Learning Objects - A Mix of Technologies

Reading: Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., and Freeman, A. (2014). NMC Horizon Report: 2014 K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.

The NMC Horizon Report: 2014 K-12 Edition is concerned with examining the emerging technologies and how their potential will impact teaching and learning in the next five years. In order to approach the constant evolution of education and its changes according to context and culture, the European Creative Classroom framework was designed (Johnson et al, 2014). As a visualisation of the surface of implications for technology in the classroom, the diagram is useful in considering one’s beliefs and values in regards to education and technology. 

I personally find that the European Creative Classroom (ECC) framework reflects many of my beliefs and values about education and the role that technology plays. Learning environments are indeed “living ecosystems” (Johnson et al, 2014, p. 1) and the ECC Framework is a detailed scale of how to approach a developing pedagogical practice, particularly where ICT is concerned. The sections have also highlighted many aspects and skills that I find are important for quality teaching and learning, such as “meaningful activities” and “social inclusion and equity”. Thus, my beliefs and values would not have to significantly change in order to accommodate and work with the ideas presented in the ECC Framework. Rather, it supports my belief that education should be “networking with [the] real-world” and supporting “peer-to-peer collaboration.” These skills, and the others in the framework, are all supported by ICT and are essential to a multi-dimensional approach to teaching that will ultimately achieve a transformative pedagogy. 

Besides, are the topics we explore in these blogs not supporting the ECC Framework? The sought outcomes of participating in such an activity is to achieve the results presented in the ECC Framework; teachers acting as mentors/facilitators, connecting with social networks, learning by exploring and creating, and exhibiting multiple modes of thinking (Johnson et al, ECC Framework, 2014).

The European Creative Classroom framework.

The ECC Framework could also be applied to a multitude of simulation and interactive tools. Since education in the 21st century is heavily dominated by technology it is important to consider having a wide range of materials at your disposal. The materials I would integrate in order to achieve an innovative technology are as follows:

• Google Documents

• Text2Mindmap

• Dipity

• Tiki-Toki

• Quizlet

• GoAnimate

• Kahoot

Tiki-Toki is the one I have chosen to further explore.

(Click me!)

Tiki-Toki’s Technical Aspects: An Overview:

Tiki-Toki is an online timeline tool which allows you to create a sequence of events in a beautiful format. Designed as an interactive tool, Tiki-Toki is useful in its ability to provide dexterous media support. For not only can events be added to the timeline, but their description can be added to via images, video or audio. The background of Tiki-Toki can also be one of your choosing, rather than a generic model that cannot be altered. Each ‘event’ on the timeline has room for a thorough description, as well as the option to add a hyperlink, if applicable. The more advanced settings, if you are feeling adventurous, allow for a supplementary customised feel than the basic – yet stunning – original one chosen by Tiki-Toki. Not only can the spacing between the dates of the timeline be zoomed in or out, but their colouring and place on the timeline can also be shifted by the author. 

The entire timeline – from the ‘slider’ bar to the font to the date formatting – can be customised. A large majority of the interaction is through the ‘ADMIN’ drop-down menu, and an image and ‘About’ description can be added so that an initial viewing of the timeline has a pop-up box alerting viewers to its content. There is also a multi-author function, wherein Tiki-Toki can be asked to keep track of who makes each edit. A ‘secret word’ can also be enabled, so that only those invited who have knowledge of the word can make changes to the timeline. This is a measure of security, although the privacy of Tiki-Toki can be decided by the creator; either public, private or password protected. Such processes ensure that the privacy of the creator is entirely their choice. Overall, Tiki-Toki is considerably easy to use as it, by default, has training wheels. Pop-up boxes with helpful hints and tips are associated with each section, allowing the creator to learn on the go. As long as you have previous experience on a computer there is no prior knowledge needed to operate Tiki-Toki.

Advantages:

• Easy to use

• Creating a timeline has never been quicker

• Perfect for a History class, or any subject which needs to present a series of
  events

• The welcoming screen is highly functional (alerts audience to content)

• Complete customization is an option 

• Adding media (videos, images, audio, YouTube) is a matter of copying and
  pasting links

Disadvantages:

• In order to create more than one timeline the account must be paid

• In order to share with students (up to 50 people) the account must be paid

• In order to embed Tiki-Toki into your website the account must be paid

• The pop-up help guides can make the platform feel crowded

Sourced from: https://38.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7jn6y61tw1qda125o1_500.gif

(For reading about some learning outcomes?)

Learning Outcomes:

Within the context of a History classroom – which is one of my majors – Tiki-Toki would be an exceptional support tool. It would assist in developing a diverse range of learning outcomes, such as:

• Develop ICT and digital literacy

• Support collaboration and individual study

• Aid in arranging and organising information

• Aid students’ in synthesising a large mass of information

• Aid in evaluating online resources

• Aid in students’ learning of how to design their own space

The fact that all of these learning outcomes were achieved via an activity with an interactive technological tool proves that ICT and a “greater accessibility to the Internet…continues to spark profound changes in traditional paradigms. Teachers are no longer the primary sources of information and knowledge for students when a quick web search is at their fingertips” (Johnson et al, 2014, p. 6). 

The materials and activities that these learning outcomes can support, then, are encouraging students to undergo thorough research, which is critical to a History assignment. Being able to organise information is an important skill in scaffolding an assignment or mentally breaking down an exam. Have you seen those History questions? Having the skill set to synthesise a large mass of information is critical in research projects, or even partaking in an activity such as Tiki-Toki. And improving ICT skills and digital literacy will help in every aspect of life as it has become a set part of the culture; both in education and otherwise. 

Applying learning outcomes to pedagogy:

Using simulative or interactive tools within the classroom is an effective way to both support pedagogy and improve student engagement. By applying the use of Tiki-Toki to the context of a History classroom within the SAMR model one can view how easily interactive tools can become student focused.

Substitution: Asking students' to design a timeline on Tiki-Toki - without interactive links - is a basic substitution to drawing a timeline on paper. Further engagement must be offered.

Augmentation: Asking the entire class to create a timeline on Tiki-Toki based on the same topic, such as Ancient Egypt, can act as a functional improvement. By integrating a deeper experience with ICT - by asking pupils to provide links to researched websites and incorporating complex visuals - it is complimentary to learning and an example of having to organise information. This is still teacher directed, however, and not yet ‘transformative’. In order to be considered as such students must meet more examples of the learning outcomes.

Modification: In order to redesign one’s pedagogy and create a student-motivated activity one must offer a task in which Tiki-Toki is more than just another timeline. By designing a task in which students must organise and evaluate their own resources, as well as demonstrate a higher level of ICT skills (embedding these links), the learning has become far more student focused. There is still room for improvement, however.

Redefinition: Tiki-Toki can act as an interactive tool that aids in producing previously inconceivable tasks. In keeping with the Ancient Egypt theme, a teacher could assign a task in which students must present a timeline on the life of a Pharaoh. In groups,   students could map out a Pharaoh’s life from birth to death, adding in important dates that will be presented to the class. Tiki-Toki, however, can go beyond this. As a demonstration of 21st century skills students could film footage of re-enactments and embed them into specific dates. Or, because there is a multi-author function, record specific audio from the comfort of their bedrooms and upload it onto their assigned sections. Tiki-Toki allows for distant collaboration, instant feedback and unbelievable interaction – resourceful links could be added so that the audience can navigate the timeline at their own pace. This use of Tiki-Toki has seen the application of all of the aforementioned learning outcomes.

NOTE: My usual image of the SAMR Model could not be used due to the large quantity of text.

References:

Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., and Freeman, A. (2014). NMC Horizon Report: 2014 K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.