Community Feedback

Z Shafaie https://zulfportfolio.wordpress.com/ (Week 1)

VR in the classroom, excellent concept. I imagine the day when this could be used in subjects like history. It would really bring it alive; it would assist in the student understanding the nature of the society, environment and size. This would scaffold their understanding of the people, and how they lived.

Graeske and Sjöberg (2021) believe it is a wonderful tool for upper secondary students. They go on to say they do not feel teacher understand the technology well enough. There is also the creation of content to fit within the syllabus. Not just to create content to use VR. The study was able to show teacher with psychoeducational approaches as the student will also as the leader. Students motivation is higher when they are invested in the learning outcomes.

Graeske, C., & Sjöberg, S. A. (2021). VR-Technology in Teaching: Opportunities and Challenges. International Education Studies, 14(8), 76–. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v14n8p76

T Hardman https://educationtechnologyhardman.wordpress.com/2023/07/24/hello-world/ (Week 1)

I have read the week 1 post iNaturalist. It looks great as an app I can see the benefits of it for anyone. I understand it has a map on bird pictures and descriptions. If so, it is a wonderful integration and would be extremely useful to beginners.

Benefits of the app is the contribution a person to research (Nugent 2020). The data is forwarded to Global Biodiversity Information Facility, contributing to a better understanding of our environmental impact. Frank and Puntambekar (2020) note there is a bias in reporting towards wealthy countries such as USA. There is an issue with the observations due to this spatial skew, however increasing database over time is believed to overcome the effect.

Frank A. La, S., & Somveille, M. (2020). Survey completeness of a global citizen‐science database of bird occurrence. Ecography (Copenhagen), 43(1), 34–43. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.04632

NUGENT, J. (2020). CITIZEN SCIENCE: iNaturalist: Citizen Science for the Digital Age. The Science Teacher (National Science Teachers Association), 87(8), 58–63.

R Taliya https://educationtechnologybrowser5.wordpress.com/ (Week 1 or 2)

Zoom and our world I saw the idea of the platform. I did not see the pedagogy of the technology, and I hear may have overlook it. I believe zoom did still allow face to face, but it did not value add as a teacher in a classroom does. There was no ability to monitor student work progress during the day-to-day classes. Statistics also show us the reading, writing and maths level declined during covid.

I was in your mini class in first semester, you deliver quality content. The is informative with a good range of multimedia systems to deliver the lesson. Reingold (2021) work was to investigate the nature of learning on zoom during the pandemic, what were the pedagogical choices made. Although there is an identified limitation of the research to Israel, students who want to learn will via zoom.

MacArther (2022) study disclosed that teacher reflection of the lesson over zoom focus on the visual and non-verbal communication channels. What the students can see of the teacher on the zoom was communication, that cold not be unseen. As a teacher we must consider then our every move on the video call lessons such as zoom.

McArthur, J. A. (2022). From classroom to Zoom room: Exploring instructor modifications of visual nonverbal behaviors in synchronous online classrooms. Communication Teacher, 36(3), 204–215. https://doi.org/10.1080/17404622.2021.1981959

Reingold, M. (2021). Meaningful Zoom Israel Education?: A 2020 Coronavirus Case Study on Emotionally Engaging Israel Learning. Journal of Jewish Education, 87(4), 417–443. https://doi.org/10.1080/15244113.2021.1928571

S Laughton https://mrlaughton.wordpress.com/ (post week 3)

This is looking really effectively presented as a web page. I liked this personal story, it raised the ChatGPT question well. However, it seemed to lack an in-depth resolve to the question. Understanding it is new area we educators are looking at.

It is considered cheating to copy other work, but not so with ChatGPT. Is it coping other peoples work? If this is so, then we are assigning “personage” to AI. If not, we are creating students who cannot think for themselves. We do not want to accept ChatGPT as an answer for our questions.

Exintaris et al (2023) took the approach of using ChatGPT within the classroom to answer questions. It failed. This approach is the practical hands-on highlighting to students the possible pitfalls of the application. While the academic debate pursues an integrity approach on ChatGPT educationally it is critical thinking that is the victim. Students also having assessments of failure from incorrect information.

Having criticised ChatGPT there is some wonderful potential for learning and education with it. Javaid et al (2023) see this as language translation (EAL/D students), discussion points and essay direction prompting. Like a vast majority of new technologies it is how it is put to use we should be concerned about not the technology itself.

Exintaris, B., Karunaratne, N., & Yuriev, E. (2023). Metacognition and Critical Thinking: Using ChatGPT-Generated Responses as Prompts for Critique in a Problem-Solving Workshop (SMARTCHEMPer). Journal of Chemical Education, 100(8), 2972–2980. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00481

Javaid, M., Haleem, A., Singh, R. P., Khan, S., & Khan, I. H. (2023). Unlocking the opportunities through ChatGPT Tool towards ameliorating the education system. BenchCouncil Transactions on Benchmarks, Standards and Evaluations, 3(2), 100115–. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tbench.2023.100115

A Hao https://neutralenglish0.wordpress.com/ (Week 3 Post)

Amber, this is a nicely written blog on how to use technology to make your work easier. You have a wonderful idea on cutting down the preservice teacher workload.

It is an issue for us, how much depth of knowledge, what direction to take a student in, are they able to handle this work. Are all concerns, certainly after a couple of years we understand the answers to these questions.

I am similar idea with my latest post (week 5), I am getting my head around the course content. Not only this but how to order it, structure and resources for it. Furthermore, allow a reflection of the lessons to be added. As a geography lesson also updated as the need arises. As an example of this flooding over the last 4 years in Sydney.

Consider if I teach at a number of different schools, they all will have a difference in their styles and approaches. For me it is excel spreadsheets, folders, my word documents, literature studies, other teacher created content and links to Web resources. At my fingertips and flexible without having to recreate it all.

Having access to information is important. It could be ChatGPT to point you in a direction (Javaid et al 2023) or a citation of a library book.

J Brown https://jebmqutechblog.wordpress.com/2023/09/13/blog-2/

Blog 2 Module 4

Duolingo is simple to use and self-paced. Books do not give you pronunciation and tapes/podcasts do not pace at your speed. Tapes/podcasts tend also to give you several words at a time, Duolingo first lesson focused on five with repetition several times.

Liu et al (2016) detail the problem of how a teacher can integrate Web 2.0 into the lesson plan, keeping student attention, motivation, curiosity, and interest. The findings suggest high levels of engagement, but critically improvements in their vocabulary.

Bashori et al (2022) researched if Web 2.0 could lower the anxiety felt by students when learning a foreign language. It did achieve this. Faizi (2018) investigated teacher perceptions to Web 2.0, again found positive feedback.

There seems to be a large amount of positive support for the technology, I believe it is a great use of the technology. Thank you, Joel for highlighting this it was a great topic and use for the subject area.

Bashori, M., van Hout, R., Strik, H., & Cucchiarini, C. (2022). Web-based language learning and speaking anxiety. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 35(5-6), 1058–1089. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2020.1770293

Faizi, R. (2018). Teachers’ perceptions towards using Web 2.0 in language learning and teaching. Education and Information Technologies, 23(3), 1219–1230. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-017-9661-7

Liu, C.-C., Wang, P.-C., & Tai, S.-J. D. (2016). An analysis of student engagement patterns in language learning facilitated by Web 2.0 technologies. ReCALL (Cambridge, England), 28(2), 104–122. https://doi.org/10.1017/S095834401600001X

E Najim https://elhamwrites.wordpress.com/2023/08/03/why-i-enjoy-using-google-classroom/

Google Classroom, with the CoVid19 experience, is an idea has come into its own. As a teacher you can run a class, all the lessons via this type of platform. Certainly, some of the literature pre-covid spoke to this distance education goal (Al-Maroof and Al-Emran 2018). Decades ago, Australia use ‘School of the air’, teachers would post a set number of lessons out to remote children and then use a two-way radio.

Al-Maroof and Al-Emran (2018) contribution is the ability to use Google Classroom for distance education. Google Classroom can provide an extension to the in-person learning. Purnell (2022) argues it could work to assist with the teacher shortage.

There is a positive benefit for sustainability outcomes (cross curriculum priority) in it is a paperless pedagogy (Kimar et al 2020). Students had positive association with Google classroom after they used it.

Al-Maroof, R. A. S., & Al-Emran, M. (2018). Students acceptance of google classroom: An exploratory study using PLS-SEM approach. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 13(6), 112–123. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v13i06.8275

Kimar et al (2020) discussed an initial negative perception (study prior to covid) but a positive once they understood the LMS better. Certainly, Gupta and Pathania (2022) investigation showed a positive benefit for Postgraduate Students.

Gupta, A., & Pathania, P. (2021). To study the impact of Google Classroom as a platform of learning and collaboration at the teacher education level. Education and Information Technologies, 26(1), 843–857. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10294-1

Kumar, J. A., Bervell, B., & Osman, S. (2020). Google classroom: insights from Malaysian higher education students’ and instructors’ experiences. Education and Information Technologies, 25(5), 4175–4195. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10163-x

Purnell, K., (2022), Could more online learning help fix Australia’s teacher shortage?, The Conversation July 1^st 2022, https://theconversation.com/could-more-online-learning-help-fix-australias-teacher-shortage-185877

T Everingham https://timstechthoughts.wordpress.com/2023/09/13/ai-in-education-the-final-frontier/

I agree with your commentary, currently the ability of AI is powerful, but it is not a replacement yet. Ahmed and Haskell-Dowland (2023) speak to the rapid development of AI in the last year. From the currently ‘Free’ programs such as ChatGPT to the development of paid AI Microsoft Copilot. These programs, using Large Language Models can expedite repetitive tasks.

However, we do not understand the programming that is running these AI. How they correlate the information and what is processed to the user (Bearman and Ajjawi 2023).

Tampo et al (2023) also note this ‘unknown’ within learning. They then direct their questioning of AI towards the ability of students to develop critical thinking skills. Will AI cause a brake down in these skills. Certainly, the use of AI, as you have suggested, as a starter package is of benefit. But will it stop there?

Alternatively, Xiang and Liu (2017) see IT and an integral feature within geography. As it can give students more solid understanding of events over the course of time. Seeing is believing (as they say) a teaching environment that has spatial change of a landscape over time visually is more powerful than a teacher saying the words.

I believe as Liu et al (2023) communicated it is the use of the technology that is important. It is here we cannot change this.

Ahmed, M., and Haskell-Dowland, (2023), Google and Microsoft are bringing AI to Word, Excel, Gmail and more. It could boost productivity for us – and cybercriminals. The Conversation, March 21 2023, https://theconversation.com/google-and-microsoft-are-bringing-ai-to-word-excel-gmail-and-more-it-could-boost-productivity-for-us-and-cybercriminals-202046

Bearman, M., & Ajjawi, R. (2023). Learning to work with the black box: Pedagogy for a world with artificial intelligence. British Journal of Educational Technology, 54(5), 1160–1173. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13337

Liu, D., Bridgeman, A., and Miller, B., (2023) As uni goes back, here’s how teachers and students can use ChatGPT to save time and improve learning, The Conversation February 28, 2023

Tampo, N., Ali, A., Young, P. A., and Thekdi, S., (2023) Should AI be permitted in college classrooms? 4 scholars weigh in, The Conversation September 4, 2023

Xiang, X., & Liu, Y. (2017). Understanding “change” through spatial thinking using Google Earth in secondary geography. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 33(1), 65–78. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12166