H800 TMA02

1. Angela Phillips H800 TMA02
Week – 10 Activity – 5 Blogs and Blogging
I have never written a blog before embarking on this course and I was unsure of the benefits of blogs. Therefore, I have never read anyone else’s blog. During week 1 we looked at teaching and reaching the ‘net-generation’, Kennedy et al. (2008) states,
“A significant blog culture is evident among incoming first year students, given 34.9% indicated they have kept their own blog in the last year and more are reading (58.6%) and commenting on (43.9%) other people’s blogs. A substantial proportion of students (21.2%) indicated that they were contributing to their own blog on a weekly basis.”
However, although it was stated, “A substantial proportion of students...blog...” when I read the article, the statistic that stood out for me was that, 65.1% of those asked had never kept a blog/vlog and 56.1% has never views a blog/vlog (Kennedy et al., 2008). If over half of the ‘net generation’ (Prensky, 2001) have never looked at a blog I was unsure of how blogs could be an effective learning tool.
The thought of writing a blog made me feel anxious and it took some time to appreciate why I felt this way. I regularly use social networking sites, such as www.facebook.com without anxiety. When I use social networking sites I have strict privacy settings and only my ‘friends’ can see any comments I make. This gives me the ability to be myself, as I do not accept ‘friends’ requests from people I do not know/are not comfortable with. Bayne (2005) discusses how some students did not want to be seen to have a different online persona. On reflection, I could see that my use of Facebook was a true reflection of who I am, which helps me feel at ease.
I also use forums such as www.pomsinadelaide.com (Poms in Adelaide, 2012) and I often post comments and start threads. When I use this type of forum I have a username, so postings are anonymous. This makes it much easier to be honest and show your true opinions. However, I take more care with the tone, spelling, grammar and content of my posts. It is suggested in (Bayne 2005) that people can experience freer boundaries as they can adopt their chosen online identity. I have found this to be the case using this forum, I feel able to share my feelings of fear, sadness and excitement as people don’t know who I am. I have also found that people using the site are more honest, both empathically and judgementally, due to anonymity.
As I considered my perceptions of my online identity I realised that this was a barrier to my participation in writing a blog. I was concerned that if I wrote a blog, I was putting a version of myself on the internet that could be viewed by anyone and I could be judged. Black (2007) found that fear of being criticised was a concern for some teachers who considered writing a blog. As a teacher there are professional expectations that must be adhered to, I was anxious that any comments I made in my personal blog could be misread/misquoted.
Kerawalla et al., (2008) describes different types of blogging habits and I found myself avoiding blogging. As part of the activity I needed to write my first blog post, with this I moved to become an anxious, self-conscious blogger. I found my first blog posting quite intimidating and it took a long time to write the post. As the research into educational blogs suggests that if writing a blog is a compulsory course component, students do not use blogs appropriately and many see it as a poor use of their time. This makes the blogs poor quality and ineffective. If blogs are seen as a task for students to complete and they will not become an engaging learning tool. The main issues students in the Kerawalla et al., (2008) study had with blogs mirrored my own concerns.

2. Angela Phillips H800 TMA02
During week 13/14 while looking at activity 2c, ‘Listening to the student voice’, I was asked to watch a video of student teachers who were using an online blog to reflect on their teaching practice. As I completed an Educational degree, with elements of teaching practice, I could see how valuable a reflective online diary could be. My reflections from completing my degree course were filed and I have never looked at them again. I quickly realised that I would like to ensure that my learning from H800 is not filed away after I have completed the course. By writing a blog I can ensure that I continue to learn from the H800 materials. Cameron and Anderson (2006) suggest that creating a blog have pedagogical lifelong learning possibilities, which I hope to exploit.
As part of the activity I read my peers blogs, I was interested in reading Clarkes D. (2012) entry http://learningshrew.wordpress.com/ I noticed that his blog posts were written in a very different tone to my own natural writing style. Daniel is a self-sufficient blogger (Kerawalla et al., 2008). After reading Daniel’s blog I was inspired to write a blog and ensure that I was not participating just to fulfil the H800 course requirements. However, I decided that I wanted my posts to be upbeat, accessible and tongue-in-cheek, as this is an online identity that I am comfortable with, which Cameron and Anderson (2006) indicates is important.
As part of my role as an Advanced Skills Teacher (AST) I help students completing Initial Teacher Training (ITT), Newly Qualified Teachers (NQT’s) and more experienced teachers improve their practice by becoming more reflective practitioners. By using a reflective blog it may help them reflect more clearly on their practice. I have certainly found this to be the case with the H800 material.
In summary, by undertaking this activity I have realised that I can use a blog as a lifelong learning tool to share ideas, resources and thoughts with my peers and track my life and learning journey.
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3. Angela Phillips H800 TMA02
Week – 8/9 Activity - 8 A learning-centred view
Please see the PowerPoint presentation that is supplementary to the information below.
As part of my role as an AST, I lead a monthly training session for NQT’s and ITT students. An issue that has been emerging regularly, is the time commitment of planning lessons. Many of the group have parallel classes or teach the same topic to different classes. The schools planning policy is for all staff to be issued with a planning book, with lesson plans that have to be completed in full for each lesson taught. In practice, this means that teachers are re-writing plans for very similar lessons, by hand. The group perceive this to be a poor use of time.
As discussed in the H800 forum by Young M (2012), it is a requirement for NQT’s and ITT students to plan lessons carefully.
“The Hybrid Learning Model is an extremely versatile tool, developed by CETL(NI) to capture, describe, reflect on and plan good practice in teaching and learning.” CETL(NI) (n.d.)
The NQT’s and ITT students, at the school I work in, have been encouraged to use the vocabulary of Blooms Taxonomy (Overbaugh n.d.) to help describe teaching and learning. However they found HLM more accessible. They indicated that this was because they could break down the activities into the 8 learning events, which had descriptions for teacher and student roles.
The main benefit the group expressed in regards to using HLM was the ability to use technology to plan and share lessons. They found they could spend longer planning a particular lesson, as they knew that when they were to plan the lesson again, they would only have to modify the original plans. They were saving their lesson plans on a networked, shared area and encouraging more experienced members of staff to use HLM.
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4. Angela Phillips H800 TMA02
Week – 13/14 Activity – 1 The learner experience
In my experience research into the experience of learners can be quite difficult for some teachers to read, as it questions current practices. I have seen this first hand by teachers’ reluctance for their students to participate in ‘student voice’ questionnaires. Questioning and reflecting on current practices is vital to ensure teaching and learning can improve. Welsh (2007) produced a video showing the highlights of research into this area. It highlights the changing way students study at university, for example the video show that an average student will only ready around 8 books in a year, compared to 2300 web pages. This indicates a shift from more traditional learning, such as text-books, pen and paper to computers and web-pages.
Dahlstram et al. (2011) state there is four main areas that technology can be a benefit academically, as follows:
1) Increased productivity.
2) Increased connectivity.
3) Increased engagement and relevance.
4) Increased, easier access to resources and ability to check progress.
They also state that is a strong link between the technologies students find useful and the ability of their teachers to use them. I am unsurprised that the students felt that they know how to use some technology better than their teachers. Mobile technology was found to be the technology of choice for students, 67% of students had an ipod and 55% had a smart phone. These devices appear to be relatively unused by teachers. The findings from Dahlstram et al (2011) agreed with previous research done by Kennedy et al (2008) although it was conducted three years later.
A quote from Dahlstram et al (2011) sums the point up, ‘Students’ perception of an institution’s technology is based on how well faculty use IT, not how cutting edge the technology is.’ I my experience teachers tend to choose the tools that they are confident using, as discussed in our forum posts teachers can be put in difficult positions it technology fails/is not available (Shield, 2012a). In my experience teachers tend to reuse resources that they have used before. If a lesson has originally been designed that uses an interactive whiteboard, that will be the technology used if the lesson is taught again. Nesbitt (2007) indicates that the majority of teachers don’t use technology to enhance and engage learners. This could be due to lack of confidence using the technology.
If technology is to be used to enhance learning, teachers need training (Knowledge Enterprise, Inc, 2002). Over the past three years, I have been involved in a study to encourage teachers to used different technology. Teachers received training to help teachers to become more comfortable with different technologies. During formal observations and ‘learning walks’ in the school in which I work, it became evident that there was a greater range of technology being used by teachers, than prior to the start of the project. I personally witnessed lessons where http://wallwisher.com/ (Xiphar, 2008) and http://www.twiducate.com/ (Twiducate, 2009) were being used by students. Since seeing the use of these technologies I have produced training videos of the teachers using different technologies. The teacher explains the pedagogy behind their technology choices and demonstrating how they personally have used it. The videos were shown in a staff meeting and staff signed up to attend technology training that they were most likely to use in the classroom. In my experience, although headway is being made there are still teachers who are reluctant to use unfamiliar technology. I appreciate that students would like to use more technology within their learning, but the majority of research in this area is from higher education establishments, such as Oblinger and Oblinger (2005), Kennedy et al. (2008), Sharpe et al. (2005), Creanor et al. (2006). Research suggests (Paton 2011) that the education gap between ‘privileged’ and disadvantaged students in the UK is one of

5. Angela Phillips H800 TMA02
the greatest in the developed world. It is suggested that the gap widens further during secondary education. My experience, teaching at a comprehensive school in Bradford, has highlighted the different levels of technology owned by students. Students from more ‘privileged’ homes tend to have more technology than students from lower income families, which is determined by the eligibility for free school meals. Research described by Information Policy (2010) looked at the digital divide in America, which showed that the digital divide was linked to income. If the research into the educational and digital divide proves to be correct, the use of technology in education could deepen the gap between the ‘disadvantaged’ and the ‘privileged’ as students from lower income families cannot afford the technology. Pick and Azari (2007) suggests that it is important for governments to ensure digital literacy within schools to help combat the digital divide throughout all levels of education.
As an AST I have had the opportunity to purchase fifteen ipods to enhance learning. I wanted to teach a series of lessons that incorporated everyday apps into a learning environment. I decided that I was going to use QR codes and I generated QR codes using http://api.qrcode.kaywa.com/ (Kaywa, n.d.). After teaching a series of lessons on calculating area and volume, I decided that I was going to devise a ‘treasure hunt’ with pairs of students being given a different question. The students calculated the answer before finding a poster around the room displaying the answer they calculated. The students then scanned the QR code with the ipod to generate the next question. Once the students were confident with using the QR codes, they were set a homework task. They had to devise an area quiz with five different questions, which their peers would complete the following week. The students had a choice of doing the homework on paper or to produce the work on the computer incorporating QR codes. All students emailed me their homework complete with a QR code quiz. This was the first week where all students had completed homework on the day it was due. A student, who regularly does not complete homework, commented that the task, “was a laugh” as he got to, “mess about on the internet”. The mathematics was outstanding in the piece submitted.
In conclusion it is important for teachers to be using a range of technologies that they are comfortable with to enhance the learning experience of their students and increase engagement. However, it is vital that teachers are properly trained to use the technology and ensure that any students who are not confident or do not have access to the technology are not put at an educational disadvantage.
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6. Angela Phillips H800 TMA02
Redesigning the activities
Blog activity – I would have preferred the online identity activity in block 1 week 3 activity 2 to highlight more clearly, that as part of the H800 course, we would be required to write a blog. It would have been useful to start addressing any issues surrounding online identity and blog writing at that stage of the course. This would have helped prepare me for the activity. I would also have found it beneficial if I have been able to read several blogs with different styles as part of the blogging activity. I feel this would have helped me analyse how I would want to come across in my blog and also the style of writing that I would use.
HLM activity – I was disappointed that I was the only member of the tutor group to share an activity that I had planned using the HLM mapping grid. I would have gained more from the activity if there had been activity 8a,
“Now view the HLM demonstration at the CETL (NI): Institutional E-Learning Services website” (Shield, 2012b) and post your initial thoughts to the forum.
Followed by, activity 8b,
Think about “A5: Using Cloudworks to simulate a Flash debate” (Shield, 2012b) and using the HLM mapping grid breakdown the task to show how the activities could have been planned. Once completed, upload your mapping grid to the forum.
I feel that this would have persuaded more of my peers on H800 to complete the activity fully and I would have been able to view my peers perspective on how to use the HLM materials. The learner experience – For this activity to be more relevant to my professional situation, I would have preferred the activities to look at different phases of education. For example it would have been an ideal opportunity to give H800 students a choice of activity to look at the www.youtube.com video or either Wesch (2007) or Nesbitt (2007). Ideally I would have like some secondary education research included in the course, such as Greaves et al (2010) or a combination of education phases, such as U.S. Department of Education (2010). I would also have like to spend some time researching how teachers perceive their use of technology, as I do not feel this is address clearly in the research we looked at during this activity. I appreciate that this would have increased the time allocation for the activity.
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7. Angela Phillips H800 TMA02
Learner experiences and methods
I would like to investigate the use of web 2.0 technologies such as http://wallwisher.com/ (Xiphar, 2008) and http://en.linoit.com/ (Infoteria Corporation, 2012) and how this type of technology can be used in the classroom. I would like to investigate if and how the technology can be used to engage students. I would also like to draw on the benefits and pitfalls of the technology from both a learner and teacher perspective. Any similarities and differences between the learner and teacher perspective could also be investigated (Richardson, 2005).
After reading Richardson (2005) and Price et al. (2007), I decided that it is important to be clear on why I would collect data in a specific way. As a mathematician I have mainly dealt with quantitative data.
“Quantitative researcher asks a specific, narrow question and collects numerical data from participants to answer the question.” Wikipedia (n.d.1).
It would be much easier for me to just use quantitative data, as I could produce lots of interesting statistics. However, if I am to produce meaningful research I need to ensure I need to ask more in- depth questions.
“The qualitative method investigates the why and how of decision making, not just what, where, when.” Wikipedia (n.d.2).
To gather data I would complete a stratified random sample within my school environment, as this is where I have access to over twelve hundred learners. I would ask students who had used the technology in lessons, within which subject and with which teachers. I would also ask a series of basic questions to ascertain the benefits and pitfalls of using the technology from a student’s perspective. From the quantitative data I collect, I would then select a range of students to be interviewed. I would record the student responses on video, ensuring they give more in-depth answers and justifying their points of view. I would also draw upon if and how the technology has enhanced the learning experience.
From the qualitative data collected I would then select a number of teachers to interview, recorded by video or audio, which have used the technology. I would like their pedagogical reasons for using the technology, as well as the benefits and pitfalls that they have encountered.
I decided that using video to conduct the interviews would be important, as video is a high impact way to show the research (Saul, 2012), (Kitchen, 2012). Although I would only have videos of the interviews, with permission, I could edit individual interviews to show the findings of the research. This is something that I have done several times with ‘pupil voice’ interviews in different schools. This is a clear and concise way for teachers to see their students perspectives on the topic being researched.
In conclusion, by using quantitative data I will find the extent the technology is used within the secondary school in which I work. From the quantitative data, I will select students and teachers to interview. The interviews will provide me with the qualitative responses I need to make my research more in-depth and broaden my understanding of the use of the technology.
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Total word count: 3290

8. Angela Phillips H800 TMA02
References Bayne, S. (2005) ‘Deceit, desire and control: the identities of learners and teachers in cyberspace’ in Land, R. and Bayne, S. (eds) Education in Cyberspace, Abingdon, RoutledgeFalmer. Black, L. (2007) Blogging clicks with educators: online forums make assignments, ideas more accessible to students and parents http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2007-01- 24/news/0701240139_1_web-logs-blogs-educators (accessed 24 May 2012)
Cameron D. and Anderson T. (2006) Comparing Weblogs to Threaded Discussion Tools in Online Educational Contexts http://www.itdl.org/journal/nov_06/article01.htm (accessed 24 May 2012)
CETL(NI): Insititutional E-learning Service The University of Ulster (no date) Hybrid Learning Model (HLM) http://cetl.ulster.ac.uk/elearning/hlm.php (accessed 24 May 2012) Clarke D (2012) http://learningshrew.wordpress.com/ Learningshrew: Discoveries in online education (accessed 24 May 2012)
Creanor, L., Trinder, K., Gowan, D. and Howells, C. (2006) ‘LEX: The learner experience of e-learning’, Final Project Report; also available online at http://routes.open.ac.uk/ ixbin/ hixclient.exe?_IXDB_=routes&_IXSPFX_=g&submit-button=summary&%24+with+res_id+is+res19282 (accessed 24 May 2012).
Dahlstrom, E., de Boor, T., Grunwald, P. and Vockley, M. (2011) ECAR National Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2011 (Research Report), Boulder, CO, EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research; also available online at http://routes.open.ac.uk/ ixbin/ hixclient.exe?_IXDB_=routes&_IXSPFX_=g&submit-button=summary&%24+with+res_id+is+res24851 (accessed 24 May 2012).
Greaves, T.; Hayes, J.; Wilson, L.; Gielniak, M.; & Peterson, R.,(2010) Technology Factor: Nine Keys to Student Achievement and Cost-Effectiveness, http://www.pearsonfoundation.org/downloads/ProjectRED_TheTechnolgyFactor.pdf (accessed 19 May 2012)
Information Policy (2010) Socio-economic Factors Continue To Impact Digital Divide In The US http://www.i-policy.org/2010/11/socio-economic-factors-continue-to-impact-digital-divide-in-the- us-new-report.html (accessed 19 May 2012)
Infoteria Corporation (2012) Lino Sticky and Photo Sharing for you http://en.linoit.com/ (accessed 24 May 2012) Kennedy, G.E., Judd, T.S, Churchward, A. and Gray, K. (2008) ‘First-year students’ experiences with technology: are they really digital natives?’, Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, vol.24, no.1, pp.108–22; also available online at http://routes.open.ac.uk/ ixbin/ hixclient.exe?_IXDB_=routes&_IXSPFX_=g&submit-button=summary&%24+with+res_id+is+res18618 (accessed 24 May 2012).

9. Angela Phillips H800 TMA02
Kerawalla, L., Minocha, S., Kirkup, G. and Conole, G. (2008) ‘Characterising the different blogging behaviours of students on an online distance learning course’, Learning, Media and Technology, vol.33, no.1, pp.21–33; also available online at http://libezproxy.open.ac.uk/ login?url=http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1080/ 17439880701868838 (accessed 24 May 2012).
Nesbitt B. (2007) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A-ZVCjfWf8&feature=related A vision of K-12 Students Today www.youtube.com (accessed 24 May 2012)
Oblinger, D.G. and Oblinger, J.L. (eds) (2005) Educating the Net Generation [online], An Educause ebook publication available at http://routes.open.ac.uk/ ixbin/ hixclient.exe?_IXDB_=routes&_IXSPFX_=g&submit-button=summary&%24+with+res_id+is+res19283 (accessed 24 May 2012).
Overbaugh R. C. (no date) Bloom’s Taxonomy http://www.odu.edu/educ/roverbau/Bloom/blooms_taxonomy.htm (accessed 21 May 2012)
Paton G (2011) British Pupils Social Mobility divide is the worlds worst http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/8919515/British-pupils-social-mobility-divide-is-among- worlds-worst.html (accessed 21 May 2012)
Pick JB & Azari R (2007) Worldwide Digital Divide: Influences of Education, Workforce, Economic, and Policy Factors on Information Technology http://bgillette.com/wp- content/uploads/2010/02/Worldwide-Digital-Divide.pdf (accessed 19 May 2012)
Poms in Adelaide (2006), Poms in Adelaide Australian Migration Forum www.pomsinadelaide.com (accessed 24 May 2012)
Prensky, M. (2001) ‘Digital natives, digital immigrants’, On the Horizon, NCB University Press, vol.9, no.5; also available online at http://pre2005.flexiblelearning.net.au/ projects/ resources/ Digital_Natives_Digital_Immigrants.pdf (accessed 24 May 2012).
Price, L., Richardson, J.T.E. and Jelfs, A. (2007) ‘Face-to-face versus online tutoring support in distance education’, Studies in Higher Education, vol.32, pp.1–20; also available online at http://libezproxy.open.ac.uk/ login?url=http://www.tandfonline.com/ doi/ abs/ 10.1080/ 03075070601004366 (accessed 24 May 2012).
Kaywa (no date) Kaywa QR-code: QR code services http://api.qrcode.kaywa.com/ (accessed 24 May 2012) Kitchen G (2012) Lesley Shield's Week 13/14 Tutor Group Forum Activity 1A, 9 May 2012, 21:29
Richardson, J.T.E. (2005) ‘Students’ approaches to learning and teachers’ approaches to teaching in higher education’, Educational Psychology, vol.25, no.6, pp.673–80. Saul C. (2012) Lesley Shield's Week 13/14 Tutor Group Forum Activity 1A, 10 May 2012, 01:50
Sharpe, R., Benfield, G., Lessner, E. and DeCicco, E. (2005) ‘Final report: Scoping study for the pedagogy strand of the JISC e-learning programme’ [online], http://routes.open.ac.uk/ ixbin/ hixclient.exe?_IXDB_=routes&_IXSPFX_=g&submit-button=summary&%24+with+res_id+is+res19284 (accessed 24 May 2012).

10. Angela Phillips H800 TMA02
Shield L. (2012a) Lesley Shield's Week 13/14 Tutor Group Forum Activity 1A, 10 May 2012, 10:29 Shield L. (2012b) Lesley Shield’s Week 8/9 Tutor Group Forum Activity 8, 22 March 2012, 13:04
Knowledge Enterprise, Inc (2002). The Missing Link in Educational Technology: TRAINED TEACHERS http://www.techknowlogia.com/TKL_Articles/PDF/435.pdf (accessed 19 May 2012)
Twiduate (2009) Twiducate Social Networking for schools www.twiducate.com (accessed 24 May 2012)
U.S.Department of Education (2010) Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf (accessed 24 May 2012)
Wesch M (2007) A vision of students today http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en- GB&v=dGCJ46vyR9o (accessed19 May 2012
Wikipedia (no date 1) Quantitative research http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantitative_research (accessed 23 May 2012)
Wikipedia (no date 2) Qualitative research http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qualitative_research (accessed 23 May 2012)
Xiphar (2008) Wallwisher http://wallwisher.com/ (accessed 24May 2012) Young M (2012) Lesley Shield's Week 8/9 Tutor Group Forum Activity 8, 14 April 2012, 15.37