Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Photo Slide show and MovieMaker
I found this task really fun and interesting, as we were able to use our own material for the slideshow and movie. I had recently come back from Thailand and used all those photos for my slideshow. This was really engaging as I could relate to the material and bring back fun memories and experiences of my time overseas. It also provided me with a platform to present my times in Thailand to my friends and family in a way where they were not bored and actually found it interesting, especially through the use of music to create the atmosphere.
For creating slideshows and movies in the classroom, there are many ways to utilise these technologies. However, I feel it is important to make the material relevant to the students, whether it is photo’s they took on an excursion, or video footage of something they are investigating. The teacher could provide this for the students, but if it is predominately the students work, they would have greater ownership of the task, which in turn will hopefully create greater engagement.
The type of student that would be most enthused or advantaged by this type of task would be a hands on individual, who is creative, innovative and likes to bring something original to the table. Also the beauty of this task is that it can be presented at completion and will be engaging to most audiences, it is not simply a written task that is to be handed in. This may create more involvement and ownership of the task, as students know their work will be seen by many.
Through the use of videos and films in physical education, it allows the teacher to bring the subject to life, especially in VCE units 1-4. As the content is sport science based, needing high technological, expensive equipment, as well as elite athletes, teachers are not able to demonstrate everything to the students. This is where film brings the real content to the classroom and allows their textbooks to come alive. I myself taught VCE unit 4 physical education in my second placement this semester. One topic covered was the hydration needs of athetes. I searched YouTube and discovered a great range of short clips to show the students, in order to develop their knowledge further, and see firsthand how real elite athletes use fluids and utilise a hydration strategies. This specific clip can be found at the following link:
Following the lesson I asked both the students and my mentor teacher as to their responses to the clip and it was all positive feedback. They found it engaging, as well as informative and substantiated their prior knowledge.
I personally have not seen video footage used in junior physical education classrooms as yet, but it is something I will definitely promote when I begin teaching. Junior classes can use still shots or films to demonstrate correct technique, as well as to promote the sport prior to the commencement of a new unit. Students can also in pairs or small groups, film each other, then later analyse and if needed correct their technique. This gives ownership to the students for their learning and also some students find that if they can have a visual on how they are performing, they find it is quite different to the way they feel their body performing.
As for VCE Health and Human Development (HHD), it is again a subject that is hard to demonstrate in the classroom, particularly unit 4 which is global aid. Students cannot see in their own classrooms problems such as famine and disease, so again this is where film and still images can bring the content and textbook to life. On placement I have used a DVD which has short case studies of people around the world, looking at how they live and the problems they face every day.
Online Seminar
Creation of Group Seminar
This was the first time I have ever created a group presentation which was online, so I found it very interesting. The notion that we can present findings and ideas on the net, and not have to go into university was great! Even though we were all online students (no face to face seminars) we did still meet at university in person to plan and organise our online presentation. We could have possibly done it all online, but we still found it easier to speak in person with each other face to face to organise who was completing what task and how. We presented our online seminar in the form of a blog, and covered four topics, one each. We all had input as to how the blog was going to be created and the format as well.
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
VELS AND YOUR CLASSROOM
“Through the selection and application of appropriate equipment, techniques and procedures, students learn to process data and information to create solutions to problems and information products that demonstrate their knowledge and understandings of concepts, issues, relationships and processes related to all areas of learning” (VELS, ICT).
In my experience during teaching placement this year, I have seen technology used in many ways. IPhone Apps, video footage for game analysis, group presentations using PowerPoint, YouTube clips & ABC TV just to name a few.
The encouragement from the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority (VCAA) to use ICT when teaching any key learning area is justified since “tapping into material that many of our students are familiar with and have an affinity for, would seem a logical pedagogy in contemporary times” (Burrows, Hamlin, & Hemara, 2008, p.12). Students are very confident and engaged with technology such as internet, PowerPoint, YouTube etc., so why not embrace it for their learning (Burrows et al, 2008).
When using ICT however, it does need to be appropriate, kept simple and the purpose of the technologies clear at all times. This ensures PowerPoint does not become a “glorified overhead projector” and that technology will not replace the “human factor” in education (Burrows et al, 2008, p.14; Cote, Chen, & Keppel, 2008, p.61). An example of inappropriate use of ICT during my placement occurred when a video was shown to the class and there was no follow up discussion or application of the content seen. This resulted in the activity appearing to serve little purpose and no student learning was observable.
The Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) explicitly states that ICT in Physical Education can be used to “capture still and moving images of sporting activities and edit and/or annotate them to explain skill development or tactics” (VCAA, 2006). This is specific to the VELS, as at level 3 students begin to use basic tactics and skills, but you would most likely utilise video analysis at levels 5 and 6 when students are participating in more complex individual and team tactics and skills in sport (VCAA, 2006). In relation to the primary ICT statement, this analysis enables students to create solutions to their sporting concerns and demonstrate their knowledge on strategic thinking and individual and team play. VELS also states that ICT can be used to “capture, track and analyse data about body growth, performance and fitness” (VCAA, 2006). Video footage is not only an accurate way in which the teacher can assess the students, but it also provides self-assessment for the learner (Burrows et al, 2008). They can watch themselves perform, followed by a discussion on their technique, which is great for visual learners. In terms of tracking students’ progress, the school I attended on placement had a software program which allowed all fitness, body composition and performance data to be collected, stored and analysed from year 7 through to 10.
The possibilities of ICT in physical education are endless, especially as new programs and technologies advance. It will just take a bit of exploration and commitment on the teacher’s behalf to bring out the true potential in ICT for student learning.
References
VCAA (2006). Health and physical education standards. Retrieved August 7, 2011 from http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vels/hpe.html
VCAA (2006). Information and communications technology – relationships with other domains. Retrieved August 7, 2011 from http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/ict/relationships.html#show_hide7
Burrows, L., Hamlin, J., & Hemara, N. (2008). New technologies and physical education. Journal of Physical Education. New Zealand.
Cote, P., Chen, S., & Keppel, M.J., (2008). New perspectives in physical education: using online learning to promote critical thinking and collaborative skills. Asian Journal of Exercise & Sport Science, 5(1), 57-61
Monday, 8 August 2011
First Post!
So I don't really get this whole blogging thing... I've never followed a blog, let alone had my own going!! But we'll see how it goes :)
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