The list of potential ICT’s that could be used in the classroom is a long one. There is hardware, mobile Phones, tablets, computers, scanners, web cams, cameras, ipads, ipods, interactive white boards and then there is Software: web 2.0 applications, games, you tube, internet, social networking and I am sure that you can think of many more. More important than what is available is how we are going to use these tools.
How do you learn best? What comes to mind when you are asked this question? Perhaps words like being involved, having a go, problem solving different approaches if it doesn’t work the first time, seeking information, discussing with and or collaborating with others, asking questions to clarify and getting feedback. Some of us learn best in visual, audio or kinaesthetic modes or multi sensorial when all three modes are involved.
“ICT can be used to facilitate meaningful learning experiences that are active, constructive, collaborative, intentional, complex, contextual, conversational and reflective”. (Johassen 1999)
The challenge as teachers is to create rich learning experiences that ICT has to offer to that harness the natural curiosity and engagement of children in authentic learning experiences.
On this page you will find useful links to information and videos about some of the ICT’s used within the class room, along with different apps and programs teachers and pre-service teachers use in planning the curriculum.
Here is a short video to outline the importance of ICT in education
Changing Teaching and Learning with Technology
Tina Holland discusses the challenges and pedagogical implications since getting a class set of iPod Touches and laptops in her classroom.
Students using cell phones in class
Exploring the intergration of phones in the classroom and examining other devices such as smartphones, iPod Touch, student-owned laptops and netbooks.
Beebot from TTS used for Literacy activities
Beebot from TTS used for Numeracy activities
SMART Boards Why are they so easy to use?
Teachers and students demonstrate what makes the SMART Board so easy to use, and hear what teachers have to say about how SMART products are engaging students and improving learning outcomes in the classroom.
Zoomy™ Handheld Digital Microscope
A demonstration of a hand held digital microscope that use with a computer, projector or interactive whiteboard.
Using the iPod Touch in the Classroom
An insight into using Ipad Touch in the classroom
Educational iPod touch apps for students and teachers
A demonstration iPod touch apps for students
Which “ism” of the theory of the learning of teaching (Finger, Jamieson-Proctor, Russell & Russell, 2007) do you think you lean towards and how will the technologies affect your pedagogy?
What other ICT’s can you think off that can be intergrated into the curriculum?
ICT and Pedagogy 
Thus far as a pre-service teacher I have endeavoured to employ a constructivist perspective when planning lessons. I have found that students’ previous understandings provide a catalyst for deepening knowledge and understandings.
An ICT that I have found fascinating for fostering creativity is NanoStudio iPhone take a look http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Stcf_8H_qVM I think students’ would enjoy creating music and utilising this software.
Hi guys,
I am so glad you have included bee bots in the above list of ICTs. I love bee bots! They have so much potential.
I have made up my own bee bot mats to use in the classroom – quite simple ones. You just need to visit a hardware store that stocks rolls of plastic and purchase thick clear plastic (the bee bots don’t necessarily need a smooth surface but it is better for them in terms of movement and wear and tear) and draw a grid on one side. Bee bot grids are 15cm by 15cm as this is the distance the robot moves.
For maths I have made up simple squares on paper with numerals and pictorial representations of numerals and the students use these to order numbers, make addition or subtraction stories, subitise, count and so on using the bee bots.
For literacy I have used squares with letters and words and we have played games that include the children searching for sounds and sight words or spelt words using the letters or built sentences using the words. Story squares can also be used to encourage children to retell or sequence stories or make up their own.The possibilities are endless!
I use the same mat for each of these activities – I am yet to make paper mats to sit under the plastic, instead attaching the squares to the underside of the plastic using a small amount of glue to hold in place (the small amount of glue ensures ease of removal). One day I cut up rough pieces of paper with numerals on it to use because time was of the essence and they worked just as well. So in other words using the bee bot mat does not have to be a huge task or costly.
When I first introduced the bee bot to the students I found it helped to have the children pretend they were the bee bots and had them walk through the directions to get a feel of the process. You can use a large mat or sheet or squares on the floor or even large wooden blocks set up as a maze for the students to navigate using spaces and directions (this activity can also be done with the actual bee bots).
Cheers
Krystin
Thanks Krystin for the fantastic tips on the cost effective ways of extending how the bee bot can be used in learning. I can see possibilities for designing the mat and lesson on the children’s interests as a way to introduce new ideas and concepts to maximise their engagement. This activity supports a constructivist approach to learning as the children are actively engaged in the process.
Your post also challenges me to look beyond what is, to what could be or in other words to be creative in looking at the possibilities and the uses of different ICTs.
Thanks Sue,
I have been surprised by the amount of people who have never heard of these robots. They are so engaging for the children – and provide a particular point of interest for the early years students.
They do indeed support a constructivist approach but I also believe they are a highly cognitive tool as they also encourage deep thinking (even on my part).
I have actually just purchased my own as I had planned to base my unit around BeeBots for assignment 2 but unfortunately my prac school does not own one.
I definitely support constructivism as my learning theory of choice, and as with Matt’s comment, I have endeavored to structure my lessons around this theory. I think that constructivism is more student directed and based around inquiry and problem solving, which allows students to develop a deeper understanding of relevant concepts, skills and knowledge by updating, adapting, reshaping and building upon their prior knowledge to construct knew knowledge. As with all classroom situations, ICTs do and don’t have their place, depending on the content to be delivered, the learning styles of the students and the expected learning outcomes of the lessons. In saying this, ICTs can support and enhance lessons based on constructivist pedagogy by providing a wealth of opportunities to participate in problem solving and inquiry based learning through a variety of web applications, electronic devices and software packages. One example of this would be students participating in a WebQuest to develop a deep understanding of the place value system. Students are required to follow certain steps or tasks to discover and evaluate information about the place value system, complete activities and solve problems all in order to complete the quest.
I love the variety of ICTs that are available these days to enhance teaching and learning. I also like ICTs such as digital cameras and video cameras. I think students love using tangible objects as part of their learning and with most cameras these days you can quickly and easily play back the pictures or video that you have taken which allows the students to make on the spot decisions about how they are doing, whether they have the perfect shot or scene, or whether or not they may need to do a retake. Thanks 🙂
Throughout my practical experiencs as a pre-service teacher I have had the opportunity to use many of the for mentioned ICT’s within the classroom and believe it is especially important within today’s society that teacher’s are including these many different and engaging ICT’s within their classroom.
I also like to emply the constructvist approach to my lessons, and by incorporating ICT’s within these it will only become more appealing to the students. By including such ICT’s within the classroom it caters for many of the different learning styles identified in Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. These specifically include the visual-spatial, musical, interpersonal and linguistic learners who work best with visual and auditory aids which include multimedia, texts, pictures, video, charts, graphs, music, computer/video conferencing and games (Multiple Intelligences, n.d, http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html). Therefore the learning experiences will become more appealing to these students and therefore more engaging.
‘ABC Reading Eggs’ is a fun and educational online reading program which has games and activities for students to work through. As they make their way through the reading levels students are rewarded with golden eggs and other rewards such as virtual pets. This program could be useful within a lower year level class as it would be a fun alternatve way for the students to practice their reading.
Here is the website if you are intersted in looking at the program: http://readingeggs.com.au/
I have always based by learning experiences in professional experience around a combination of a constructivist and a collaborative approach. ICT in the classroom helps to maintain both of these. The constructivist approach is based around student directed investigation, inquiry and building knowledge on their own with the teacher working as a facilitator, ICT of most kinds gives students opportunity to all of these tasks. When it comes to collaborative learning, ICT allows students to work together in groups, but also allows them to work on one task as a group without being physically there. It allows them to interact with peers from throughout the world. ICT expands their opportunities.
I believe all of the theories of learning and teaching are useful at different times although my learning theory of choice is constructivism and social constructivism. Learning is more meaningful when tasks relate directly to the student’s world and they are able to draw on prior knowledge to engage in challenging experiences and problem solve to actively construct new knowledge. This learning can be enhanced through students sharing ideas, knowledge and skills with their peers enabling them to evaluate, reflect and justify their knowledge and understanding. The use of ICT’s can be used to facilitate such learning in fun and engaging ways and provides a range of opportunities for student assessment while catering for the wide variety of learning styles.
I like to employ the constructist approach to lessons within the classes that I have been in. ‘The constructist approach focusing on the learner and the information that they construct, collaboratively, therefore constructing their own knowledge from their own experiences ellaborating on prior knowledge assisting the students to learn and to build upon. Contructivist approach also incorporates discovery learning where the students learns by doing. Therefore ICT implications include the use of simulations and problem-solving applications, where the student is guided to discover new knowledge, concepts and skills for oneself.’ (Finger et al, 2007, p.118)
Regards Jenny Bauer
I personally like to have a collaborative and constructivist approach to teaching. It is important that students learn in a way that connects to them as an individual. Students today seem to benefit from the use of technology in the classroom. Using technology such as an iPod touch and smart board allows teachers to incorporate technology that connects with a wide range of learning approached. It is clear that when incorporating technology students become highly engaged in activities and the technology is improving student’s abilities in areas such as mathematics and literacy.
Before viewing this page I had no idea Beebots existed. I am now very interested in them and plan to research about Beebots more as I can see they are a great interactive tool to use in the classroom.
How teachers use ICT’s is dependent on their general teaching styles.
On “Prac,” I have witnessed teachers who use ICT’s the most, and the most effectively, are less likely to use traditional direct teaching pedagogies.
These teachers who use a variety of software tend to practice more constructivist pedagogies. Their aim is to create learning environments central to students as learners and a belief that they learn more from what they do and think, rather than from what they are told, and the teacher being a mere facilitator.
I also see the potentiality of ICT’s as a constructivist learning tool that I will endeavour to foster in my future instruction.
While on professional experience I have also seen students using “ABC Reading Eggs.” This was done within the lower age group and worked well, as students were engaging with their reading more. The program was useful in assisting students who were not so confident with their reading ability.
I definitely support constructivism as my learning theory of choice, and as with Matt’s and Angie’s comment, I have endeavored to structure my lessons around this theory. I think that constructivism is more student directed and based around inquiry and problem solving, which allows students to develop a deeper and greater understanding of relevant concepts, skills, theories and knowledge by building upon their prior knowledge through updating, adapting and reshaping it to construct knew knowledge. As with all classroom situations, ICTs do and don’t have their place, depending on the content to be delivered, the learning styles of the students and the expected learning outcomes of the lesson.
however, in saying this, ICTs can support and enhance lessons based on constructivist pedagogy by providing a wealth of opportunities to participate in problem solving and inquiry based learning through a variety of web applications, electronic devices and software packages.
I enjoy finding and beinging introduced to the variety of ICTs that are available these days to enhance teaching and learning. I also like ICTs such as digital cameras and video cameras as they can enhance a students learning in a physcial education environemnt through the idea that students can record themselves doing a particular activity or skill and critique what they are doing correctly or wrong through the knowledge that they already have. I also feel that students love using tangible objects as part of their learning and with most cameras these days you can quickly and easily play back the pictures or video that you have taken which allows the students to make on the spot decisions about how they are doing, whether they have the perfect shot or scene, or whether or not they may need to do a retake, it can create a an environment for on the spot learning, which is self directed or guided by minimal teacher influence.
I found a lot of the different you tube clips interesting as I have not seen a great deal of ICT’s technology introduced into the classroom on my professional expereince, except when I personally have tried to implement different types, other then when they are working on assignments or powerpoint presentations to display information not present in text books. I had never seen the idea of the bee bot and found it quite interesting. Thank you for this information.
I support constructivism as my choice for learning theory. Learning is more meaningful when students can relate to the tasks that they are doing and when thay can use their prior knowledge to engage in problem solving activities. When the students are able to relate to experiences and knowledge, it gives them more interest and also its makes the learning process fun.
Constructivist learning is a great strategy for allowing students to feel like they are in control of their learning. They can take their current level of understanding, investigate further, and thus deepen their knowledge of a particular topic. ICT’s like iPod’s and iPads allow students incredible access to knowledge from a great variety of sources.
I think the biggest advantage to using ICT’s in classrooms is their ability to enable collaborative learning. Through blogs, wiki’s, online forums, and web 2.0 technologies like google docs, students have access to a incredibly web of information from other students. They can post comments online, read other students replys to their comments, ask questions, give answers and do all of this from either the classroom or at home. In fact this can be done anywhere on the planet with internet access. Teachers can also view students contributions online, make comments, offer suggestions and give feedback quickly and easily. Homework tasks no longer need to be brought to school in an exercise book. They can be uploaded to a forum page created specifically for the class, and can be marked much quicker.
ICT’s in classrooms have almost limitless potential and their effectiveness is only limited by the imagination of those who use them.