IWB

Research has shown that learners learn better when they are visually stimulated or when information is transmitted visually. The visually meaning helps learners to engage with the material, as their imaginative state is activated. That being said, we see the introduction  of the Interactive White Board (I,W.B) more and more in educational institutions, or at least in more well-off institutions. In most cases, especial in South Africa the black board still performs as the main pedagogy in classrooms, and in fact some schools do not even have them. Nonetheless, the I.W.B is a create teaching tool for promoting learner and teacher engagement. Although it performs all the tasks of what black boards and Power Points , it has a more interactive side to it. Any information that is displayed or  discussed on the I.W.B can be stored, saved, edited and printed from the device, which make any input from learners, immediately added to the original presentation and allows for the flip-class room method, to be effectively executed. In addition, the I.W.B does not any other devices for it to perform such as chalk and board erasers, which is plus, until the electricity fails and one has to revert back to the old methods and pedagogues of teaching (Eskom?). Essentially the I.W.B incorporates all the features of a Power Point presentation and a black board's functionalities and expand on their capabilities and it is with no doubt this device will being the next step in digital pedagogues. Therefore, teachers should not shy away from the technology but rather embrace it, as it only enhances the learning experience and develops teacher and learning engagement.

Blog 5 response

I think the Foley video touches on very important key factors that a teacher can use in the class room and that is to create a comfortable space where learners can learn and engage. The pastoral care initiative sounds like a effective method to get learners involve with sharing knowledge. I think we as future teacher have to find ways to help our learners to understand what learning is all about. Ina addition, I think gone are the days where the teacher merely presents learning material and the learner is expected to just sit there and take it all in, without using critical thinking and not making sense out of it all. The 21st century learner wants to relate to what is presented to him/ her, therefore, we as future teachers need to use all pedagogues we have to our disposal, and make it relevant, interesting and exciting. Wills suggest we use methods such as meditation or reflection with our learners, to unearth their own sense of problem solving to challenges they as learners experience. A learner is more likely to learn when he or she is confronted with difficulty and then overcome it than being told what to do in that instance. Furthermore the Vigotsky method of teaching, meaning organising learners in smaller groups, helps in this regard, for it lends the strength of peer interactions among the learners. If a learner can see he/ she is not the only struggling with a specific challenge, he/ she is more likely to share to what it is he/ she is struggling with. This feature changes the dynamic, with regards to teacher- learner dynamic, and allows for group learning and experience. In a sense the class room become the teacher's pedagogy and the learners a extension there of and visa versa. THE CLASS ROOM SHOULD BE SEEN AS A LIVING ORGANISM, WHICH CAN ADAPT AND CHANGE. Learners are more prone to learn if they feel comfortable with the method of teaching, the teacher and their fellow learners. Therefore we as future teachers should be mindful of this fact, and should allow for mediation with our learners to create a space where ideas of knowledge are not stagnant or strict but rather flexible. Knowledge comes in all shapes sizes and if we do not realize this, we may lose out on a opportunity of learning.

The Standards of critical Digital Pedagogies and the Independent Project Response

As response to the Independent Project video, I am of the opinion that it is an amazing initiative to promote learning on all levels. It shows the capabilities that can be achieved when both students and teachers work together to establish a productive educational environment. The project allows for an open debate between the learners, students and teachers and promotes an a engagement.


However this space of learning can only be achieved when all parties, such as the students, teachers and educational structures are willing to work together to promote knowledge. With that being said, what the ICT suggest makes reference to that which is being employed by the Project. A learning sphere that uses digital technologies to connect more communicants by sharing and engaging about knowledge. In addition the ICT works on the notion that everyone involve in the program have access to these pedagogies. This feature runs a risk, for in the context of South Africa, it would be very difficult to create such a program or even  to implement it. Reasons being I that in order for such a program, to work nationally, the educational structure needs to be re- evaluated. The problem is that most curricula in the country is set up in such a fashion that promotes productive and production learning, meaning that the learner acts merely at a receptive level. The teacher acts as a distributed knowledge level and all of this is based  and mark around a merit system of education.

However I do feel that if a more tech-mediated self-directed distance learning system was implemented, it would allow for more engagement and extensive connectivity  with  regards to information. That being said, the educational system needs to be updated to cater for learners with no access to these portals. In addition, an example of such initiatives would be to incorporate more facilities, such as libraries or computer labs that will allow learners to access these networks. Furthermore a joint venture needs to take place where feedback from students need to be incorporated in the evaluation and write up of curriculums. This feature shall allow for more fluidity when it comes to the teacher as student and student as teacher dynamic.

IMPLEMENTING SOCIAL MEDIA IN MY CURRICULUM

We as citizens of the 21st century are in the midst of the digital age, therefore it is expected form us as future teachers to use social media to our disposal. As future teachers, we need to adapt to the changing learning environment in schools, for students these days are very technological savvy. I think a very initiative, would be creating a website or a blogging community, wherein schools in the same area can discuss different takes on the prescribed curricular. In addition  co-ordinating teachers of schools should be able to discuss certain aspects regarding topics of engagement. Furthermore these websites or blogs should be highly regulated and control, to allow only registered learners and schools to partake in the medium. Security should be  MAIN PRIORITY. I think this avenue would serve as a great medium in establishing the overall standard and pace each school in a region is working on. Furthermore ties and relationships are forged not only academically but it can also branch out to the domains of sport and extra curricula activities. The aim is to establish a network in a specific region, where social capital can be harnessed.


Further more, I think using social media apps such as "Whatsapp", is an ideal platform to utilised, to encourage information sharing. Reasons being are: the majority of learners may not have access to pc's or laptops, but do have cell phones. Therefore their phones become a personal active device of learning, digital pedagogy. It is important however to stress the security issue, therefore "Whatsapp" is ideal, for it works of the basis of a cell phone number. Furthermore security can also be obtained by linking the phones directly to that of teachers and parents, to curb any invalid or unknown invites. Hence the need for the app to be used as a closed group, where by the administrator have the right to regulate admissions.

Decoding Digital pedagogy, beyomd the LMS

Digital pedagogy as a teaching mechanism or method, seem to be a useful tool in advancing the educational improvements of both learners and teachers. However just as the Learning Management System in the  past enjoyed a disconnection with that current teaching environment, it suggests the same in the majority of South African teaching environment. In the previous LMS, learners and teachers did not have the necessary source to tap in, in order to unearthed the vital capabilities of what digital pedagogies would allow them to gather.  In most cases online teaching aids in the process of learning with regards to previously disadvantaged learners. Although it is understandable to draw on and highlight the differences which exist between digital pedagogy and online teaching. Digital pedagogy as discussed by Morris, suggest that it is much more than just  online teaching. The practice allows for engagement and as a pedagogue (digital) he or she asks questions regularly. Questions pertaining to its usage as a tool to further educational advancements. Furthermore the digital pedagogue and learners try to ask questions which will sketch the learners background. This action is important for it promotes a healthy teaching and learning environment.


In addition digital pedagogy is important for the future learning and teaching environment, however an emphasis needs to be put on creating an infrastructure, where such an aid can b e introduced in the teaching environment (South Africa).

The article highlights the myths and misconceptions around digital pedagogy. Most teachers view digital aids as mere means to an end, meaning that they view these tools except it makes use of electronics. An example such would be computers, such as laptops and tablets and even smart phones. In addition two familiar problems arise. One being the stance hold by many teachers that technology becomes instructive rather than aiding in helping the learners to learn better in the class room. An example of such comes in the form of power point slides and bullet point lesson plans. These mediums rely on bombarding the learner with information, rather than promoting engagement with the given text or lesson presented. The second problem that arises is that technology is seen as a tool, which performs a task the teacher are already busy doing, but in this instance merely has a electronic-mechanical advantage.

Jose Bowen, a dean from the southern Methodist University prefers to have no computer or any form of  digital interference in his class rooms, he is not anti-technology, but he believes it interferes with learner engagement. Bowen practices this method of instruction in all his lectures and have been doing this for a number of years, Bowen believes that digital pedagogy bombards the learners with information which takes away from their capaability to interact or engage with the informastion given. Julia Flanders is of the opininion that the modern teacher and learner is moving in a much more hybridizatiion notiion of learning, One in which their exist a balance between learners physical enegagement with texts and the using the tools such as digital mediums to aid in their understanding. This hybridizatiions challenges the notions of disciplines and gives  rise to the hybrid scholar.