ICT+use+and+Justification


 * ==== **Embedded ICTs** ==== || ==== **ICT use within the learning sequence**  ==== || ==== **Justification- Links to frameworks and theory**  ====


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 * ====**WikiSpaces** ==== || ====Wikispaces were used for students to collaborate online and share learning. The class wiki was developed to be used throughout the learning sequence. ==== || ====WikiSpaces provide a supportive online environment in which students can collaboratively engage with ICTs and materials to enhance learning. A WikiSpace can transform learning as it provides a space where all group members can contribute their ideas, information, relevant links, documents, videos and pictures (Sessums, 2011). Wikis allow learners to negotiate their own understanding through social interaction with others (Teach For America, 2011). According to Vygotsky (1978), the process of exchanging ideas will not only encourage engagement with material but promotes critical thought. ==== ||
 * ====**Google Maps** ==== || ====Google Maps was used for students to develop their own “My Map” as the culminating task. ====


|| ====Google Maps provides an authentic context in which students engage and develop a range of ICT skills, knowledge and understanding. Students learn about mapping and the local environment through exploring and creating their tour. Students can explore virtual representations of local natural, social and built environments of interest online. This tool supports the constructivist learning theory and encourages students to engage in higher levels of thinking (Teach For America, 2011). ==== ||
 * ====**Bubbl.us** ==== || ====Bubbl.us was used in conjunction with an IWB to collaboratively develop a concept map to identify what students already know about maps. Students also used Bubbl.us to create their own concept map detailing their chosen places of interest. ==== || ====This tool allows students to visually present their prior knowledge and show understanding of words and concepts. Online concept mapping tools are valuable to organise, chunk and link information for transfer to long-term memory (Keesee, 2008). Bubbl.us supports the cognitive constructivist learning theory as students are chunking and organising information, which supports knowledge transfer through the use of multimodal information sources (Keesee, 2008). According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO, 2005) it is important to present material that can be recognised by students as being relevant to them, therefore important. In turn, this learning sequence is learner centred and has been designed in an authentic context. ==== ||
 * ====**Glogster** ==== || ====Glogster was used with an IWB to collaboratively create a class poster to promote safe internet practices. ==== || ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Glogster provides a fantastic interactive way of presenting and displaying ideas. The ability to insert images and videos makes it an appropriate multimodal tool that encourages students to think at a higher level to generate and propose new ideas. This tool supports the social constructivism learning theory as the process of creating this poster involves collaboration and bouncing ideas off others to internalise new knowledge (Keesee, 2008). ==== ||
 * ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">**Skype** ==== || ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Skype is used to communicate with an overseas buddy class in Hong Kong and to share learning, ideas and understandings. This makes the task purposeful and authentic. ==== || ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Skype is a valuable communication tool that is beneficial in constructivist learning. This tool allows learning to be founded upon social interactions within a learning community to develop a shared understanding of what is to be learned by teacher and learner (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2012) Social constructivist learning theory supports that learners negotiate their understanding through social interaction with others (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2012). ==== ||
 * ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">**YouTube** ==== || ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">A YouTube clip about how to create a “My Map” using Google Maps was used in the tune in phase of the learning sequence to hook students into the learning journey. ==== || ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">YouTube is an effective online tool that is integral to learning as it can be used to actively support direct instruction and engagement with learning. This networked learning is linked to the connectivism learning theory in which the access of information and people who hold the knowledge is important (Keesee, 2008). The YouTube clip used in the introduction to the learning sequence was also embedded within the class WikiSpace for students to refer back to and to reflect on the process of creating a “My Map” using Google Maps. ==== ||
 * ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">**IWB** ==== || ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">The IWB was used throughout the learning experience to encourage collaborative, interactive learning. ==== || ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">The use of the IWB allows learners to actively construct meaning and engage with the content. This tool promotes interactive learning and stimulates shared learning between the learning manager and the learners (Armstronga et al., 2005). This tool offers great benefits to learning as what students learn relates to how a technology is used and their prior experiences of similar technologies (Armstronga et al., 2005). Therefore, this tool develops the student ICT expectations while delivering core content knowledge, understanding and skills. ==== ||
 * ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">**Google Earth** ==== || ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Google Earth was used to introduce learners to the concept of online maps and to show them where their school is located as well as their buddy school in Hong Kong. ==== || ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">This tool was used in conjunction with direct teaching of the types of maps and the conventions of maps such as, birds eye view, street view, symbols, title etc. The use of this tool encourages authentic learning and supports the connectivism learning theory. ==== ||
 * ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">**Google** ==== || ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Google was used by learners to research about their chosen local natural, social and built environments. ==== || ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">This tool is supported by the connectivism learning theory that identifies the networked nature of learning with computers and the internet (Siemens, 2004). Students’ learning was scaffolded through the use of a research retrieval chart and a prescribed list of sites in the hope of developing critical literacy skills as well as essential ICT skills. ==== ||
 * ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">**Voki** ==== || ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Voki was used within the class WikiSpace to guide and scaffold students’ involvement and activity within the space. ==== || ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">The use of Vokis within online learning environments allows educators to successfully cater for a range of learning styles and ability levels to facilitate self-directed learning. Vokis are linked to the learning engagement theory that supports collaborative, problem-based, authentic learning (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999).The use of Vokis within the class WikiSpace allow students to be meaningfully engaged in learning activities through interaction with others and worthwhile tasks (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999). ==== ||