Blog 4

Harnessing New Technologies 

The exploration of web 2 technologies during last week’s seminar provided me with valuable insight into the diverse and engaging range of opportunities that ICT continues to bring to learning. Prior to this seminar, I had limited understanding into the use of web 2 technology within the classroom, however, I was soon opened up to a number of stimulating programs and tools that proved motivating and inspiring resources to enthuse children with learning.

Web 2 technologies can be described as tools which allow users to communicate and share ideas, Hague, C. & Payton, S. (2010). It surrounds the idea that people are the primary consumers of the internet, moving away from the internet as a browsing tool into a world that enables individuals to create, contribute, and expand upon what they read, see and hear. This would demonstrate how rapidly technology is expanding to meet the needs and demands of an ever expanding digital nation. As Cope & Kalantzis.( 2000) state; ‘literacy teaching and learning need to change because the world is changing’.

However, it is still evident that barriers lie in the utilisation of such resources due to prospective teacher not being fully comfortable with the use of them, as well as being unaware of the learning potential inherent in those that they do use with ease (Honan, 2008; Robinson & Mackey, 2006). However, as argued by Leu et al (2004), ‘’new technologies whether intentionally or unintentionally impact literacy instruction in classrooms’’ (p.1). This would therefore suggest that teachers need to begin to acknowledge the need to learn how to use a range of new technologies that allows for an expanded network of communication and intellectual exchange (Sydner, 2001, p.112). Equally teachers professional development will need to continually support teachers technologically as new technologies appear; equally addressing teacher’s instructional beliefs and philosophies (Leu, 2000; Leu, Kinzer, 2000).

In considering all these factors and having explored several web 2 programs, it is my belief that the employment of these technologies would pose valuable learning resources to utilise within a classroom context, in which to motivate and develop children as passive users of new digital technology. One program I found particularly interactive and enjoyable was Jigzone, in which I created an online puzzle. I found this program extremely easy to use and felt that it would be an accessible and exciting tool for children of any age to use. Additionally, I felt that this resource was engaging and would pose suitable for use as a starter activity, in which to capture children’s interests and attention as soon as they entered the classroom. Furthermore, the use of programs such as wordle and Tuxedo, demonstrated to me the valuable influence of literacy based technologies. In particular I felt that the vocabulary based tools, posed specifically relevant to support the brainstorming of ideas, as well as to provide eye catching and interesting ways to visually represent key words, to support writing.

Furthermore, the use of the literacy based program, story bird, could support and promote talk based activities, such as storytelling, as well as to support children’s creative writing ideas. Overall this experience has allowed me to develop a more specific understanding of the positive and exciting influences that web 2 technologies can bring to education. Equally, i know feel less apprehensive about approaching the teaching of web 2 based content and will hope to inform my own practice whilst on my next school experience by teaching a literacy based ICT lesson.

Cope, B & Kalantzis, M. (2000) Multicultural Education: an equity framework: South Australian Department of Education Curriculum Standards and Accountability Framework (Adelaide, South Australia Department of Education).

Hague, C. and Payton, S. (2010) Digital Literacies across the Curriculum. Bristol: Future lab

Honan, E. (2003) ‘Barriers to teachers using digital texts in literacy classroom’, Literacy, 42(1): 36-43

Leu, D., & Kinzer, C. (2000). The convergence of literacy instruction with networked technologies for information and communication. Reading Research Quarterly,

35(1), 108-127

Leu, D., Kinzer, C., Coiro, J., & Cammack, D. (2004). Toward a theory of new literacies emerging from the Internet and other information and communication technologies. Reading Online. Retrieved 2 July 2007 from http://www.readingonline.org/newliteracies/lit_index.asp?HREF=/newliteracies/leu

Robson, M. and Mackey, M. (2006) ‘Assets in the classroom: Comfort and Competence with media among teachers present and future; in J Marsh and E.Millard (eds), Popular literacies, Childhood and Schooling. London: Routledge. P.200-20

Snyder, I. (2001). The New Communication Order. In C. Durrant, & C. Beavis, (Eds.). P(ICT)ures of English: Teachers, learners and technology (pp. 111-124). Kent Town, SA: Wakefield Press/AATE.