Informal Blog Task - Week 4

I created my texts on JigZone, Wordle and Tagxedo.

 

By having the experience of using these programs, I have extended my existing knowledge and skills of using Web.2 technologies, in order to support my future practice. It is important for me to build on my knowledge and skills of using Web.2 technologies, because children engage with these technologies as part of their every life, therefore, it is important to embrace these within my classroom (FutureLab, 2010). I need to provide the right amount of pedagogy to ensure the children are using the particular Web.2 technology correctly, as the children may not know how to use, for example Tagxedo (Harris and Rea, undated).

 

Allowing the children to use JigZone to create their own jigsaw puzzles impacts children’s learning positively, because it allows children to create and share their puzzles with each other, for example, in order to understand each other’s interests (Carrington and Robinson, 2009). By me having the confidence of using Web.2 technologies within the classroom, will enable my class to be actively engaged in their learning (Carrington and Robinson, 2009). I will be able to support the children because I have benefited from the knowledge and skills, beforehand (Carrington and Robinson, 2009).

 

Now that I have experience with using Wordle and Tagxedo, I will use them in my future practice; because these programs allow children to be creative with the work they produce (Allen, Potter, Sharp and Turvey, 2012). This is because they can insert their own key words, change the text font and colour. After having the experience of using Web.2 technologies means that I also need to be aware of when it is beneficial to use them, whether they will positively impact children’s learning (Allen et al, 2012). It is important as teachers to be prepared in integrating a range of technologies within the classroom, to maximise the positive impacts they have on children’s learning, but they are also safe to use (Halsey, 2007). Therefore, I believe that it is important for me to engage and experience more technologies, in order to positively impact my future practice.

 

 

Bibliography

Allen, J., Potter, J., Sharp, J. & Turvey, K. (2012) Primary ICT Knowledge, Understanding and Practice London: Sage Learning Matters

 

Carrington, V & Robinson, M. (Ed) (2009) Digital Literacies: Social Learning and Classroom Practices London: Sage Publications Ltd

 

FutureLab. (2010) Digital Literacy across the Curriculum. [pdf] Available from: http://www2.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/handbooks/digital_literacy.pdf (Accessed: 04/02/14)

 

Halsey, S. (2007) ‘Embracing emergent technologies and envisioning new ways of using them for literacy learning in the primary classroom’ English Teaching: Practice and Critique, 6 (2) pp. 99-107 [pdf] http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ832191.pdf   (Accessed: 04/02/14)

 

Harris, A., & Rea, A. (undated) ‘Web 2.0 and Virtual World Technologies: A Growing Impact on IS Education’ Journal of Information Systems Education, 20 (2) pp. 137-144 [pdf] http://www.unf.edu/uploadedFiles/aa/acadaffairs/provost/VirtualWorld_Technologies.pdf (Accessed: 04/02/14)