Educators in the 21st century are faced with the challenge to develop a

digital pedagogy to meet the demands and expectations of students in a

technology-driven society. This paper will demonstrate a sequence of five

digitally and pedagogically rich learning experiences that enable children

to create, communicate, and inquire with ICT. The learning experiences

will support personalised learning, collaborative learning and problem-

based learning. The paper will also address the following guiding

questions:

What theoretical underpinnings and frameworks support ICT?

As an educator, how can I integrate technology into teaching?

How can I provide a safe and supportive environment for my

students?

Is the technology chosen relevant for the learning objectives?

Will the technology scaffold student learning?

Will the learning experience promote collaboration?

How will I assess that the student has achieved the learning

objectives?

ICT is a valuable tool to enhance student engagement and motivation. The

use of ICT in schools should have a positive impact on students in terms of

supporting their learning and allowing them to acquire proficiency in the

relevant ICT skills (Khine, 2006). To benefit from the use of ICT in the

classroom it is necessary to be aware of the theoretical underpinnings and

frameworks that support it.

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Frameworks and theoretical underpinnings

Research on the use of technology in teaching and learning suggest that

the Constructivist theory is associated with the use of technology.

According to Constructivist theories learning involves; social interaction,

authentic learning experiences and collaboration among learners. In

constructivist classrooms, learners are considered active participants in

the learning process who are responsible for their own learning. Students

work in groups and often act as peer support for one another. The teacher

is a facilitator of learning who; inspires, plans, organises, guides and

provides instructions to the learner (Ozer, 2014).

Technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) is a

pedagogical approach that explains the types of knowledge required by

educators to incorporate ICT effectively into the curriculum. “The TPACK

framework argues that effective technology integration for teaching

specific content or subject matter requires understanding and negotiating

the relationships between the following three components: technology,

pedagogy and content”, (Howell, 2013, p.30). The TPACK approach

attempts to incorporate all of these three different elements to inform

pedagogical practice. The TPACK framework details that it is necessary for

the teacher to know how to use the selected technology and how to teach

students to use it. The teacher needs to determine which teaching

strategies would be most effective considering the anticipated learning

outcomes and what content needs to be covered. By understanding each

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of these in a detailed manner, with practice, the teacher can integrate

technology successfully (Howell, 2013).

Safe and Supportive Environment

With the increasing exposure to digital technology students are often

engaging and utilising ICT devices at a young age. As soon as students

begin using digital technologies, such as iPads, mobile phones, game

consoles, using the internet or signing up for an email address, they are

considered to be ‘digital citizens’. In qualifying as a digital citizen the

Australian Communication and Media Authority (2014) suggest that

“young students should recognise the importance of protecting their

private information online, the significance of taking responsibility for

themselves and their actions and the necessity of treating others with an

appropriate standard of behaviour online”.

When implementing ICT into any learning experience students need to be

aware of the issues related to accessing the internet safely. As an

educator and in accordance with the standards set out by the Australian

Institute for Teacher and School Leadership (2014), this topic needs to be

explicitly taught to students in order to provide them with a safe and

supportive environment. Understanding what students are doing online is

a valuable starting point for teaching cybersafety.

One particular program designed to support cybersafety is Cybersmart.

The program provides information and education to empower children to

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be safe online and “aims to develop ‘digital citizens’ who are able to

derive the benefits of online participation while taking responsibility for

self-protection by understanding the potential consequences of online

behaviour” (Commonwealth of Australia, 2014). Furthermore this program

is designed to educate students to understand that, “digital citizenship

goes beyond safety and risk, and encompasses the notion of positive

engagement in the online environment”. Because of the importance of

Cybersafety it would be essential to discuss this topic before any learning

experience. To reinforce the students understanding it would be beneficial

to display posters around the classroom. (See Appendix A & Appendix B)

Learning Experience

Defining topic and task requirements

Students are given the task to create a multimodal presentation to inform

their peers about sporting clubs and activities in their local area. The

multimodal presentation is aimed at promoting health and fitness

targeting primary-aged students. Students complete their multimodal

presentation in pairs which will be assigned by the teacher.

Links to ACARA Year 5 English Content Descriptions

The learning experiences are linked to the following ACARA descriptions.

Literature and contextIdentify aspects of literary texts that convey details or information about particular social, cultural and historical contexts (ACELT1608)

Interacting with others

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Use interaction skills, for example paraphrasing, questioning and interpreting non-verbal cues and choose vocabulary and vocal effects appropriate for different audiences and purposes (ACELY1796)

Interpreting, analysing, evaluatingIdentify and explain characteristic text structures and language features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text (ACELY1701)

Creating textsPlan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704)

Use a range of software including word processing programs with fluency to construct, edit and publish written text, and select, edit and place visual, print and audio elements (ACELY1707)

Brainstorming using ICT

During the first learning experience students will be introduced to the

task. The task is aimed to develop problem solving skills by providing

students with an authentic task. “Authentic learning is a pedagogical

approach that allows students to explore, discuss, and meaningfully

construct concepts and relationships in contexts that involve real-world

problems and projects that are relevant to the learner”(Mims, 2003, p.2).

Once the topic is explained then students will work in table groups to

“brainstorm”. The brainstorming activity will involve students to gather

ideas on how to complete the project. Students will record their ideas on

the classroom laptops using a program called Kidspiration. Kidspiration is

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an engaging way to create mind maps using ICT. It provides students with

a visual workspace and they are able to combine pictures, text and

spoken words. Kidspiration appeals to all types of learning styles but in

particular the visual learner, kinaesthetic learning, and interpersonal

learner. When completing this part of the learning experience students

need to consider and respond to the following:

What type of information will be needed in the presentation?

What types of programs can I use to make my presentation?

Where will I retrieve my information from?

Is my information credible?

How can I make my presentation visually appealing?

Who is the audience?

What type of text will I need in the presentation?

How am I going to present my information?

What types of sport can I research?

Throughout this process students will be engaged in genuine learning as

they are provided with an opportunity to make direct connections

between their prior knowledge and the new material they are learning.

Students are also required to utilise their problem solving skills. “The

evidence suggests that Problem Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional

approach that offers the potential to help students develop flexible

understanding and lifelong learning skills”. (Hmelo-Silver, 2004)

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Upon completion of the mind-map the teacher invites each group to share

their ideas with another group. This allows the students to collaboratively

learn with their peers. Collaboration among learners is a defining

characteristic of constructivist classrooms. As a teacher it is important to

note that careful consideration needs to be taken when forming groups to

ensure that each student shares responsibility to maintain task focus

(Krause, Bochner & Duchesne, 2007). In conclusion the teacher will begin

a class discussion and compile the students’ ideas on one main concept

map for future reference.

Exploring ICT modes

Following the previous learning experience the teacher will present the

types of multimodal presentation tools that can be used which were

suggested by the students in the brainstorming session. A multimodal

presentation as detailed in the, (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and

Reporting Authority, 2014) refers to a combination of two or more

communication modes. For example: image, gesture, music, spoken

language, and written language. Creating a multimodal presentation is a

multifaceted design process requiring planning and organisation of a

combination of modes. Students can present their work using one of the

following methods:

Glogster

Prezi

PowerPoint presentation

Creating a pamphlet on Microsoft Publisher

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Creating a short film on Movie Maker

As the students are in Year 5 they should be aware of these programs or

know some of the basics. During the learning sessions students will be

provided with the opportunity to familiarise themselves on how to create,

edit and publish a presentation using one of the above programs. To

achieve this students will work in pairs and are encourage to access and

browse online sites such as The Learning Place, YouTube or Google to

acquire information. Throughout this learning experience students will

discuss and decide on which program they will use to create their

presentation with and which sporting club or activity to use. During this

learning experience students are involved in substantive conversation as

dialogue is exchanged between one another to discuss and determine

their ideas. Substantive conversation is covered in the Productive

Pedagogies framework. As cited by Department of Education, Training and

Employment (2014), Productive Pedagogies are designed, ‘to ensure that

all students regardless of background are engaged in intellectually

challenging and relevant curriculum in a supportive environment’. When

all groups have decided on their topic, the teacher will hold a class

discussion to review any issues, concerns or questions.

Research and Note taking

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Following this learning experience students access the internet to compile

information to use in their multimodal presentation. “The internet is a

highly visual medium, using combinations of colourful text, icons, videos

and graphics in ways that traditional paper-based texts do not” (Krause,

Bochner & Duchesne, 2007, p. 367). Students use Penzu to create an

online journal to record and write the information necessary for their

presentation. Students refer to their concept map previously created as a

guide to gathering appropriate information. Throughout this process

students are developing the skill of ‘information literacy’ which is describe

by (Meredyth et al, 1999) as cited in (Krause, Bochner & Duchesne, 2007

p.367) as the ability to locate, evaluate, manipulate, manage and

communicate information to become an independent lifelong learner. The

concept of information literacy as explained by Krause, Bochner &

Duchsene (2007) requires more than technical skills. Another dimension

of information literacy is the ability to read a website and navigate around

it. Skill in being able to critically evaluate a site’s credibility is also

essential. For a student to acquire information literacy they need to apply

higher-order cognitive skills.

Planning and creating the presentation

Once the information has been compiled it is now time for the students to

create their presentation on laptops using their chosen ICT tool. Krause,

Bochner & Duchesne (2007) explain that ICT tools are used to enhance

learning and teaching and refer to this learning as E-learning. E-learning

includes the use of any kind of digital resources such as digital cameras,

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audio, images, video, text, collaboration with peers and learning in flexible

ways. This process empowers learners with responsibility for their own

learning and acts as a catalyst for authentic learning experiences.

Editing the presentation

When students get to this stage they must carefully read their work.

Students must consider word choice as it is an important factor in the

presentation process. If required, students can access an online dictionary

and thesaurus to assist with word choice. Ninja words and Wordnik are

two sites that the students can access to assist with vocabulary and

grammar during the editing process.

Presentation and Submission

This is the final stage of the learning experience and students are required

to upload their presentation through Dropbox. Dropbox is an online

service that allows students to share their work with one another in an

online environment. During this stage students can evaluate one

another’s work using and provide brief feedback via email.

Analysis of Learning Experience

The learning experiences are structured around Blooms digital taxonomy.

Students are scaffolded during the learning process and are encouraged

to access and experiment with various ICT tools and resources. The

learning experiences are organised to draw a connection to a

constructivist classroom and to cater for different learning styles. In

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summary the learning experiences were created to enhance learning

through ICT.

References

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2014).retrieved from <http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/>

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Commonwealth of Australia. (2014). Cyber(smart). retrieved from <http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/Schools.aspx>

Department of Education, Training and Employment. (2014). Queensland Government Education: Teaching.http://education.qld.gov.au/staff/learning/diversity/teaching/teaching.html

The University of Queensland. (2014). Active learning pedagogies.http://www.uq.edu.au/tediteach/flipped-classroom/problem-bl.html

Howell, J. (2013). Teaching with ICT Digital Pedagogies for Collaboration and Creativity. Victoria: Oxford.

Krause, K., Bochner, S., & Duchesner, S. (2007). Educational Psychology for learning and teaching. Victoria: Thomson.

Mims, C. (2003). Authentic Learning: A Practical Introduction & Guide for Implementation. Meridian: A Middle School Computer Technologies Journal Volume 6, Issue 1, Winter 2003 ISSN 1097 9778 http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/win2003/authentic_learning/index.html

Ozer, O. (2004). Constructivism in Piaget and Vygotsky. The Fountain of life, knowledge and belief. Iss: 48 October -December 2004.http://www.fountainmagazine.com/Issue/detail/CONSTRUCTIVISM-in-Piaget-and-Vygotsky

The State of Queensland Department of Education. (2002). A guide to Productive Pedagogies Classroom reflection manual.https://musghillss.eq.edu.au/Supportandresources/Formsanddocuments/Documents/prodped.pdf

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http://www.afp.gov.au/~/media/afp/pdf/c/cyber-safety-top-10-tips-for-youth.ashx

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Appendix A

http://www.schrockguide.net/uploads/3/9/2/2/392267/copyright_schrock_original.pdf

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Appendix B