Virtual Learning Environment - Out in Space

BySue

Austin

Create a Virtual Learning

Environment which will introduce

Web 2 tools Blogs – Wikis -Podcasting and

Elluminate to the 5/6 classroom

This VLE is intended for a Year 5/6 class who have minimal understanding and experiences with Web 2.0 tools.

Students are familiar with the internet and email but have not yet experienced blogs and wiki’s (other than using Wikipedia)

Year 5/6 has 1 hour per week allocated to computer/technology lessons.

Students will require structured learning activities to accomplish set tasks within the timeframe of 9 weeks.

The Virtual Learning environment will provide students with:

opportunities to develop an awareness and understanding of Web 2 tools.

opportunities to appreciate and value the potential of Web 2 tools and a VLE

learning activities that encourages collaboration, communication and connection with other students learning

learning activities that takes them from the traditional style of teaching/learning

learning activities that require skills of investigation, research, higher order thinking and problem solving

technology skills beyond those previously experienced

Students will make use of:

Teacher blog – for instruction, communication and collaboration

Student Blogs – for creation, commenting and communicating with others on the space topic

Wiki’s – for collaborative work on a glossary of space terms and space images.

Podcast – for the digitally recording of ‘astronomy’ interviews to ‘podcast’ to class

Elluminate – for participation in a real time web conference on issues relating to the space topic

Introduction View clip - What is Web 2.0

Brainstorm social software applications that are currently available – and those known by students

Display Web Diagram (using Visual Mind) which categorises the software (see next slide)

Make students aware of the Software bookmarking site Del.icio.us

Web 2 tools Link to Mind Map

Activity 1 Students view Blogging in Plain English

Teacher - Introduce and explain Edublogs

Students view Blog School Demo

Teacher - highlight important aspects and components of

the blog

Teacher - inform students of their blogs (already created) ready

for personalizing

Students -view the demonstration of personalizing your

Blog

Students work on setting up their blog for comments

Teacher - discuss how blogs encourage communication.

commenting.

Teacher - explain how comments are for collaborating and

promoting discussion.

Teacher – explains the ‘do’s and don’ts’ in commenting.

Students – read ‘10 Basic rules for commenting’ (next slide)

1. Invite Comments – I would like to hear from others

2. Ask Questions – What do you think about this

topic.?

3. Be Open Ended – leave something for others to say

or add

4. Interact – answer the comments left to start up a

discussion

5. Set Boundaries – don’t allow rude or silly

comments

6. Be humble – don’t act an expert – let others have a

voice

7. Be gracious – if someone picks up on a mistake in

your blog be gracious and not grumble

8. Be controversial? – sometimes it works to make a

bold or controversial statement to get those comments

rolling

9. ‘Reward’ Comments – thank others for

commenting – send a smiley face (emoticon)

10. Make it Easy to Comment – you don’t have to

write a book for a comment – keep it short and simple –

also make sure that the comments don’t require to

many hurdles like passwords.

Activity 2 Teacher explain- comments or posts are

usually found in the central part of the blog.

Comments or posts are viewed chronologically – meaning the last post is at the top of the page.

Comments or posts remain on the blog unless they are deleted.

Students - view demonstration on how to add a comment and how to make a comment on another persons blog.

Students - start comments (see topic list next slide)

Topic 1 – UFO’s and aliens – are they real? Topic 2 – What is your understanding of the

Universe? Topic 3 – Planets – Tell me more? Topic 4 – Is space exploration worth the money Topic 5- Would you go into space ? Why /why

not? Topic 6- What are the chances of a meteorite

hitting Earth? Topic 7 – Are there planets beyond Pluto? Topic 8 – Should we return to the moon?

Activity 3 Teacher – explain how Blog pages differ

from posts - they are seen as a title in the sidebar and provide links to documents, files and other sources of information.

Pages don’t take up as much room as a post and for that reason aren’t as noticeable.

Students - view the demonstration on making a page with a hyperlink.

Students – create a page with information on your chosen planet and a hyperlink to support that information.

Activity 4 Teacher – explain that adding a clip from

Youtube or Teacher Tube requires you to copy and paste the embedding code.

Teacher – inform students that Teacher tube is a better choice for clips as it can be accessed at schools – (Youtube is blocked)

Students - view demonstration on embedding code into a post

Activity 5

Students - view Wiki in Plain English

Teacher - introduce Wetpaint wiki’s

Students - view Rous School Wiki – read through

instructions and pages.

Teacher - explain purpose of Wiki - to collaborative

produce a glossary of space terms and space

images Students - view demonstration on editing the wiki Students - commence adding words/definitions to

the glossary.

Activity 6 Teacher explain - an important part of the

research work is to obtain space related images for viewing by others.

This photo page will enable students to seek out interesting or unusual space images and post them in one place.

Students – view demonstration how to locate and add an image to the photo page

Students - commence locating and adding images to page – captions compulsory

Activity 7Teacher – introduce Elluminate

Students - view an Elluminate

live demonstration

Teacher – explain Elluminate task requiring 2 groups of 2 students and teacher (administrator) taking part in a debate about a specific topic on Space (the 2 groups will different rooms from the main class)

Teacher - set up a powerpoint presentation and websites for viewing (done prior to session)

Students - view the Elluminate session via the digital projector (IWB)

Students - required to use: Text chat Speaking (microphone) Whiteboard

Students to: comment/debate/interact/draw/identify/survey/poll – on a number

of Space related topics

Activity 8 Teacher - define a podcast Students - listen to podcast Teacher - display digital recorder and

briefly explain how to upload. Teacher – start discussion on the

benefits of a podcast:People can listen to podcast whenever and

wherever they wantA podcast can be replayed or played at a

later dateMore people can access the podcast – no

need to attend a lecture or interview

Students will develop a series of questions based on aspects of Astronomy. These questions will be

asked in a interview which will be digitally recorded.

After the interview the recording will be uploaded (by teacher) into the class

blog.

Students will listen to the interview and check their

understandings to those of the experts.

Activity 9 Teacher - create a series of questions –

yes/no, multiple choice and short answer using the online survey software Zoomerang

Students will complete:A quiz on the space topicAn evaluation on the Virtual Learning

Environment Teacher – will collate and make available

the results to students via the class blog

This VLE was created for the purpose of the Flexible Learning assignment – however it is ‘ a work in progress’.

All activities on this slideshow and all links, video captures and software tools mentioned will be used and implemented.

The Elluminate session and the use of Zen Media software for uploading the podcast was made possible through connections with the School of Education and the School of Law at Southern Cross University.

Astronomy experts were located through a local group of Star Gazers. We thank them for their assistance.

All internet access and use for this assignment is within the guidelines set down by the NSW Department of Education.

Stage 3 Science and Technology outcomes for the unit ‘Out In Space’ were set for this assignment.

All activities were designed and implemented – except for the collaborative work in Elluminate were my personal ideas and initiatives.