere." Hence, teachers should help students develop skills to make educated decisions on the quality of information they encounter online, encourage students to seek out more than one source of information and teach paraphrasing skills to prevent plagiarism. 

Wikis in Education:

Follow the link Wikis in Education . Provides an excellent list of ideas on how to use a wiki in education. Ideas mentioned include:

• Class or School Communication Site:
• Collaborative Class Site/Knowledge Base
• Assignments/Portfolios
• Process Writing Archive
• Class Book/Collaborative Authoring: Teachers and/or students can create their own text books
• Group Projects
  

 Advantages of Wikis in education

• easy to use, learn and anyone can edit.
• widens access to the power of web publishing to non-technical users
• encourages collaborative learning. 
• people located in different parts of the world can work on the same document. This allows assignments to be completed over the holidays or if a student is absent for an extended period. 
• the wiki has no predetermined structure. Hence, wikis are a flexible tool which can be used for a wide range of teaching applications. 
• there are a wide range of open source software wiki's to choose from so licensing costs shouldn't be a barrier to installing an institutional wiki.
• Provides option for virtual schooling. Useful for distance learning particularly for children in remote areas or those unable to attend school/home schooled. Also allows students to participate in online study sessions.

Disadvantages of wikis in education: 

Advantages in one context, can be disadvantages in another: http://wikieducator.org/Wikieducator_tutorial/What_is_a_wiki/Advantages_and_disadvantages

• Anyone can edit so this may be too open for some applications, for example confidential documentation. However it is possible to regulate user access.
• Open to SPAM and Vandalism if not managed properly. There are easy ways to restore a page however, and on WikiEducator you must be logged in to edit pages so this reduces vandalism by automated spam bots.
• Requires Internet connectivity to collaborate, but technologies to produce print versions of articles are improving
• The flexibility of a wiki's structure can mean that information becomes disorganised. As a wiki grows, the community plans and administers the structure collaboratively. 
• Lack of interaction with teachers through virtual schooling. 

Web 1.0 and Walled Gardens

 

Image retrieved from:  

http://wemtech.wikispaces.com/

Web 1.0 "Reading, Receiving, Responding"

Web 1.0, is the original stage of the World Wide Web which links webpages with hyperlinks. The first stage of the internet was based around a small number of 'authors' creating informative webpages for the vast number of consumers. Web 1.0 pages were static and did not offer collaborative generated content as with Web 2.0. Although, Web 2.0 has been hailed for providing greater opportunities for collaboration in education, Web 1.0 still has it's place in classrooms.

Advantages of Web 1.0 in education:

Effective transmission of knowledge while offering a level of student autonomy within a safe and secure learning environment.

Web 1.0 tools such as drills and quizzes, follow a behaviourist approach. Through fun and repetitive activities, students can achieve a level of mastery of a topic/concept. The following is a website which I found with links to other useful teaching websites offering free lesson plans, worksheets and online quizzes: 

 'The Best on the Web for Teachers'.  In addition, Times- Best 10 Educational Websites offers a combination of static and interactive materials, some with web 2.0 elements.

Authentic materials:

Reference sites such as Visuwords, an online graphical dictionary, allows you to search words to find their meanings and associations with other words and concepts. Online dictionaries are a source of reliable information for students. Conversely, Wikipedia is the result of dynamic collaborative generated information and because of this, its reliability is questionable. Other reliable popular online reference sites include, Google Earth and WatchKnow. WatchKnow provides credible videos due to the fact they've been previewed, edited and organised.  The youtube video Google Earth in classroom, provides an example of how the program can be used in conjunction with smart boards to enhance learning in subjects such as S&E. In addition,WebQuest is a site designed to make the web more interactive and encourages discovery learning.

Walled Garden: 

According to Wikipedia, 'Walled Garden' refers to "a closed or exclusive set of information services provided for users.  This is in contrast to giving consumers open access to applications and content."   Walled gardens can offer, rich interlinkage, but a paucity of links to and from its surrounding information network. Hence, walled gardens are safe and secure however, lack a level of creativity and flexibility. Tools include, VLEs and discussion boards. 

Virtual Learning Environment (VLE):

Is a system where users originate and let applications and information come to them. For instance, Webct is designed to support teaching and learning in an educational setting. 

A teacher/parent VLE could include:

* message channels

* images of students' work

* questions parents could ask students to help review what they learned in school

* links to educational videos and websites

* Reminders

There are an increasing number of UK schools making use of VLEs to support teaching and learning activities. VLEs can also be used in teacher development programs. The following website provides  Examples of VLEs in schools. VLEs can be highly beneficial in primary schools, particularly when used as part of an integrated approach which "combines interactive, whole class teaching, with independent online work, which nevertheless maintains a social dimension to learning"(Berry, 2005, p.16). Berry (2005) suggests that VLEs can help to improve pupils' attitudes to learning and somewhat improve assessment performance, particularly for those pupils who had adopted a more holistic view of their studies.  Moreover, VLEs can improve home-school learning as sudents can access the school curriculum from home without  the need of additional hardware or support costs to the school. For the full article, click here:'A virtual learning environment in primary education'

Discussion Boards:
A discussion board (sometimes also called a discussion forum or just an online forum) is a place where participants can engage in text-based conversation organised into topic-based discussion threads.

In week 2, we had to participate in a class discussion board and answer three questions. These were :

1) What is the value of web 1.0 in education?

2) What is the value of VLEs in education

3) What is the value of discussion boards in education?

From this first hand experience, I have come up with the following advantages and disadvantages of using this tool in education.  

Advantages of asynchronous discussion boards:

• Allows students to freely express their thoughts and respond to messages at different times. There is less pressure to come up with an immediate response and gives students more time think over their responses. 
• Follows a social constructivist approach: students' responses help co-construct learning.
• Encourages all students to participate. Students who are less vocal in class, often find it easier to express themselves through discussion boards.
• A great tool for ESL students to practice their comprehension and writing skills i.e. moodle
• Participants can scroll forwards and backwards through a conversation to see the overall structure. 
• A sense of virtual communities can be established through frequent contributors. 

 Disadvantages of asynchronous discussion boards:

• Can be time consuming thinking about, reading and writing responses.
• Interpersonal barriers can get lowered, no facial expressions, tone of voice etc. There is a danger of students sharing private information, over sharing or making aggressive comments, known as 'flaming.' Teachers need to be constantly updated on students' posting to help regulate discussion boards.

'LOL' can be found in the Oxford Dictionary

Found this article.
Thoughts? 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12893416