Innovative Learning Approaches and Digital StoryTelling

In this course I have learnt that I can transform my learners from being knowledgeable to being knowledge- able by engaging them using the technology and social media. I have learnt that learners need to be in charge of their own learning and do things themselves. They need to be engaged in order to do this. They need to collaborate and add to the existing knowledge. In order for them to become knowledge-able, they need to practice. They need to embrace real problems that they do not know the answers to. They need to be able to harness and leverage the relevant technology tools. They need to work collaboratively on tasks. They need to learn the art of critical thinking and go beyond just seeking meaning. I have learnt that through critical thinking and problem-solving the learners build knowledge.

 

Although the learners are addicted to social media they have not been using it for Educational purposes. I have learnt that introducing the social media as a tool for learning would be beneficial to the learners because they are already very interested in it  and would therefore be inspired to search and research on given topic. It would also make the lessons more interesting and take away the boredom that is exhibited in the traditional classrooms.

I have learnt that with innovative approaches to learning with technology, my role as a teacher  would change for the better. I would no longer be the giver but the partner.  I would be the guide to the learners as they explore, research, recreate and put together using technology. My task would be to ask the right questions, trust the children, and Set the goal high and let them reach for it.

I have learnt that Game-based learning is one of the best ways to teach because it brings fun into learning process. Games help the learners to increase their fluid knowledge which is used in problem solving.
I have learnt that technology can support other forms of learner engagement through; Adaptive methods, Transformational, Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating and Transferring.
I have also learnt that Digital Storytelling  helps learners to develop critical thinking, report writing and media literacy.

Game-Based Learning

It has not been an easy task to design a game as a team bearing in mind that my team members belong to other subjects and we are in different locations, with different responsibilities and work load. Let alone the challenge of internet accessibility. Getting everyone to work at the task at the same time is like taking a horse to the well and forcing it to drink.   
Games are very exciting to play and each time I would fail a step I would become desperate not to fail the next number. The games keep you on edge and give you adrenaline rush as you strive to get everything right. Like in the kahoot game in the course, there were times when I just had to guess what the answer would be and at times I would get it right at times not. I felt the pressure to get all answers right.
Games are good at knowledge building as they force one to analyze and think critically before making a decision. It is equally important for learners to play as well as to create games because this boosts their creativity as well as their problem-solving skills. They even make the learners smarter because in most cases as they play there is maximum multi-tasking. ie They chat voice, chat text, operate character, manage short term objectives, manage long term objectives, and manage interrupts.
Game-based learning brings so much into the learning process. It brings;
·         fun and entertainment
·         passion and Motivation
·         engagement and involvement
·         Creativity
·         experiencing
·         interactive entertainment/Collaboration
·         Problem-solving skills
·         Decision-making
·         Research
·         Learner-centered
Ways in which games address curriculum standards;
·         maintaining a balance between fun and learning
·         Making academic content integral
·         planning the role of the learners and that of the teacher
·         not divorcing de-contextualized components from fictional content
Games can be integrated into the Literature subject through;
·         Quizzes
·         Word play/ Puzzles
·         Role play etc

Social Media as a Communication Tool for Learning

Social media are tools that allow people to share information. They depend on mobile and web based technologies to create interactive platforms.  Social media would be a good communication tool for learning especially twitter, Face Book and WhatsApp that seem to be the favorite of the students here at my school. It could help in the following ways;
·         For students to discuss questions or assignments given to them.
·         Teachers could post questions with hash-tags and the children answer directly to him/her and to each other.
·         There would be increased participation from the learners as it helps them to find their voice.
·         Students post their responses on in class readings and discuss aspects of a topic without so much as disrupting others who are reading.
·         Can be used to keep students up to date on tests and due dates.
·         It would give time to the students to discuss even outside class.

It is however, not without its pitfalls some of which include;

·         Addiction
·         thought fragmentation
·         distraction
·         suffocates face to face interaction
·         mindless banter
·         hinders critical thinking etc.
My learners have been using WhatsApp and FaceBook for chatting mostly, apart from a few who have used it for discussing assignments that have been given to them, sharing notes, playing brain teasing games and asking questions of what was studied at school in case one has been absent/ away from school.
I would use Facebook and WhatsApp for posting questions that learners can discuss collaboratively. I would also post images that they would have to analyse and interpret. WhatsApp would come in handy when it gets to video clips of literature text books.
The learners would have assignments to look for resources online and if they found a valuable one they would be tasked to tweet it to the group.

 

Real World Collaboration, and Efficiency of Collaborative Technology Tools

Collaboration in this lesson has not been easy at all. There has been a lot of delays in people coming up to post their comments or even to edit.  Matters have been  made more difficult by the fact that I could not move on because I had to wait for other members to post their contributions either on the wiki, Google docs, or the mindmeister.  I think this business of collaboration has to be revised and people have to be brought on the same page before it can be effective and efficient. Even now, because of the delays in members contribution, a number of us had to move on and that means that  we missed whatever contribution  came after .

I  would make it clear to all the learners that their contribution is imperative and would earn them marks but it has to be done at the right time, not lagging behind and then coming up when everybody has moved to the next step. In that case they would lose marks for inefficient collaboration. I would set a time limit and close the site the moment the time is up. This is to instill discipline and try to have control on the movement of the lesson.

I also think, it would be more effective if done in smaller groups like say Four to six learners in a group. That would ensure effectiveness and efficiency as far as posting contributions is concerned. A big group brings/ causes laxity.

Knowledge Building and Power of Collaborative Knowledge

Knowledge building is a process whereby learners go beyond just reproducing what they have learnt. It entails building knowledge and this happens when the learners use the new information or knowledge achieved and combine it with the information that they have been having, to create more Ideas and new understanding of things.

Knowledge building entails interpretation beyond the literal meaning, analysis of data and establishing relationship of the parts, synthesis relationship between ideas and evaluation of information in terms of meaning, or credibility. Knowledge building according to my understanding is as summarized in the diagram below

 

Engaged Learning, Technology, and Limitations of Technology in Engaging Learners.

Engaged learning means learner must be interested, involved, committed, absorbed  and loving what they are learning. They must have a passion for it, ask for it, want it, help invent it. They must be involved in everything because they love to be engaged.

Technology is a critical role-player in engaging learners. It is not a secret how much time learners spend on social media. They love to feel it and be a  part of it all the time and that is why we always find them busy face booking, tweeting, watching movies, sending messages etc all their free time. Technology gives them a chance to interact with others, a chance for a hands-on experience and learners love to experience what they are learning.

Technology has its limitations too.

·         It may be a distraction from school work and class activities. Students watch videos, listen to music, send messages and fail to concentrate on class activities. Others Face Book even during a lesson.

·         Others also listen to music as they attend to their class work or school work and this is multitasking which is disadvantageous as it reduces productivity, increases stress and lowers IQ.

Innovative Learning Activities and How I would Adapt more Elements of Innovative Learning in My Teaching

Innovative learning activities are the tasks that a teacher can come up with to make the lesson interesting to the learners. These activities should be in position to capture the interest of the learners and inspire them to search, sort,  rearrange data and create knowledge that will lead to effective learning and problem -solving.  These innovative activities must involve;

·         Collaboration and teamwork; this is because by nature people are social beings and they learn by interacting with one another and in the process focusing on the 21st-century skills of collaboration, teamwork, problem-formulation, creativity and the ability to "learn how to learn"

·         Have relevance and be applicable to the real world. In other words.

·          Promote authentic learning.

·         Be inspiring in order to help develop students' ability to go beyond, to question and apply learning in new situations.

·  Include the use of technology to allow the learners to have a hands-on experience where they can experiment, discuss, reflect on what has been learnt and even redo activity if necessary.

·         Engage learners attention and get them to be creative in trying to solve the problems.

·         Most importantly, learner- centered. 

From what I have seen from the learning games I have viewed, most of the activities are;

·         Carried out online and the students are eager to find the solution.

·         Creativity has been tremendously inspired from these learners that they are ready to stretch their minds in search of solutions.

·         The teacher is just there to guide when consulted.

·         Learners use technology and it is a hands-on experience for all.

In order to adapt my teaching to include more elements of innovative learning, I intend to;

·         Embrace creativity as part of learning.

·         Use creative arts and media oriented programs

·         Participate in or create a program to develop creative skills.

·         Use emotional connections.

·         Create a socially supportive atmosphere.

·         Establish a degree of expressive freedom.

·         Gather outside resources.

·         Allow room for mistakes.

·         Encourage curiosity.

·         Design lessons that allow for wondering and exploration.

·         Tap into multiple intelligences

·         Allow for collaborative problem solving.