Week 10 - visiting school

This week we were able to go back to a local primary school in order to create digital books with the year 1 class to teach about children’s rights. The right in which our group focused on was Article 15: Every child has the right to meet with other children and join groups and organisations (UNICEF, online). Whilst planning before we met our group we discussed assessment criteria that we wished the children to meet before the end of their session, including understanding and being able to explain their right and to use the iPads to create their own digital book.

It was difficult to set targets when we did not know the children in our group, we had not met them and we did not know their previous experiences, therefore in future practice I will personalise targets to each child/small group in order to ensure they are receiving the most out of the given task.

When we were first told we would be working with year 1 children I shamefully thought this would be a lot harder due to the children being of such a young age, but upon meeting them this soon changed, the children were confident in the basic features of iPads and were able to navigate between the apps effectively. Prensky (2001) explains the reasoning for this because children are born as digital natives meaning the children will probably have used iPads or similar smart technology before entering school, which was verified by the class teacher in the first visit. Following this information it was clear that all of the children were digital natives with a sound understanding of technology (Palfrey & Gasser, 2008).

The children really engaged with creating the ‘book’ and by the end of the session all were confident to film and be filmed/voice recorded whereas at the beginning of the session a few of the children are in our group were cautious to be filmed/recorded. Children were initially shy to share their ideas but within five minutes these hesitations almost disappeared as they were able to submerge themselves in the task and ‘take control’ of their work.

When we first discussed the task with the Children they were unsure of some of the apps and how to use them but were very keen to take part and learn and offering valuable contributions to the task. And following the earlier concerns about not knowing the children’s capabilities, from working with a small group I found it was easy to assess what the children knew and understood as we carried out the task, thus allowing me to appropriately guide the children were required.

Time management was a key issue today, the children were late which meant we had less time to film and edit, which meant we had to work as quickly as possible.  Considering the children coped well and were full of ideas about what they could do.

By the end of the session all children in our group could tell us about the right we focused on and why it was important, with all children meeting the criteria we had discussed at the beginning. If I was to carry out a similar task with my own class I would allow sufficient time for planning, filming and editing individually to ensure all children created projects they were happy with

I really enjoyed this experience in school and can see how simple it can be to create similar projects; I am really looking forward to seeing the final project in week 12 and seeing the different approaches each group took.

Palfrey, J. & Gasser, U. (2008). Born digital : understanding the first generation of digital natives. New York : Basic Books

Prensky, M. (2001) ‘Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Part  II: Do They Really Think Differently?’ in On the Horizon 9 (6)

UNICEF (2012) Children’s rights. [online] available at: https://www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Publication-pdfs/betterlifeleaflet2012_press.pdf

Week 9: Visiting school

This week we were fortunate enough to visit a local primary school in Southampton to learn about how they use ICT in the classroom and also how they are adapting to the new computing curriculum with a specific focus on the digital literacy’s aspect, thus allowing application of the theoretical and practical seminars in university into the context of a classroom setting.

From a talk with a year 1 teacher it became evident that the experiences the children have regarding technology are endless, it was discussed how often the children use the iPads and we were shown examples of work that they had created. As an ICT specialist I support the use of technology in all curriculum subjects but I was truly mesmerised by what the children had achieved. When we went on a tour of the school it was clear to see how much technology is available to children at all time. It was interesting to see the radio studio and that all children are able to use it rather than just Year 6 as I witnessed in my SE1 school.  

It was clear from speaking to the year 1 teacher that the staff at Shirley Warren were keen to use children’s ICT abilities in a variety of subjects. This was great to see as previous SE schools have not shared that passion for incorporating different technologies into every day learning. Marsh (2003) suggests that this may be because teachers lack in confidence due to lack of own experience and lack of knowledge, therefore teachers need training in technology in order to implement this into their own lessons.

To further Marsh’s point it has to be said that my own iPad skills are not amazing, and this will be a challenge for me during the time in school. However I was fortunate enough to have experienced iPads when in Estonia but I have not had opportunities to explore these devices independently, but due to having sampled some apps in university and this session in school I feel confident in this selection of applications.

Many of the apps we used in school today I had experienced before especially. However, I hadn't thought of using some (green screen) with younger children in Key Stage 1 due to finding difficulties when I have previously used green screens myself. However verescope (the app we were introduced to) was simpler to use than program I have previously used and I would definitely consider using it throughout further practice.

I really enjoyed this first session in school and am looking forward to working with the children next week to create our own digital books. A personal target I set myself for the second session is to discover what the children already know about the apps we are using.

Marsh, J. (2004) Popular Culture, new media and digital literacy in early childhood. Oxon: Routledge Falmer. 

Week 8: Copyright in Schools

Copyright arises in everyday life; therefore this blog will look at the laws surrounding materials protected by copyright as well as issues that teachers face regarding copyright in schools as well as how this may impact my own future practice.

Copyright is defined by Ross and Kinsley (2007) as the legal protection granted to the creators of a work-piece over a fixed time period. It is important to understand that this copyright law occurs whether the work has been published or not. First introduced in 1709 as a development from common law known as the statue of Anne, this copyright outlines explicit guidelines to follow for the acceptable use of others work (Patterson, 1965).

The copyright law has been developed throughout the years and the current act was released in 1988 (Copyright, 2009). Copyright regulations apply to teachers, pupils and the school as a general organisation, however there a number of permitted acts and exceptions thus making information readily available to teachers and pupils (copyright NEN, 2012).  Since 1988 there has been a large increase in the amount of data available over the internet, although this is a different way to gather readily available materials it is important to understand that this material is still protected under copyright laws (Copyright NEN, 2012). Following this change, Davies (2012) discussed that in October 2003 there were important changes made to the 1988 act relating to the dissemination of copyright material obtained via the internet taking into account the rights of the authors. One of the key amendments made in 2003 was the guideline for teachers to create temporary copies of work found on the internet, this allows teachers to use materials obtained online to share with their class and school where appropriate (Davies, 2012).

To overcome any issues that teachers may face when obtaining information from the internet the ‘fair use’ policy was introduced to allow teachers to access media found online for use within the classroom (Davies, 2012). This policy allows for teachers to use material found online safely without breaking copyright agreements as long as they do not pass this work off as their own, the main reasoning behind these rules is so that children’s learning is not affected by a lacking accessibility to suitable resources to aid learning.

 Throughout education children are required to conduct research using textbooks and online sources, therefore, as well as teachers being aware of copyright they need to ensure that children understand regulations regarding materials protected by copyright in order to protect children from breaking copyright law.

• Copyright (2009) Copyright 2000-2009 UK Copyright Service. Copyright Witness Ltd. [online] available at: www.copyrightservice.co.uk/ukcs/docs/edupack.pdf (Last accessed 26.03.2014)

• Copyrights NEN (2012) Copyrights and wrongs. [online] available at: http://www.copyrightsandwrongs.nen.gov.uk/schools-a-copyright (Last accessed 26.03.2014)

• Davies, G. (2012) General Guidelines on copyright, in Davies, G. (ed.) Information and Communications Technology for Language Teachers (ICT4LT), Slough: Thames Valley University [Online] accessed 9.03.14 at http://www.ict4lt.org/en/en_copyright.htm.

• Patterson, L. R. (1965) The Statute of Anne: Copyright Misconstrued, Harvard Journal on Legislation, 3 (1). Harvard Law School: Harvard.

• Your Rights (online) Your Rights; The Liberty Guide to Human Rights. [Online] available at: http://www.yourrights.org.uk/yourrights/right-of-free-expression/copyright-and-allied-property-rights/meaning-of-copyright.html (Last accessed: 28.03.2014)

Week 8: Informal blog task - Different Apps for use in school

The 2014 National Curriculum (DfE, 2013) states that through computing children become digitally literate and they are able to express their own ideas through ICT at a suitable level in order to become active participants in a digital world. Following this, during this session we were introduced to a number of applications that are suitable for creating multimodal texts within the primary classroom.

The first app we were introduced to was Book Creator. This app allows children to create their own story books in a quick and simple way by adding text, images, video and audio recordings, with a further opportunity to ‘publish’ any books created to iBooks (Apple 2013).  Bearne (2009) discusses a number of scenarios of children creating multimodal texts in the classroom and discusses the benefits including the teaching of cross-curricular links between English and ICT and providing the children with control over how to display their books, showing an increase in motivation towards writing stories.

When we were first introduced to the idea of creating digital talking books I thought this would be a time consuming tasks, however it was seen in this seminar that digital books can be completed to a high standard in a short period of time and it was interesting to see the different approaches and ideas each groups took, thus showing the great opportunities this app can present for future practice. Due to the features of being able to input audio recordings and videos this app can be adapted for children who may find reading and writing difficult, they can record themselves telling their story, therefore turning their ideas into an audio book. A final point about this useful app is that because the app provides a blank canvas it can be adapted to any age or ability.

Another app that we looked at in this session was puppet pals. I was fortunate enough to attend an interactive boot camp with the university in Estonia during year 2; during this experience we used puppet pals in school with a group of children to explain different landforms. This app is particularly useful for children who may be uncomfortable being filmed as they do not need to be filmed and the audio recording they give can be warped to sound different. A positive of this app is that it is also suitable to use with a number of children as you can add a number of puppets to one project. From my own experience this app is easy to teach with and when used in school the children enjoyed this experience.

After this session I am looking forward to going into school next week and put into practice what we have been learning throughout the module so far, it will be interesting to see how the school uses ICT within learning as my SE3 school had iPads that were not used whilst I was there due to teachers not having experience using and teaching with them.

Apple inc (2013) Book Creator for iPad. [Online] available at: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/book-creator-for-ipad/id442378070?mt=8

Bearne, E. (2009) Multimodality literacy and texts: Developing a discourse. ‘Journal of Early Childhood Literacy’ 9 (2)

Department for Education (2013) National Curriculum in England: Computing programmes of study. London: HMSO

Blog 8- Examine the Copyright issues within schools

Part One Formal- Examine the Copyright issues within schools

The copyright law was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1709 known as, the Statute of Anne. This became statutory with the passing of the Copyright Act 1911. The current Copyright Act is, the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988 (Patterson, 1965). When someone creates a piece of original work, it automatically becomes copyright. The piece of work does not have to be registered before it is protected, however the creator can also assign the copyright to a third party, such as a publishing business (Davies, 2012). This means that unless the copyright owner gives permission, then you cannot use for use or copy the piece of protected work (Intellectual Property Office, 2010) (Online). It is important that teachers are aware of the Copyright law when using and copying work for lessons.

Copyright laws apply to everyone, therefore, teachers need to be aware that it applies to them, even though they may be using it for educational purposes. Whilst copyright applies to everyone, there are specific concessions and licensing schemes that schools and educational establishments can use in order to stay within the law (Davies, 2012).Teachers can use material for educational purposes however, if the teacher uses the material to make reprographic copies or broadcasts passages from literary, musical or dramatic works then a licence is needed, if they are copying without reprographic methods such as writing it down then a license is not needed. Anything for setting or answering examination questions and performing, showing or playing work within the school does need a license, however if parents are included in the audience then a license will be needed (Intellectual Property Office, 2011) (Online).  

Copyright is a serious and complex process, it is therefore important that teachers and especially as student teachers, we find out what other teachers do when working in schools. It is important to remember that schools are given more of a leeway when using works for educational purposes, therefore it is important to not let copyright stop you from using any other works. It is also important that teachers make children aware of copyright laws, so that they can work safely both within schools and at home. The internet and media can greatly enhance teaching and lessons so as long as the guidelines are followed the law will not be broken.  

Bibliography:

Davies G. (2012) General guidelines on copyright. In Davies G. (ed.) Information and Communications Technology for Language Teachers (ICT4LT), Slough, Thames Valley University [Online]. Available at:http://www.ict4lt.org/en/en_copyright.htm [Accessed 25/03/14].

Intellectual Property Office (2011) Copyright: Essential Reading [Online] http://www.ipo.gov.uk/c-essential.pdf.

Intellectual Property Office (2010) [Online] About Copyright http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/copy/c-about.htm.

Patterson, L. R. (1965) The Statute of Anne: Copyright Misconstrued, Harvard Journal on Legislation, 3 (1). Harvard Law School: Harvard.

Part Two: Informal

During the seminar, you will have trialled
a number of different Apps. Please
reflect on these, selecting one to discuss in
depth, exploring its potential for literacy
learning. Identify any implications of this
session for your future practice, drawing on
any relevant sources.

During the seminar I was introduced to a range of different Apps. I really liked the Big Cat Phonics books, sock puppets and the Winnie the Pooh app. I was really surprised at how many different Apps there are and how even really young children will be able to access them.

I worked in a group to explore Book Creator. As it was pancake day, we created a fact book on Shrove Tuesday. I found the app really easy to use and navigate around, which is child user friendly. The app not only allows you to write text, it also can insert film clips, pictures and sound. This is great as children can create interactive books which are more engaging and exciting to create rather than just using paper. Due to the versatility of the app, it could be used for any subject and any topic, which make it extremely adaptable. The app could also be used by children which would develop their ICT skills, literacy and subject knowledge for the topic they are researching or writing about.  It could also be used by teachers as a starter or plenary which makes it very versatile. One negative about the app is that it has to stay on the iPads, however a positive is that with an adaptor or by using AirDrop the teacher or children can present their work onto a big screen.

I thought Book Creator is a really versatile, fun and different app which could be used by any ability, age or for any subject. I would definitely use it in my practise in the future and think that it has many different uses which children would enjoy to work with. It is a platform in which those children who are less confident with transcribing onto paper, would feel safer due to its interactivity and those children who are more competent, would be able to challenge themselves further. 

Blog 5- Children and advertising

Children are bombard by advertisements wherever they go and increasingly they are permeating into the public and private spaces where children learn and play (Beder, Varney & Gosden, 2009). Advertisements for children are increasing, but television is still the most predominant platform in which they are shown (Gunter, Oates, & Blades, 2005). Advertising to children is a highly topical issue as many are concerned that advertising is exploiting children (Buckingham, 1993).  Young (1986) characterizes the situation as the ‘child-as-innocent and advertiser-as-seducer’ (cited in Buckingham, 1993). Advertisements start to influence children as young as two and children up to five years old cannot distinguish what happens on television from reality (Beder et al. 2009). Dorr (1986) states that children do not become aware of the motivations of advertisers until the age of eight (cited in Buckingham, 1993), however, Young (2010) claims that whilst eight year olds may start to recognize the intentions of advertising, they are still heavily influenced  up until the age of twelve. Therefore children should learn about advertisements in school, as children are especially influenced by them, so it is important that they are shown how adverts can entice and deliberately target specific audiences to help children understand and be able to utilize this knowledge in order to be protected from the intentions of adverts.

Advertisements are causing children to become huge consumers, with $28 billion being spent by children aged twelve or under in the United States during 2000. Adverts are enticing children to possess products, which is leading them to pester their parents to buy on their behalf (Gunter, Oates & Blades, 2005). Advertisements do not only encourage people to buy things they do not even need or want, it is also instilling materialistic values into our society. A concern for children in particular is that advertisements are convincing us that our identity is reflected by what we consume and buy (Buckingham, 1993). Crucially, having beautiful models in advertisements causes huge pressures on young people as they feel they have to conform to certain ideals of beauty which are not achievable (Gunter, Oates & Blades, 2005). Therefore it is important that children are taught about advertisements in school, so that they can start to become protected from the power that adverts can have, and so that children start to realise that their identity is not based on what they consume, but on who they are as a person. It is important that teachers highlight to children that adverts sensationalize products and people so that they are aware that certain products may not make them change into a different person or give them superpowers, in order to protect them false claims.

Bibliography:

Beder, S., Varney, W., & Gosden, R. (2009). This little kiddy went to market: The corporate assault on children. London: Pluto Press.

Buckingham, D. (1993) Children Talking Television: The making of television literacy. London: The Falmer Press.

Gunter, B. Oates, C. & Blades, M. (2005) Advertising to Children on TV New Jersey, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 

Young, B. (2010) ‘Children and Advertising’. In  Marshall, D. (Ed.)  Understanding children as consumers. London: Sage Publications. 

Week 11 - School Visit

Today I was given the opportunity to revisit a local primary school and work with a group of children to create a talking book. As the school is a rights respecting school, each group focused on one of the rights of the child (UNICEF 1989). As a group, we focused on article 29 which states that children have to right to become the best that they can be.

As an English specialist I found it useful to have planning time as a group to discuss and structure our ideas before meeting the children. This allowed my group to sketch out what we needed to do and work out roughly how much time we had to film and edit. Although we only had a short amount of time to plan, from gaining first-hand experience I can see how teachers need to plan and ensure they have all the resources available before the children begin working in order to save time.

I was surprised at how capable the children were with using the app and Ipad, although they are only in year 1. They were confident and willing to try out different things such as camera angles and the green screen. This allowed me to witness first-hand The Future Lab’s (2010) theory of children being digital natives and having the knowledge and confidence to use technology at an early age. 

I think one of the biggest challenges of the day was the time limit. Although as a group we had planned the morning and the children were confident with the apps we were using, timing was an issue. This has highlighted the need for teachers to allow sufficient time for children to edit their work and discuss what worked and what didn’t at the end of a project. This is something I will consider in my future practice.  

Although there were challenges and surprises throughout the day, I found the experience valuable and enlightening as it allowed me to put the theory we have been learning about into a real life context.

FutureLab (2010) Digital Literacy Across the Curriculum: (Sections 3.1 – 3.4 Digital Literacy in Practice)

United Nations (1989) United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), Geneva: United Nations.

Multimedia and Multiliteracies in the Primary School: Linking Theory and Practise (Part 2)

Multimedia and Multiliteracies in the Primary School: Linking Theory and Practise (Part 2)

 Through working with the children in school on today’s visit, it has been possible to reflect on particular challenges and what I have learnt from working with a group of year one children. A surprise for me was the extent to which the children were accustomed to using Ipads as, on introduction, we asked the children if they had used an Ipad before, all children put their hands up. This showed the extent to which children have become familiar with using technology to support their learning.

 In terms of my own learning, I have learnt how to use apps in order to support literacy through experimenting with a variety of literacy based apps and allowing the children to use them, it was possible to observe the versatility of the apps and the usefulness they posed to this particular group of children. It also became noticeable how the use of multimodal texts could support and facilitate speaking and listening. This was shown through the children’s motivation to take part in videoing and recording audio clips. Although it was not possible to assess progression from the visit as it was the first time we had met the children, it was surprising how the confidence of the children that appeared ‘shy’ to begin with, really enjoyed becoming involved in creating the digital book. Therefore reflecting how digital literacies may be useful in supporting less confident children in developing speaking and listening skills through the motivation of a new type of literacy learning (Burnett, Dickinson, Myers & Merchant 2006).

 Potential challenges from today session were firstly, the ability to allow children more creative control over the project. From discussion with the children, it became clear that the children had excellent ideas, but it was particularly challenging for me to be able to match their ideas to the ICT which was required. This caused me to consider how subject knowledge is crucial in being able to support the teaching of digital literacies through using multimodal texts (Allen, J., Potter, J., Sharp, J., & Turvey, K., 2007) and therefore it is necessary for me to further develop upon my subject knowledge through both reading and experimenting with multimodal texts and Ipads. As well as this, it was necessary to reflect on how future planning for this type of activity requires a great deal of flexibility as well as having resources set up for the children. Allen et al. (2007), states that it is necessary to be familiar with the resource setting in order to appropriately plan and prepare for the use of ICT, this view is shared with Holloway & Valentine (2003) that draw attention to the access to equipment and space. I found this a positive challenge today as we had some excellent opportunities to be resourceful and ‘think on our feet’ as we did not plan for some of the resources we were encouraged to use or the amount of space we would have, It will be useful to consider these features in my future practises in order to be fully prepared.

 

 Allen, J., Potter, J., Sharp, J., & Turvey, K. (2007). Primary ICT: knowledge, understanding and practice. Exeter: Learning Matter Ltd.

 Burnett, C., Dickinson, P., Myers, J., & Merchant, G. (2006). Digital connections: Transforming literacy in the primary school. Cambridge Journal of Education, 36(1), 11-29.

 Holloway & Valentine (2003) cited in Burnett, C., Dickinson, P., Myers, J., & Merchant, G. (2006). Digital connections: Transforming literacy in the primary school. Cambridge Journal of Education, 36(1), 11-29.

Week 8 Informal Blog

During today’s seminar, we were introduced to and explored a range of applications (apps) that can be used within the primary classroom.

One of the apps we were shown on the IPad was ‘Book Creator’. This application allows children to create their own multimodal book by inserting audio clips and pictures.  In terms of my own practice, the application was fairly simple and easy to use and I liked that it automatically creates the book layout for you as this can sometimes be difficult. However when working with children, I would give them plenty of time to explore and try out the application informally before creating a multimodal book.

I feel that the application has a huge potential for literacy learning as it allows children to add text to create their own multimodal story book.  This learning can then be developed as the children have to think carefully about the setting and emotions in the story in order to add in effective sound effects and pictures. As a teacher, an implication of this app would be the need to have prepared and downloaded images for the children to use beforehand in order to avoid copyright issues or long periods of the lesson spent searching for appropriate pictures.  

I feel that I would definitely use this application within a literacy lesson as it engages and motivates children due to the different types of media used. Also, using Ipads will allow children to develop their skills with technology as well as their story writing skills.

Book Creator (Online)
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/book-creator-for-ipad/id442378070?mt=8

Blog 10

Post-school visit informal blog

This week I undertook my second visit to school, where we began working with the children to complete the task of creating a talking book, surrounding a chosen article from the Convection of the right of the children. The article of focus for my group was article twenty nine, which stated; the right for every child to be the best that they can be (UNCRC, 1989). 

Initially, we had a period of planning before being assigned a group of children to work with. This I found valuable, as my group and I had the opportunity to discuss over additional ideas, as well as to plan how we would approach creating each section of our book. We also constructed three assessment targets that we sought to focus upon throughout the morning, including children’s knowledge and ability when using the technology, and in particular what skills they demonstrated and developed in doing so. Although this was extremely valuable for my own understanding of assessment, I was equally aware that the issue of assessment was one that was a continuous process and would require closer consideration and planning, throughout a unit of work or over a school year. As the (Future Lab, 2010) advocates; it is important to consider that fostering digital literacy is an on-going process, and that there is no quick-fix to its development, but instead, it should be a part of a student’s learning as they progress throughout their education.

The second part of the session involved us meeting the children and using the ipads to put together our book. It was clear that although the children were in year one, their confidence and capabilities at using the ipads were very advanced, and this was extremely stimulating to see. In support of this, evidence suggests that young children enter primary education having accrued a range of competencies in relation to digital technologies (Blanchard & Moore, 2010; Marsh et al., 2005), and this is alleged to be due to their development within the current digital generation (FutureLab, 2010). I was equally surprised at how eager the children were to participate throughout the task and to share their own ideas, and also how they worked so effectively as a group. Wheeler et al (2002) asserts that collaborative learning can enhance knowledge acquisition, and, when coupled with the use of digital technologies, can aid a generation of creative thought processes which encourages learners to take risks, make mistakes and think critically as they work together.

While the morning was extremely productive, we faced minor challenges in regards to timing. As Allen et al (2007) states; the issue of time when using ICT to support literacy can be an implication for teachers. However, in reflection of this, it is important to consider that our visit to the school was to provide us with an introductory experience in regards to utilising technology without the classroom and therefore in reality, the time given to teach a unit of work surrounding digital literacy would be considerably longer.

Overall, I found this experience extremely rewarding and beneficial for my development and future practice as a teacher. I look forward to exploring and experimenting with technology when on my final placement and look forward to returning in week 12 to share our talking book with the children and to observe the work of others.  

 

Allen, J., Potter, J., Sharp, J. & Turvey, K. (2007) Primary ICT: Knowledge, Understanding and Practice. Exeter: Learning Matters.

Blanchard, J., & Moore, T. (2010) The Digital World of Young Children: Impact on Emergent Literacy. Pearson foundation White Paper, accessed November 20, 2012: www.pearsonfoundation.org/downloads/EmergentLiteracy-WhitePaper.pdf

FutureLab (2010) Digital Literacy Across the Curriculum (Sections 3.1-3.4 Digital Literacy in Practice) http://www2.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/handbooks/digital_literacy.pdf

Marsh, J. Brooks, G., Hughes, J., Ritchie, L. Roberts, S. & Wright, K. (2005) Digital Beginnings: Young Children’s use of Popular Culture, Media and New Technologies. University of Sheffield (Section 2.10 p.46; Sections 3.2 & 3.3 p.48/49)  

Wheeler, S., Waite, S. & Bromfield (2002) ‘Promoting creative thinking through the Use of ICT’, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 180 (3): 367-78  

United Nations (1989) United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), Geneva: United Nations.

Blog 9

                    Reflecting on the use of technology in a local Primary School

This week we were provided with the opportunity to observe first-hand the use of technology within the context of a local primary school. This experience was extremely encouraging as it enabled me to enhance my own knowledge of the teaching of digital literacy practically, as well as to become exposed to the diverse opportunities and contexts available to support and develop learning across the curriculum. 

The morning involved a talk surrounding the schools approach to ICT and the varying ways in which technology is utilised to support; pupil engagement, development and diversity within learning. This was a school that had greatly embraced the use of technology to support its learners, demonstrating proactive and responsive practice, in which to meet the needs and rapid changes of technology within society today. As Gee, 2004; Goodwyn, 2000; Pahl & Rowsell, 2005 advocates; all schools must begin to find ways of acknowledging new literacies or risk perpetuating an outdated curriculum which offers little connection with children’s present or future.

Specifically, my study throughout this module has allowed me to explore the many perspectives surrounding the implementation of technological within the classroom. It has become apparent that many teachers continue to feel unsure about rapid technological change, and feel concerned that they are unable to provide an curriculum appropriate for our digital generation (Luke and Luke,2001). As a trainee teacher with personal anxieties surrounding the teaching and implementation of technology, I found the knowledge, guidance and clear enthusiasm of the year one teacher to be extremely influential, demonstrating to me a clear commitment and awareness for the potential that technology poses upon education. In light of this, I feel that it is important to acknowledge that the new digital world is a place where educators themselves can begin to engage with, and explore technology, more thoroughly in which to fully enable them to appreciate its educational potential (Kerin, 2005:176).

Furthermore, after a tour of the school, I was overwhelmed by the range of technology available to learners, and was particularly impressed by the school’s radio station. Specifically, I felt the radio station posed particularly valuable in developing many curricular and cross curricular links. For example, history; in which children could pose as individuals from the past and could be interviewed, employing historical understanding, as well as securing interview skills. Equally, children could use many elements of geographical understanding to present the weather or report the news including reporting natural disasters or again interviewing people from around the world. This technology I felt was extremely stimulating and promoted many positive skills, as well as adopting inclusive, independent and collaborative practice. As (Pittard et al., 2003) asserts; using ICT and digital technology can help personalise learning, develop pupil-centred and collaborative approaches to learning, and offer new ways of supporting and enhancing children’s conceptual learning.

The second part of the session involved us practically exploring the apps available on the iPads. This part of the morning was very beneficial, as it allowed us time to explore the programmes we would be using with the children the following week. This practical experience also enabled me to see the importance of developing my own skills, highlighting to me the importance of teachers holding secure knowledge and demonstrating confidence with the programmes they employ, prior to using it to teach and support academic development.

 

Gee, J, (2004) Situated Language and Learning: A critique of Traditional Schooling. London:Routledge

Goodwyn, A. (2000) English in the Digital Age: Information and Communications Technology and the Teaching of English. London: Cassell

Pahl, K. & Rowsell. (2005) Literacy and Education: Understanding the New Literacy Studies in the Classroom. London: Paul Chapman Publishing.

Luke, A. & Luke, C. (2001) ‘Adolescence lost/ childhood regained: on early intervention and the emergence of the techno-subject’, Journal of Early Childhood Literacy 1 (1): 91-120

Kerin, R. (2005) ‘The Review Essay’, Journal of Early Childhood Literacy 5 (2): 175-84

Pittard, V., Bannister, P. & Dunn, J (2003) The Big pICTure: The Impact of ICT on Attainment, Motivation and Learning. Nottingham: DfES

 

School visit

Visiting a local primary school has allowed me to put my knowledge of using ICT within the classroom into a context. The morning talk and the tour of the school allowed me to visualise how technology is used within the school and how I may use it with my own class and school in the future.

After talking to the Year 1 teacher, I was surprised at how much technology is used within key stage 1, for example the radio station. The school I was placed in for my second year placement also had a radio station however it was only upper key stage 2 who organized and broadcasted shows. However, since beginning this module I have developed my understanding of technology and the way children use it. Therefore as children today are digital natives, it isn’t surprising that they are able to gain enjoyment and education from technology at such a young age.

I think a big challenge for many teachers, is the issue of E-safety and how children communicate online. The teacher at the local primary school highlighted that children are vulnerable when they are online and therefore by teaching them how to use apps safely and create ‘characters’ appropriately, we are helping to ensure they stay safe when using the internet. Ofsted (2010) states that schools should provide an age-related curriculum that educates children about e-safety and enables them to become safe and responsible users of new technologies such as apps.

I feel that my subject knowledge about the apps available and my confidence in using them within the classroom is a personal challenge. However I do feel that the school visit introduced me to many apps that are simple to use and understand, yet still powerful and effective.  The visit also allowed me to view things from a different perspective. As an English specialist I tend to focus on traditional writing methods however the apps we were shown demonstrated how technology can be used to enhance and add excitement to work such as story writing through the use of talking books.

Ofsted (2010) (Online) The safe use of new technologies
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/safe-use-of-new-technologies

Blog 8

E-Safety

Children today are using and engaging with the internet in diverse ways and have access to a broad spectrum of material, in which to; communicate, explore interests and to develop learning. However,  young children are equally becoming exposed to and accessing material that poses unsuitable for their age. As (Smith, 2007) asserts; children are going online more often and engaging in activities that pose risky, such as viewing adult content and being exposed to predators and cyber-bullying, as well as other harmful material. In consideration of this, the implementation of internet safety poses significant, and calls for proactive and responsible adults to support and equip children with awareness, understanding and knowledge surrounding the implications of unsafe internet use.

Throughout education, children are supported and encouraged to develop their ICT skills and this includes; the use of the internet in researching topics, finding out information to inform learning, as well as to access a range of educational resources and activities. It is evident that most primary schools have in place a policy regarding e-safety, which explicitly states the key idea; that e-safety is not about restricting children but educating them (Beauchamp, 2012). This is supported by Ofsted (2010:p8), who state that; ‘in best practice, pupils were helped to assess the risk of accessing sites and to gradually acquire skills which would help them adopt safe practice, even when unsupervised’. It is believed that the more equip children are to work out solutions for themselves, through skills, resources and greater resilience, the less adults will need to step in, to guide or restrict online activity (Livingstone, Haddon & Gorzig, 2012).

As the E-safety in initial teacher training (Online) states; teachers must be aware of current legal requirements, national policies and guidance on the safeguarding and well-being of children, to ensure that they are clear about their role, and are confident in promoting e-safety within the classroom. There are many resources available to support teachers in approaching and encouraging e-safety. Specifically, ‘Digizen’ and ‘Think you know’ (Online), provide guidance into the implementation of internet safety, as well as providing resources and activities to explore within the classroom.

Although seen as the significant responsibility of the teacher, (Smith, 2007) argues that educators are not entirely responsible for protecting children from the internet, but in fact the responsibility of parents. This is supported by Livingstone, Haddon & Gorzig (2012) who state that; parents have a role in meeting the needs of their children and should aim to do so alongside schools, to ensure that children have the best guidance and support when engaging safely with the internet. However, it is also believed that the issue of e-safety presents challenges for parents in relation to their inexperience with the internet, and therefore are unsure about how to support their children’s internet use beyond the provision of access. The Byron Review (DCSF, 2008) highlighted that 53% of adults would like more information about the internet, and that 57% of parents do not know where to get information about how to protect their children online. In overcoming such barriers, resources such as Get With It! (Online) provide appropriate guidance and tips specifically for parents, on ways of approaching e-safety and how they can educate and communicate with children in ensuring safe internet use. Acquiring the knowledge to approach the issue of e-safety through such resources, will enable parents to establish and communicate acceptable behaviour in regards to internet access, as well as to monitor internet use accordingly (Roddel, 2008).   

Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary School: From Pedagogy to Practice. Essex: Pearson Education Ltd

Gonzalez, B.  Internet Safety: Tools that can protect your child.

Livingstone, S., Haddon, L. & Gorzig, A. (2012) Children, Risk and safety on the internet: Research and Policy Challenges in Comparative Perspective. Bristol: The Policy Press

Ofsted (2010), The Safe Use of New Technologies, Manchester: Ofsted.

Roddel, V. (2008) The Ultimate Guide to Internet Safety. Morrisville: LULU Press.

Smith, G. (2007) How to protect your child on the internet: A Roadmap for Parents and Teachers. Westport: Greenwood Publishing

DCSF (2008) The Byron Review Action Plan [online] http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130401151715/https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/Byron_Review_Action_Plan.pdf (accessed 10th March 2014)

Multimedia and Multiliteracies in the Primary School (Part 1)

Informal Blog Task

 

From visiting a local Primary School, It has been possible to put the use of digital literacies and multimodal texts into context. The morning involved a detailed talk on the use of ICT to support literacy learning and a tour of the schools facilities. From this, it was possible to gain an insight into the use of video, audio and image to support learning in an alternative way that can support all learners. The way in which the school use multimodal texts to support literacy, highlighted how they make learning inclusive. This was exemplified by the EAL learners in the school that could access the curriculum in an easier way. This was useful to see as a student teacher as Flynn (2008) states that, EAL children at times can become quiet or silent and so should still be encouraged to carry out social activities that are accessible to them. The teacher carrying out the talk stated that the use of ICT to support story writing was an easier and more engaging task for the all children to do rather than being asked to write a story traditionally. This was very thought provoking and led me to reconsider how I can use ICT to support story writing in a more ‘up to date’ and inclusive way.

 

In terms of challenges and questions that arose for me today, I felt that the children’s excellent knowledge of how to use certain apps and techniques for creating media (such as green screen), at such a young age was surprising and will pose a challenge for me. This is due to my own subject knowledge, however I learnt a great deal from the demonstration given today and so believe that with some practise I would be able to teach children how to create multimodal texts. This should be achievable in the challenge set for us.

 

It was previously questioned in my blog post from week 7, that time can be an implication for the use of digital literacy within the classroom, ‘Allen et al. (2007) stated the issue of time when using ICT to support literacy can be an implication for teacher, as children would need more support initially’. It has been possible for me to further my thinking on this, as it was demonstrated today that time constraints can be worked around. The school demonstrated how the children engage with ICT to support literacy skills over the school day. An example of this was the radio station studio that encourages speaking and listening, this is used at lunch times as well as through the school day, so that the constraint of time is not an issue. It was also made clear that, although using ICT can be time consuming, it is worthwhile for the child to engage with as they gain a great deal out of it. As well as this, through making ICT cross curricular, a considerable amount of learning is taking place at once.

 

 

Allen, J., Potter, J.,  Sharp, J., &  Turvey, K., (2007). Primary ICT: knowledge, understanding and practice. Exeter: Learning Matter Ltd.

 

Flynn, N. (2008) ‘Living in two worlds: the language and literacy development of young bilinguals’ in Marsh, J., & Hallet, E. (Eds.). (2008). Desirable literacies: Approaches to language and literacy in the early years. London: SAGE.

E-Safety

As discussed in previous blogs, children today are growing up in a rapidly changing technological society. Children use and engage with the internet in a variety of ways. Outside of school they use it to communicate and keep in touch with their friends through gaming and social media. When they are at school, children are encouraged to use the internet to research topics and find out information as well as to access educational websites and games.

The Get With It! booklet, a guide for parents about social networking websites ackknowledges that many parents are not confident with their understanding of social networks and therefore are unaware of the potential dangers of it. The booklet provides advice for parents about how to keep children safe online, however teachers and schools also have a responsibility to protect children and ensure E-safety when using the internet.

The E-safety in Initial Teacher Training Powerpoint suggests that trainee teachers need to be aware of the legal requirements and policies they are required to understand and implement in the primary classroom. However, as with parents, many trainee teachers lack the confidence and knowledge to confidently promote the safety and well-being of children online. There are many websites available that can provide information for trainee teachers about the benefits and disadvantages of children using the internet, particularly social media. Digizen (Online) has a section specifically for trainee teachers advising them on how to encourage safe use of the internet as well as providing them with ideas and activities they can use in the classroom to involve and inform children.

Although teachers need to be educated about online safety, children are the most vulnerable to issues such as cyber bullying and grooming. Therefore, teachers should allow children to explore websites such as CBBC Stay Safe (Online). It provides children with videos and quizzes about internet safety and issues such as illegal downloads and keeping social network sites private. 

This research has allowed me, as a trainee teacher, to understand some of the advantages and disadvantages of children using the internet. It has also provided me with resources and information to develop my awareness of this topic and feel confident to educate children about the dangers.  

Get with it! A parents’ guide to social-networking websites, Internet Advisory Board, Dublin
http://learn2.winchester.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/315525/mod_resource/content/1/get%20with%20it.pdf

E-safety in Initial Teacher Training
http://learn2.winchester.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1246

Digizen
http://www.digizen.org/teachers/

CBBC Stay Safe
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/topics/stay-safe

Week 8 Blog: Part 2- The Formal Task

E-safety in the Classroom

Since the education reform of 1988, it has been mandatory for children from the age of five to be taught ICT (Ofsted, 2011). Due to this, E-safety is now considered a major concern within the classroom as well as at home, therefore making it the role of the teacher to consider how to equip children with the knowledge to stay safe online as well as putting in provisions that help to protect the safety of children online. (Byron, 2008). Through researching the focus topic of E-safety it has been possible to identify many factors that children are at risk from. Allen et al. (2007) identifies some key risks; unacceptable content, inappropriate contact with strangers and the potential for cyber-bullying. Despite this Allen et al (2007) does justify the use of the internet to support learners but encourages communication with parents as well as making it explicit that is the responsibility of the school to ensure children are safe online, whilst at school. This leads to question how teachers can implement strategies that ensure safety as well as teach children how to be responsible online if faced with inappropriate material.  

 

One resource available to teacher and parents which can support the E-safety of children is the CEOP website: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/Teachers/. This website provides information on the potential risks for children, as well as resources which can be implemented within the classrooms to raise awareness in children. Online resources for teachers can help to address a potential implication of awareness and subject knowledge for teachers as it has been identified by Ofsted (2011), that training of teachers in E-safety is necessary but requires improvement. Ofsted (2011) also stated that it was necessary for teachers to be proactive in putting in place measures for children. After researching the area, it was apparent that there are several ways to do this. One way that has been suggested by ICT and Homerton Children’s Centre, which provides the E-safety website: http://ictearlyyears.e2bn.org/planning1_29.html, was to provide children with shortcuts to favourite websites, this was suggested so that children do not have to search online themselves. The website also suggest that both teachers and parents should put in place settings that block potentially harmful content. An implication that may arise with this, is the ability of both the school and home in knowing how to apply these settings, again linking to Ofsted’s (2011) identification of training needed as it is the responsibility of the school, whom can then support parents.

 

This research has enabled me to develop an understanding of potential issues caused by children using ICT, however it has also become clear that there are simply procedures that can be put in place to ensure the safety of children online. Within my own experience, I have carried out an E-safety activity with children that involved them filling out question sheets which asked them what they had witnessed online. This was in order to inform both the teacher and myself of how to create next steps for learning. After reading through the sheets (which were confidential), it was possible to discuss with children how to deal with situations they may face online. Despite carrying out this activity, I was unaware of how I as a teacher could protect children from witnessing potentially harmful content online.

 

 

Allen, J., Potter, J., Sharp,J., & Keith Turvey. (2007). Primary ICT: knowledge, understanding and practice. Exeter: Learning Matter Ltd.

 

Byron, T. (2008). 'Safer children in a digital world: the report of the Byron Review: be safe, be aware, have fun.' [Online] Available at http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/7332/1/Final%20Report%20Bookmarked.pdf. [Accessed 06/03/2014].

 

The Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted)(2011), ‘ICT in Schools 2008-11- An evaluation of information and communication technology education in schools in England 2008-11’ [Online] Available at www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/110134 [Accessed 06/03/2013]

 

 

Multiple Literacies and Multimodal Texts (Week 7)

 Literacy is traditionally defined as the condition of being able to read and write, however Medwell et al (2012) suggest this definition needs to be expanded to not only include printed texts but to consider the use of electronic texts too. To further this idea, Cervette et al (2010) states that multiple literacies and multimodal texts represent a fundamental paradigm shift in the ways we understand and enact literacy and learning, which Walsh (2010) discusses is due to a rapid change in digital communication has provided facilities for reading and writing to be combined with various media such as film, pictures, music and graphics resulting in multimodal texts being created. 

Anstey and Bull (2010) discussed that a text becomes multimodal if it contains any two or more features including linguistic, visual, auditory, movement or spatial. In the seminar we looked into the importance of multimodal texts in the primary classroom, whilst later having the opportunity to create our own multimodal texts in Microsoft PowerPoint. Before this session I had used PowerPoint a number of times to combine text with images, videos sound and movement however despite these experiences I had not considered PowerPoint to be a tool for creating multimodal texts.

 Anstey and Bull (2010) mention that teachers who are beginning to work with multimodal texts are often reluctant to use them as they associate these texts with technology and express a lacked confidence in ICT. However, using this tool was relatively straightforward and all that was needed was a general understanding of how to use the software, therefore I can see opportunities for future use in the classroom.

The development of multimodal texts in the classroom could potentially appeal to children as they could consider this a different task to writing their own hardcopy book. Daniel and Reinking (1987) discuss that electronic texts involve a literal interaction between texts and readers and are programed to be fully adaptable to individual needs and interests (Medwell et al, 2012). Due to these texts being fully adaptable they would be suitable for a wide range of abilities, and through careful initial input with regular guidance children should be able to use technology to create their own individual texts.

 

Anstey, M and Bull, G. (2010) Helping teachers explore multimodal texts. ‘Curriculum and leadership Journal’ [Online] available at: http://www.curriculum.edu.au/leader/helping_teachers_to_explore_multimodal_texts,31522.html?issueID=12141

Cervette, G., Damice, J. and Pearson, D. (2010) Multiple Literacies, New Literacies, and Teacher Education. ‘Theory into Practice’ 45 (4) London: Routledge.

Medwell, J., Moore, G., Wray, D. and Griffiths, V. (2012) Electronic texts. London: Learning Matters.

Walsh, M. (2010) Multimodal literacy: What does it mean for classroom practice? ‘Australian Journal of Language and Literacy. 33 (3) pp:211-239

Week 6: Should teachers care?

Why should teachers care about digital literacy and childhood in the digital age?

Digital Beginnings (Marsh et al, 2005) conducted research into young children’s use of popular culture, media and new technologies with a specific focus into the impact interventions of pop culture and new technologies may have on learning. The way in which Marsh et al (2005) carried out their research was through surveying 1852 parents and carers and 524 teachers attending 120 individual maintained and non-maintained early year settings.

When reading this article it was interesting to read how much of a positive impact parents had on the development of children’s learning of pop culture and new media. Marsh et al (2005) discussed how parents were very supportive about the role of popular culture in the curriculum and it was mentioned that engagement with media is generally not passive, but actively promotes speaking and listening, reading and play. Through this research it was found that due to changing technologies, young children are immersed in pop culture and media such as television, comics and advertisements from birth. A key point Marsh et al (2005) shared was that parents play a pivotal role in the scaffolding of pupils learning showing a high level of support towards children’s interests and learning in popular, however findings suggest that parental knowledge of the use of children’s medias and technologies suggest that parents need to be informed of relevant resources in order to enhance learning potential.

When on SE3 I witnessed the use of iPads in the classroom used for both individual and group work. From research marsh et al (2013) discovered that parents feel that media education should be included in the curriculum from a young age, in order to ‘prepare children for the demands of the new technological age.’ This was supported by the Early years practitioners who showed a positive attitude towards using popular culture, media and technology in the classroom, however they also showed a high level of concern towards the amount of time children spend on these activities outside of school.

Early years practitioners also expressed a desire for more professional development on the use of ICT, media and popular culture to promote learning in the foundation stage, with an additional focus to subject knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge in the use of media and new technologies (Kress, 2003). In regards to popular culture and media in the language and literacy curriculum Marsh et al (2005) discovered an increase in motivation and engagement with learning, therefore having a positive impact on children’s speaking and listening development, although it is suggested that there needs to be more research in this area to discover if there is a positive correlation.

From this reading I have developed my opinion that it is imperative for teachers to have a secure level of understand, subject knowledge and confidence in using technology within the Early years and Primary classroom. I feel my own subject knowledge as an ICT specialist is of a good level however during future practices I aim to extend the technology experiences I offer the class included web 2 technologies we have used throughout seminars in order to give the class the best experiences of media and pop culture to keep up to date with the ever changing technology.

Marsh, J., Brooks, G., Hughes, J., Ritchie, L. Roberts, S. and Wright, K. (2005) Digital Beginnings: Young Children’s use of Popular Culture, media and new technologies. Sheffield.