A Journey into Learning

I’ve just read on the BBC website that the Numeracy and Literacy strategies are to be abandoned. This is big news indeed for educators. I hope that this will clear the way for schools and teachers to tackle the issues surrounding raising standards in more creative and localised ways.

Project Natal is a device announced today for the Xbox360. It’s a motion sensing device that allows you to control video games and Xbox 360 menus with your body instead of a peripheral controller. Natal gives you voice and full-body motion control over your on-screen avatar using an RGB camera, depth sensor and multi-array microphone.

I’ve written before about our use of the Wii Fit in our curriculum. It has been a fantastically motivating tool to help children develop their balance and coordination. Project Natal looks really exciting. This kind of technology be incredibly useful in the classroom.

Take a look at the preview video.

I recently started studying for an MA in ICT & Education at Leeds University via distance learning. I have been asked by my tutor to keep a journal of my experiences – and it made sense to me to intergrate it with my existing blog.

I attend weekly sessions that take place online. The current module I am studying is called Learning with Virtual Worlds. We previously studied a number of Integrated Learning Systems - that are teaching machines very much based on the behaviourist learning model. Learners progress at their own pace and the computer carefully tracks the students progress through the course. My experiences as a teacher have led me to believe that learning always takes place within a social context. Learning is a collaborative process that never seems to follow the expected smooth upward path. Learning, in my experience, happens in fits and starts. I, therefore, found the concept of a Integrated Learning System rather unappealing (all rather too Brave New World for my liking). All the reading I have done around the subject seems to rather confirm my initial sentiment. Learning machines, on their own, don’t work.

This weeks session is on the subject of Computer Mediated Communication (CMC). As part of the course we use a system called First Class. Their are synchronous and asynchronous discussions. I must admit that I am rather comfortable with the format. I feel comfortable in the online environment. I can participate from anywhere I have access to an Internet connected computer (work, home, the pub). I love having a text copy of all the online discussions that take place (my hand scrawled tutorial notes taken at university were always completely incomprehensible to be when I went back over them). I like being able to have easy access to other students notes – it seems to make the whole learning experience more collaborative.

CMC is also of particular interest to me because of my work with ASD learners (Autistic Spectrum Disorder). I have noticed that many of the communication difficulties are minimised when they use CMC. Many of them love to use collaborative online games (Runescape, Club Penguin, World of Warcraft etc). I have always found it interesting that they appear to be expert at collaborating within these games – and yet often find face-to-face communication much more difficult. Of course – the social rules and norms are normally much more logical and systematic online than they are face-to-face.

However, I am not really sure why CMC appeals to ASD learners so much – but I do look forward to trying to find out!

Inspired by the Wii on show at the TTP dinner - I purchased a Wii Fit bundle for the school.

Connected to an interactive whiteboard with proper 2.1 stereo speakers it really is quite awsome. Some of my non-verbal learners really enjoyed the games – and it shows a lot of promise in developing the kids balance and motor coordination skills. It’s also a lot of fun – and we all need a bit of motivation at the end of term!

We’ve had some child-protection issues at school lately involving social networking sites and I have been addressing e-Safety issues in class and assemblies. There are ongoing issues as to what sites to filter and whether online games should be permitted (Runescape is the current favourite amoungst the secondary cohort).

This film gave me food for thought – as seen as Susan’s blog. Could there be a role for using social networking sites as a teaching aid with ASD pupils who often have huge issues with socialising and self-confidence similar to (although more profound than) the 3 music fans in the video?

Mandy and I produced a podcast with our Friday afternoon option group. Enjoy the show!

Created with Garageband – all within the space of one session!