VOKI AVATARS

Squidoo (2009) describes Voki as

a talking voice character, a computer-generated version of oneself. The more generic term for a Voki is a speaking avatar, a digital representation of a person or being. Teachers and educators are discovering some of the unique roles these speaking avatars can play in education particularly in the online classroom.

Could you image a digital immigrant having a really noisy class, a class not paying attention and all of a sudden you play an avatar in your classroom to introduce what the next lesson would be about (Prensky, 2001). The students would all of a sudden be engaged into something they know, something they experience daily – digital age tools (Prensky, 2001). Teacher Anne Paterson (cited in Voki, 2008, p. ) believed, "I think having an avatar for each student and each student being able to use that avatar on a wiki or a blog is a great way of engaging them. Great fun!" I have found this form of technology to be easy. It is straightforward application that I feel a digital immigrant would be able to grasp. The device fits neatly into Oliver’s (cited in AUTC, 2003, p. 1) learning designs framework as he “argues that a learning design comprises the following key elements : tasks the learners are required to do, resources that support learners to conduct the task and support mechanisms that exist from a teacher implementing it.” An example is the use of avatars to support ESL (English as a Second Language) students’ learning experiences. The task for these students is to learn five simple sight words (mum dad, boy, girl and teacher). The student along with the LM employs the resources - Voki avatars to practice and listen to their speech. The support mechanism is the LM helping the student by giving instructions and a procedure to follow, follow up with feedback from the LM (AUTC). Voki are a wonderful tool for students who are visual and verbal learners as visual learners learn the best from what they see: pictures, diagrams, flow charts, time lines, films, and demonstrations (Felder & Soloman, n.d.). Voki are also brilliant for students who are shy as it can achieve and facilitate involvement from these students (Voki, 2009). Here are a number of avatars could also be employ educationally into the classroom to support student experiences:

• Students can have e.pals from a different speaking background and talk using the Voki and change the language to suit (Voki, 2009).
• Students can add them to their blogs or Wiki describing themselves or talking about their blogs or Wikis.
• LM can utilise them to introduce a new subject into the classroom to grab students attention particularly verbal/visual learners.
• LM can employ Voki in the classroom to teach a new language or part of a new language.

Note: for LM employing them into classroom: According to Voki's terms of service children below the age of 13 may not use Voki under their own accounts (Voki, 2009).

e.PORTFOLIO

In class for this actual subject, Managing E-Learning, the teacher – Jodie and the class had a class discussion on e.Portfolio and found that younger students had no need for e.Portfolio as the complexity of them would be too hard for young children to grasp. However we decided that e.Portfolio could be engaging and effectively apply to grades 7 or 8 or upwards because LM could provide an authentic focus of student managing their résumés on e.Portfolio (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999). LM could also present an overview of what each subject entails or excursion the class went on. Both these examples could be used for lower levels as well.

WIKIs

Wiki Web sites are designed to enable students to edit and publish content, upload files and link to other resources within the Wiki and other Web sites. Students have access to who can view their Wiki sites; it can be made available for all users, or individual users, or groups of selected users (Answers.com 2009; The University of Melbourne, 2007). I have used Wiki once before for the course I am studying currently, Bachelor of Learning Manager; the subject was Futures. I found it very daunting to use at first, just as I found the blog but once I had a look and navigated around I found it very simple to use. I find the Wiki and Blogs are very similar ICT; however, there are a few slight differences. The type of information to be written about will determine where the work will appear. For example for information that is to be done in chronological order likes news, diary or journal blogs this would best appear in a blog and for information for group collaboration and research best suited for Wiki (ISIF, 2009). Kearsley and Shneiderman (1999, p. 1) say “collaboration can be as simple as a two-minute in-class exercise involving pairs of students or as elaborate as a multi-year curriculum development project involving many teams.” Hence their engagement theory is immense on collaboration and Wiki are primarily about collaboration. Because Wikis are primarily about collaboration this is helping students to achieve effective and efficient learning as the LM is conducting group work during class time (The ACU, 2000). An example of using Wiki in a classroom setting following Kearsley and Schneiderman’s (1999) engaged theory components, Relate-Create-Donate, students could work in collaborative teams to do an authentic unit plan for example work “How much will catering cost for a five-day school camp?”. Within this unit plan the LM would explain what the unit plan involves finding out how much the meat will cost for school camp and the students will be separate into three groups: group 1: breakfast, group 2: lunch and group 3: dinner. Students then in their groups first would Relate which emphasises team efforts that involve the group talk amongst themselves regarding how best to gather information one way could be to present their finding in a graph – horizontally all the class mates names on a piece of paper and vertically what the students would like to eat for breakfast. . Second the students would create. Students will go to the supermarkets to work out the pricing of the food and drinks for the items they will need to buy for this unit. Third, Donate produce to the class and the learning management their findings – students will calculate the quantities of food required to cater for their allocated group and the total cost of food required. The capabilities of Wikis are:

• The user is able to control who adds data and who cannot, some people believe that everyone can add to Wikis because Wikipedia has this application; however, this is just a misconception.
• Allow users to comment on the content .
• Archiving information for easy access (Dixon, 2007) .
• Best for group collaboration and research
• Pages can easily link to each other
• When you create new Wiki pages, they are instantly available for searching (ISIF, 2009).
• LM and students can control who they would like to see their Wikis and add comments.
• LM and students can add links, photos and media.

RSS AGGREGATORS

I was a bit lost at first thinking, RSS what is this and what does it do? I found out RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. Its function allows the operator to follow news, blogs, Web sites, software updates, newsletters, and more instead of continually visiting a Web site to check for new material. The users simply set up an account for a RSS maybe via Google Reader and subscribe to their favourite Web pages, newspapers etc. The users then can see if anything new has been posted to their favourite Web site (About.com, 2009; The University of Melbourne, 2007). However with this in mind the pages to which the users would like to subscribe need to have a RSS logo on it, which is located on the right hand side of the Internet page. To subscribe to an RSS feed, right-click on the orange XML icon ( or ) and select "Copy Shortcut" or "Copy Link Location" to copy the location URL and then paste it into the RSS reader - follow the instructions for your particular news reader. Left-clicking an RSS feed will just show you a raw XML file (The University of Melbourne). Alternately the users can subscribe though their RSS they have by simply clicking on add a subscription typing in the newspaper you would like to follow and subscribe (CQUniversity, 2009). I have set up my RSS aggregator by using Google Reader and am finding it much easier to monitor other course members’ blogs through this application. I find it easier than going to each individual blog. I now just access Google reader to see if my course members have added anything new to their blogs. I feel it is vital for students and LM to use this tool in addition to their blogs to make reading and commenting/feedback onto their blogs a lot simpler: students can keep track of their peers’ blogs and LM can keep track of their students’ blogs. Another advantage of RSS aggregator is the LM can apply the application to project-oriented learning, for example, the LM can work out what the students will be blogging for a subject (Kearsley & Schneiderman, 1999). For instance something current for SOSE: “What is currently happening with Greenpeace (Kevin Rudd’s and Anna Bligh’s plans to double the export coal industry – the business that is happening currently in Hay Point)”. Through the RSS aggregator the LM (with Internet safety in mind) can list suggested topics for the students to look at for ideas or alternatively the students may use the RSS aggregator to keep up-to-date with what is currently happening in Greenpeace via newspaper, Web pages etc. (Kearsley & Shneiderman).

BLOGS

Blog is short for Web log. It serves many purposes from online newsletters to reflective writing on a particular subject, or a publicly accessible personal journal and displays the information in chronological order. Blogs can be written by one person or a group and entries can contain comments/feedback, links, images, videos/YouTube as well as a search facility may be included (Answer.com, 2009; The University of Melbourne, 2007). I have never done a blog before. I am finding it easy to navigate around the blog and working out how to add gadgets, edit my work, add a new post and many more features like links, photos, media etc. I am finding it fun, easy and interesting. It is a straightforward device that can be use in the classroom hence I feel digital immigrants LM would have no trouble employing blogs into their teaching. As blogs are form of technology, they fit comfortably within Keasley and Shneiderman's engagement theory, “Engagement theory is intended to be a conceptual framework for technology-based learning and teaching” (1999, p. 1). Also the students of today have spent their entire lives surrounded by and using tools of the digital age, for example, videogames, computers, video cams, cell phones, and many more (Prensky, 2001) therefore this technology can be used to facilitate engagement with students with the features offer on blogs photos, video, links, media etc. (Kerasley & Shneiderman) . There are many ways blogs can be utilised in classroom by the following means:

• Mentioned in Topic 4 - delivery technologies, they can be accessible to parents, by parents involving themselves in their student school work by seeing their achievements, what they are studying and how they are processing in that particular subject they are studying (CQUniversity, 2009).
• Mentioned in topic 5 – student-centre technologies, an excellent way to encourage students to write is by them recording their own learning journey via a blog. Students can add to their blog daily via LM building regular reflective activities into their teaching so that students have an opportunity to post to their Blogs (CQUniversity, 2009). Collaborative assignments may also take place outside the school setting.
• LM can post lessons for specific subjects and students’ homework. Allowing students, learning manager and parents to share their school work. This will help and prompt students with their school work and allow students to be able to receive feedback from other students. This will also allow LM and parents to see where the student is at with his/her school work.
• LM can inform students who are sick or away from school for extended period of time of the lesson taking place in the classroom and students can do their work via the blog to keep up-to-date.
• I think blogs would be great for students in rural areas who can not able to tend school five days a week. LM can post homework and lessons onto their blogs.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM

Blog is short for Web Log and is a publicly accessible online journal as it offers a time sequenced journal that date entry (CQUniversity, 2009). In this assessment, professional blog, I will be investigating and learning a wide variety of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) or, as they are also known in the business world, e-learning technology. Based on my assessment of the technologies I will contain an analysis according to the active learning, ICT learning design, learning styles frameworks and other frameworks. In addition I will discuss how these technology lead to higher order and creative thinking/learning. I also will indicate which technologies I would use as a Learning Manager (LM) and how I would use them to enhance student learning plus make my teaching more efficient and effective in the learning environment – in and out of class time. Whilst incorporating technology into the learning environment the LM needs to take into consideration some key points: netiquette, Internet safety, access and equity and whether the technology easily adaptable for digital immigrants, I will be explaining all this below in more detail. I will also endeavour to include thoughtful comments on my peers’ blogs and responding to those placed on my Blog. In summary this assessment will result in a professional blog, on the technologies LM/or myself can utilise in their/my student learning environment to enhance student learning and make their/my teaching more efficient.

HIGHER ORDER THINKING
Perkins from Howard University (cited in Ginger Champagne Varnado Elementary School, n.d.) claims higher order thinking,

Every day thinking, like ordinary walking, is a natural performance we all pick up. But good thinking, like running the l00-yard dash, is a technical performance ... Sprinters have to be taught how to run the 100-yard dash; good thinking is the result of good teaching, which includes much practice.

Higher-order thinking requires students to manipulate information and ideas in ways that transform their meaning and implications (The State of Queensland Department of Education and Training, 2004). LM can engage students in higher order thinking learning experience and or environment by:

• allowing students to work collaboratively or in cooperative learning groups, to enhance communicating with others in varied ways
• asking open-ended questions with more than one “right answer”
• providing activities that accommodate multiple learning styles
• developing problem solving activities that require different types of thinking (Montgomery Country Public School, 2005).

CREATIVE THINKING
Vonado Elementary School (n.d.) describes creative thinking as a “divergent thinking. It generates something new or different. It involves having a different idea that works as well or better than previous ideas.” Anne de A’Echevarria's (cited in Teaching Expertise, n.d.) focus is on QCA Personal Learning and Thinking Skills framework – this is to encourage creative thinkers across the curriculum. She did a questionnaire and interview question on students and found their ideas on creative thinking (Teaching Expertise). One student (cited in Teaching Expertise) explain creative thinking as, “Even learning French verbs could be creative if you used puppets or something. If you were allowed to put something of yourself into it”. Another student (cited in Teaching Expertise) explains it as, “It could be an idea that you’re trying to work on to make it better, or sometimes just putting things into your own words.” To conclude, the students were asked to give recommendation about what their teachers could do help them become more creative (Teaching Expertise). The enquiry group partly based their development work on these ideas:

• collaboration/sharing ideas helps
• give us more open tasks: ‘don’t tell us exactly what to do’
• give us ‘free’ time during the day to be creative; to ‘express ourselves’
• give us more choice
• give us confidence; help us ‘do things for ourselves’
• be aware that creativity comes from the heart, sometimes slowly and never in 30 minutes!
• give us ‘space to put ourselves into it’
• don’t give us too much help
• there shouldn’t be a ‘right and a wrong answer’ (Teaching Expertise, n.d.).

Higher order and creative thinking will be fostered in the learning environment for the technology below and will explain by means of frameworks such as active learning, ICT learning design, learning styles frameworks and other frameworks. Hence how I will engage my students and have an effective learning environment.

FACTORS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATIONS WHEN TEACHING WITH ICT
The factors LM and students need to take into consider when utilising the below technology are:

• netiquette
• internet safety
• access and equity
• whether the technology easily adaptable for digital immigrants.

NETIQUETTE
The term “netiquette” is derived from the two words Internet and etiquette. Netiquette principally means any communication a person may send out or receive from the Net and expresses the rules for online behaviour. Examples of netiquette include:

• not typing in capitals (LIKE THIS) as it is seen as shouting
• not sending bulk email or spam
• not defaming people online
• responding appropriately to requests
• using Internet acronyms (Internet acronyms are acronyms which are used specifically on the Internet or mobile phones as a method of communication) or emoticons (emoticons are a combination of keystrokes which form a picture relating to a feeling) (Albury Local Internet, 1996; Australia Government NetAlert, 2007).

INTERNET SAFETY The internet provides a powerful source for learning and research skills for LM and students, for example, improved access to subject learning across a wide range of learning areas, integrated or cross-curricular studies etc.; however, with this power come risks and Internet safety is of the utmost concern (CQUniversity, 2009). Some of the risks fall under the headings of:

• exposure to inappropriate material – pornographic, sexually explicit, hatful, violent
• physical danger – stranger danger (meeting someone online who may claim to be someone else)
• harassment and bullying – cyber bulling (bullying though a Internet service, for example, email, chat rooms, discussion groups or Web pages. May also include bullying though mobile phone
• privacy – supplying personal information online can result in receiving spam (advertising material and/or viruses) (CQUninveristy, 2009).

However with the above in mind in the learning environment the majority of this can be minimised via the Walled Garden approach or by being aware of the guideline and advice in NetAlert. The link for NetAlert is http://www.netalert.gov.au/. Answer.com (2007) refers to Walled Garden “a network or service that either restricts or makes it difficult for users to obtain applications or content from external sources.” Through employing Walled Garden approach students, teachers, librarians and alike have a highly restricted access to the world online, for example, in Australia public schools they have only have access to government approved Web sites (CQUniversity, 2009), therefore limiting their accessibly to social networking and teachers and library staff to sites they might find useful to teach via. Hence I think the best way to implant Internet safety is like the private schools do (CQUniversity). I would read the NetAltert and brief the students on the rules, regulations, correct method of use via Internet, hence making sure Internet safety is never breached by students , if so follow the correct provided under behavioural management. This provide the teacher, librarians and alike an enormous advantage in terms of engaging their students. In addition this will also teach and encourage students the correct manner when utilising the Internet when Walled Garden approach is not in place, for example, in the learning environment outside the classroom.

ACCESS AND EQUITY
Using the technology I am going to cover below the LM needs to keep in mind access and equity, not all students have the access to computers outside the learning environment. These groups can include:

• cultural and linguistic diversity
• gender
• indigenous students
• students with disability (CQUniversity, 2009).

Hence these students who fall in the above category, LM needs to be aware of this and teach students how to understand and gain control of the e-learning technology that are embedded in them.

DIGITAL NATIVES OR DIGITAL IMMIGRANTS
According to Prensky (2001), learners can be categorised as digital natives or digital immigrants. Prensky quotes digital natives, “Our students today are all “native speaker” of the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet”. They spend their entire lives immersed and driven by these forms of technology; to them it is an integral part of their lives: computers, videogames, digital music players, video cams, cell phones, and all the other toys and tools of the digital age (Prensky). Hence not a day, maybe not a minute or a second goes by where these digital natives are not utilising digital age tools. Whereas digital immigrants, Prensky quotes, are “speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital age), are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language”.

Therefore as LM what better way to engage students by incorporating their everyday technology into the learning environment; however, most LM are digital immigrants therefore reading on will enlighten them on how to use these update technology in a digital natives world. In Pernskey’s (2005) article “Engage Me or Enrage Me” quotes, “So hi there, I’m the tuned-out kid in the back row with the headphones. Are you going to engage me today or enrage me? The choice is yours”. LMs should speak to this student and other like them by engaging them with the digital age tools, so read and find out how. However when implanting these tools into the learning environment the LM needs to keep in mind the above mention for example: Netiquette, Internet safety and access and equity.

HI - INTRODUCING KRISTEN

Hi! I will introduce myself first so you know a little about me. My name is Kristen Pinnington and I'm studying a Bachelor of Learning Management Early Childhood in Mackay. I am mother of two wonderful boys aged 4 and 5 years. One is attending kindergarten and the other prep. I have never set up a blog before and therefore I have many mixed feelings: excitement, anxious, worry, can’t wait to get started, then anxious again. But I am looking forward to the exciting journey I will take in learning 21st century technology and applying this to a classroom and seeing my final product – the blog. The technology I grew up with was a bit different from today’s technology, I’m 27 so it was the 80’s when I was born and it was rare to see a computer in a home in my early years of childhood. However, I grew up with an Apple computer and spent a lot of my time playing education games. This was one of the major ways I learned, as mum would say my answer was incorrect and I would argue with her, saying I was right. The computer would say, no, the answer was wrong, and I would have to believe it: you can’t argue with a computer. As well as playing on the computer, I would also play outside with my brother and sisters. When I was in grade 4 it was the 1990s, “….. the decade in which the world got a whole lot smaller thanks to a slew of technological innovations that changed the way people interacted with each other on an international scale” (Whatever! It’s all good, 2009). I can remember in grade 5 being introduced to computers at school but this involved only a 1- hour slot once a week and sometimes we had to share a computer. In high school I can remember still using a typewriter. Computers are incredibly easy compared to typewriters – you can add and paste; interest pictures, charts, tables and many more effects.