Synopsis

What is E-Learning?

E-Learning is the use of electronic technologies used to improve and create learning experiences. It is a form of learning used in a classroom in the 21st century to provide a framework for understanding application of e-learning in higher education. Education Queensland state is at the forefront of transforming classroom practice and students learning opportunities.

Recently the Australia Government have introduced the ‘Smart Classrooms’ strategy for eLearning. This strategy has been comprised of three interrelated and co-dependent components of Digital Pedagogy, Digital Content and eLearning spaces. ELearning spaces “place ownership of learning in the hands of all staff and students and enable the creation of formal and informal spaces to design, create, innovate, share and learn” (Queensland Government, 2010).

Today majority of learners in the classroom are familiar with the technologies that are being used. For most of them, using technology is a part of their daily routine. Integrating technologies in the classroom supports shared learning and provides learners with an opportunity to enhance and engage in higher order thinking. Technology in the classroom can be beneficial for learning, especially for assessment activities. Not only has technology influenced and impacted on todays learning it has given those a new way of learning digital pedagogy.

As future learning managers, it is our responsibility to achieve learning outcomes for all learners by being workplace ready and future oriented, consequently being able to integrate new ways of learning continuously. Technology has spawned over the last 10 years and according to Lynch and Knight online and e-learning environments are increasingly used today in higher education which are known for setting a platform for fine delivery(2010, p47).

As students become more and more familiar with technology they are willingly engaging in classroom task not only because of the authenticity of learning but the new and interesting ways using technology. It is crucial for the learners of the 21st century to be able to adapt to theory of lifelong learning as the world today is constantly changing especially in the digital world.

Lastly, the safety of students exploring online is extremely important. Although the internet acts as a powerful learning tool to search different content, it has become a major priority to support child safety. While exploring the World Wide Web children face the risk of being exposed to pornographic material, explicit offensive hateful and violent material. Using personal information online can be dangerous; however it can be protected by privacy issues when developing websites for assessments.

Education Queensland has an online learning space accessible for teachers and students to “an innovative range of digital tools, resources and espaces for teaching and learning, collaboration and networking”. They also provide students and teachers a safe learning environment where they can interact and collaborate together to generate excessive learning outcomes.

These following links are a great help for Internet safety in the classroom

http://education.qld.gov.au/web/schools/riskman.html

http://education.qld.gov.au/strategic/eppr/national-copyright.pdf  

http://education.qld.gov.au/strategic/eppr/legal/lgspr001/

http://www.smartcopying.edu.au/scw/go/pid/946


Personal Journey and Discovery of eLearning Tools

Over the past 6 weeks my journey has continued to develop and my understanding of how to use digital tools in a classroom environment to benefit learning has grown. I feel comfortable with using digital tools to engage learning for those ICT immigrants. E-learning has taught me that Technology has the capability to endorse collaborative learning inside and outside of the classroom. I endeavour to use the digital tools that I have learnt about in the past 7 weeks and will encourage learners to use them to better their understanding of using technology in the classroom.

Marzano and Pickering indicate to develop an understanding, learners first must “analyse knowledge and information in a way that helps them make new connections, discover or rediscover, gain new insights, and clarify misconceptions” (1997, p.113). Therefore Dimension 3 Extend and Refine provides learners with the chance to enhance the knowledge they initially acquired. In this instance, learners have a basic understanding of what technology is and how it is used.

I have compared my knowledge and understanding of digital tools to the Dimensions of Learning thinking framework which will define my learning process over the course of Managing E-learning.

Dimension One – Attitudes and Perceptions

• Prezi
• Podcast

Dimension Two – Acquire and Integrate Knowledge

• Podcast
• Prezi
• YouTube
• Pinik
• Wordle

Dimension Three – Extend and Refine Knowledge

• YouTube
• Pinik
• Wordle

Dimension Four – Use knowledge meaningfully

• Podcast
• Prezi

• YouTube
• Pinik
• Wordle

Dimension Five – Habits of Mind

• Podcast
• Prezi

eLearning look like in my context?

In my context, I have the responsibility to continuously keep up to date with the changing world so my learners’ learning is not wasted. With technology forever changing and a part of everyone lives, I must be able to adapt and teach what is meaningful to them. Therefore according to Marzano and Pickering (1997) if I use technology in a meaningful way, a higher achievement level of understanding will be reached. Learners will begin to engage in using the technology in a context that will benefit them as it is used in some form of every learner’s life today.

Barriers and Limitations

There are no apparent constraints against eLearning in my context. However, there may be some hidden technical barriers such as the necessity of computer hardware and relevant resources. In my case this does not strand as a limitation, I have full access to computer hardware both at home and work. According to The Integration of Instructional Technology into Public Education (2005), wise use of technology takes adequate training from expert to teacher, teacher to student, time, planning and support from the school community. However I feel I have the correct knowledge and understanding of technology and consider myself ‘tech savvy’ which will allow me to teach technology in the classroom adequately.

What are the opportunities in my context?

I have the opportunity to use the technology presented to us today to transform higher education by creating life long learning. I strongley believe that elearning has provide me with the knowledge I need about the digital tools that are available for the 21st century learners. According to a recent article written by Garrison and Anderson, pose “the enormous opportunities and risks that is presents for higher education”(2003, p8) although I bet to differ. As Learning Manager I would have not one problem teaching digital pedagogy.

Reference List

Earle, R.(2002).The Integration of Instructional Technology in Public Education. ET Magazine, 42(1) 5 – 13 Retrieved November 15, 2011, from http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic87187.files/Earle02.pdf

Education Queensland. (2008). Smart Classrooms BYTES. Retrieved 29th November 2011, from: http://education.qld.gov.au/smartclassrooms/pdf/scbyte-elearning.pdf

Knight, B. A., Lynch, D. (2010). The Theory and Practice of Learning Management: A text for the student of Learning Management. Frenchs Forest, New South Wales: Pearson Australia.

Learning Place: What we do. (n.d.). Education Queensland. Retrieved December 4, 2011, from http://education.qld.gov.au/learningplace/what-we-do.html

Marzano, R.,Pickering, D, (1997). Dimensions of Learning, Teachers Manuel (2nd Ed.) Mid-continent Regoinal Educational Laboratory, Aurora Colorado.