WEB SPACES

 

Reflection on Webs paces

Web spaces for education and learning has dramatically changed the way the modern classroom operates. The use of web spaces in the classroom has given unlimited access of resources to students and teachers. As there is an ever-growing list of online technology I will give an overview on three areas; websites, wikis and blogs. I will then focus on what blogs can deliver in an educational setting.

Websites are designed to display information for the user and are not usually interactive.  Websites can be set up by anyone and controlled by the host. Users cannot change the information displayed on the website; it can only be managed by an authorised entity. Websites usually keep to a set theme, for example, a history website focusing on ancient history will not have information on modern history, though it may have hyperlinks to another website that contains modern history. Websites can contain hyperlinks to more information and other websites as well as their own information. Hyperlinks can take you to sites such as You Tube; for video content, Flickr; for images, and many more sites. Websites can be a great source of information within a classroom setting, it provides the opportunity for self-learning and discovery according to the individual student’s ability.

Wikis are a collaborative online tool designed for users to work together, like a community. All users can add, edit, modify or change details within the wiki page. With this in mind rules and etiquette are necessary for a successful wiki page to operate well. With the correct rules in place wiki’s can be a valuable forum for the contemporary learner as it allows the core idea to grow and change with collaboration between the learners.

Blogs are an online space for conversational style journaling about what ever subject the creator wishes to comment on. They are displayed from the newest post to the oldest post usually. Blogs are an online space where the creator controls the information and readers can make comments about the post but cannot alter the original post. Blogs can contain images, videos and links to other websites. Due to the control the author has on the blog site it is ideal for students to share their ideas, as well as comment on other ideas without changing the author’s content. This option makes blogs more user friendly than using wikis when investigating new learning ideas for students.

I will focus on what blogs can offer in the modern classroom for the contemporary learner and the functionality of blogs within this setting. I have covered the basics of what a blog is and how it differs from websites and wikis, but there is a lot more potential for learners to develop ICT skills with this format of online learning.

Due to the ease of setting up a blog space this medium is ideal for learners of all abilities to improve their ICT skills. With this in mind it would be advantageous if setting up the blog space was controlled by outlining simple instructions allowing students to create blogs as early as possible.

Choosing the settings for a blog page is a simple procedure for example setting permissions; choose the settings menu click the permissions heading and select the options you want to set. If you want to have multiple authors for a post you can invite them by email by clicking on the headings.

 

Source: image of my blogger settings page.

Selecting a theme can be just as easy, by following the same process; select themes, then choose your theme, for the advanced user you can customise your own theme.

Source: Screenshot of my blogger theme

 

As well as setting the outlook and permissions of your bog site you can add hyperlinks to other sites such as You Tube links or other blogger sites. Here is one to my blogger site, I would love it if you could check it out and make a few comments, so I can continually improve my quality. https://sites.google.com/cqumail.com/michaelssite/home

While using online sites and technology there are legal, safe and ethical protocols that should always be considered. It is best to have a classroom discussion and set expectations around ICT safety, legal and ethical protocols prior to creating any web space. This will ensure students understand the limitations and requirements of accessing information online, allowing them to use this technology in a productive way without consequence.

The pedagogical benefits of using ICT for learning in history, one of my chosen majors, would involve using the SAMR model to ensure both lower-level and higher-level thinking would be achievable. Here is an example of a task that utilises the SAMR model

 

               

Substitution	Students research images, videos and documents on the Gallipoli battle online.
Augmentation	Students make a timeline of the events of the battle using information which they have researched
Modification	Students look at the battlefield using maps; IE - google or world maps. This gives them an understanding of the size and location of the battle with reference to the surrounding areas.
Redefinition	Students create their own overview of the battle including a narration of the battle, where events occurred and how significant it was; using the information they gathered for their timeline. They can use power point or another program that allows for the task to be complete.

 

While the students worked through this task they would also be utilising the concept of Bloom’s taxonomy for educational goals which consist of; remember, understand, apply, analyse, evaluate and create.

Combining SAMR with Bloom’s taxonomy ensures pedagogical scaffolding, allowing the teacher and the student to notice any developmental shortfalls that may be present. Creating an opportunity for individualised learning.

 

References

 

Hobdell, G. (2022). Topic 3: Digital Tools 1 - Web spaces. 1.2 Blogs for learning. CQUniversity Australia. 
https://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/book/view.php?id=2413574&chapterid=179756

Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority [QCAA]. (2022).21_st century skills. Queensland Government.
https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior-subjecta/general-subjects/21st-century-skills

 Queensland Department of Education. (2020). Cybersafety is Queensland schools. Queensland Government. 
https://www.qld.gov.au/education/schools/health/cybersafety/cybersafety-qss