The use of podcasting and blog : to enable students to explore the issues in primary schools

1. The use of podcasting and blog : to enable students to explore the issues in primary schools A presentation by Ranjana McLean

2. Blogs or weB LOGS are a relatively new way of putting information on the web. Individuals have used them as diaries or journals to document their progress. They allow the writer to torecord their observations or comments about particular activities. • Web sites can use blogs to advertise their site, post news releases, tips of the day (or week or month), etc. • Blogs can be used to create feedback pages to allow visitors to comment on the site and information or products offered by the site. Taken from http://www.shire.net/learnwebdesign/blogs.htm Context of project and its aims

3. A podcast is like a radio show. However, instead of being broadcast live, a podcast is recorded and then distributed over the internet, so that you can listen to it whenever you please. • There are thousands of podcasts available, ranging from general interest entertainment shows to those which focus on specific topics (e.g. computers / music / education). • Podcasts can be listen to directly on the websites of those people who make them or subscribe to them through software like ITunes. Context of project and its aims

4. The benefits of this is that the potential of thousands of people listening to the podcasts through a website and can be used for lots of different purposes • Podcasts can be interactive, and the audience can be invited to send their comments, giving valuable feedback to the children about their work. • Research into podcasts are relatively new but there are some around Context of project and its aims

5. Encourages contacts between students and tutors • Blog and podcasts give a chance for students to comment and for tutors to respond to comments directly. Give the time during which this intervention is taking place, students will be on school experience and therefore unable to comment in lectures and seminars • Student and teachers can discuss issues common to each other. Starting from the curriculum to roles in school • Podcast can be heard and given direct feedback to me as to the use of it and for students to suggest further podcasts they could be interested in. References Linda Pound (2005) How Children Learn From Montessori to Vygotsky – Educational theories and approaches made easy Step Forward Publishing Ltd London Prensky Marc (2001) Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants On the Horizon (MCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5, October 2001 [Angelo, T. 1993 A "Teacher's Dozen": Fourteen general research-based principles for improving higher learning in our classrooms. AAHE Bulletin. April 1993: 3-13]. learning theories and blogs and podcasting

6. Gives prompt feedback • Continues from the above through discussions, posing questions and a community • Interaction between tutor and students and develop the ideas and issues. • Learning is more effective and efficient when learners have explicit, reasonable, positive goals, and when their goals fit well with the teacher's goals • Blog have a purpose to inform students and allow discussions • Podcasting giving real life interviews from practioners. References Linda Pound (2005) How Children Learn From Montessori to Vygotsky – Educational theories and approaches made easy Step Forward Publishing Ltd London Prensky Marc (2001) Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants On the Horizon (MCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5, October 2001 [Angelo, T. 1993 A "Teacher's Dozen": Fourteen general research-based principles for improving higher learning in our classrooms. AAHE Bulletin. April 1993: 3-13]. learning theories and blogs and podcasting

7. Information organized in personally meaningful ways is more likely to be retained, learned, and used. • Different types of students learn retain and use knowledge in different ways. So the intervention would combine the following • ·Podcasts (for audio learners) • ·Videos (for visual learners) • ·Text (for textual learners • ·Blogs (for digital natives) • Theories behind this are the notion of multiple intelligences from Gardner and social constructivism/constructivism from Vygotsky and Bruner (Pound 2005). These would allow students to find the information they need in different ways and construct their own knowledge. The digital natives from Prensky (2001) allows those who are digital savvy to learn through a different way. References Linda Pound (2005) How Children Learn From Montessori to Vygotsky – Educational theories and approaches made easy Step Forward Publishing Ltd London Prensky Marc (2001) Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants On the Horizon (MCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5, October 2001 [Angelo, T. 1993 A "Teacher's Dozen": Fourteen general research-based principles for improving higher learning in our classrooms. AAHE Bulletin. April 1993: 3-13]. learning theories and blogs and podcasting

8. Interaction between teachers and learners is one of the most powerful factors in promoting learning, interaction among learners is another. • Continued interaction when students are away from the university during school experience is important. • The interventions would allow student to find out about what is going on in the primary education. • If they were in the university, they would get this information through lectures and seminars but miss out when they are on school experience References Linda Pound (2005) How Children Learn From Montessori to Vygotsky – Educational theories and approaches made easy Step Forward Publishing Ltd London Prensky Marc (2001) Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants On the Horizon (MCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5, October 2001 [Angelo, T. 1993 A "Teacher's Dozen": Fourteen general research-based principles for improving higher learning in our classrooms. AAHE Bulletin. April 1993: 3-13]. learning theories and blogs and podcasting

9. Garrison and Anderson (2003) stated that “…"[t]he challenge is to understand the emerging educational context and how we will create learning environments that will facilitate development of higher-order cognitive abilities and encourage these to thrive." (p.20). • However, is this really a change in new ‘teaching’? • On the one hand there needs to be an approach to e-learning that is different from the notions of pedagogy that exist. On the other hand, does this approach need to be new and different? Garrison, D R and Anderson, Terry (2003) E-Learning in the 21st Century: a framework for research and practice (London: RoutledgeFalmer) Educational Approaches to be used and The Technology

10. In remembering that the definition of pedagogy is “…teaching method: the principles and methods of instruction” (1) good teaching has always underpinned good pedagogy. • The notion that the information age changes this is a little simplistic. • Thinking about the learning environment that develops and encourages the ability to think and learn is the same as good pedagogy has always exists. (1) <http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=pedagogy> accessed 20th March 2010, Educational Approaches to be used and The Technology

11. At primary age, children are taught to think, evaluate and learn in different ways. • The Rose Report which came out in 2010 and is driving the new curriculum underpins this notion clearly. • At secondary level, again, the curriculum has lead to radical changes in how each individual subject is taught, with ICT underpinning at every level. • Further that further education and higher education level, the introduction of VLEs and distance learning has increased, where students are needed to be more independent and self motivated. • The problem is the collaborative nature may be lost with e-learning and so this could need to be thought out more Educational Approaches to be used and The Technology

12. Very self-directed, especially on a one year PGCE. • Independent to complete all tasks and assignments • 38 weeks of the year 20 weeks in university 18 weeks in school • During this time they need to produce lesson plans, making resources, evaluations, weekly reviews, assessing the pupils under their care is all part of the process. • Current communication and network with each other is email and text. • Administrator also sets up a PGCE Facebook area for the students to contact each other. • Students have used the discussion board on weblearn. • Blog to be used for finding out about current issues. • The changing nature of education, this is a little difficult to do. Students tend to ignore what the do not need and just read things which they need now. This does not allow that in-depth understanding needed Characteristics of the Learners

13. BUT THE BIG QUESTION IS..... HOW CAN EDUCATION USE BLOGS AND PODCASTS FOR EDUCATION PURPOSES? The blog – current issues in primary education

14. http://teachingpodcasts.wordpress.com/wp-admin/ • blog – articles • podcasts • videos – from other sources • surveys – using a separate survey hosting site. • stats produced The blog – current issues in primary education

15. The Blog has no podcasts of my own • The success of the intervention has been limited due to the selection of audience • There is a need for this to happen at the beginning of the year • The whole process is hampered by other things happening around students and schools. • HOWEVER • Positive elements include the amount of information out there being delivered to students • Continuing their professional development Evaluation the process (or what went wrong)