Integrating Technology in a Year 12 English Classroom
Learners in the 21st century need to be readily equipped with the skills necessary to succeed in the information age. It is incumbent upon teachers to ensure that they provide ample opportunities for experimentation, skill development and utilisation of relevant information and communication technologies (ICTs) inside, and arguably, outside of the classroom. This must also be complemented with effective pedagogical and theoretical support to ensure best practice is at the forefront of the inclusion of ICTs, thereby ensuring that technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK, 2012) is a guiding influence in all educational ICT design. In the module, ‘The Stories of Henry Lawson’, effective ICTs which are suited to their purpose, as well as targeted pedagogy, have ensured that the learning sequence is supported by the ICTs, which act to bolster student learning outcomes by differentiating and supporting learning in senior English.
Presentation software is one means by which to communicate important content with students. The introductory learning activity featured on the website is a Prezi presentation with a quiz built utilising Google Forms. The Prezi’s content is relatively straight forward, providing a means for understanding composer context in preparation for studying narrative texts. As stated in the Stage 6 English (Standard) syllabus, a student needs to ‘demonstrate understanding of how relationships between composer, responder, text and context shape meaning’ (Board of Studies New South Wales (BOSNSW), 2009, p.22). By exploring the Prezi, students begin to understand the connection between the writer and their written product. Cognitive load theory (CLT) suggests that any learning resource should avoid extraneous cognitive load in order to ensure students can remain focused without being bombarded with information. Prezi is an effective means to avoid this overload, as its design inherently focuses students on the ‘bigger picture’ initially, as well as its subsequent components in a more manageable size.
Accompanying the Prezi is a short quiz created utilising Google Forms. The purpose of this quiz is to test student knowledge retention and understanding of the influences on Lawson’s writing. The questions are given in sequential order, allowing for students to access their knowledge from the Prezi in an orderly manner. This sequencing is a feature of the website more holistically, allowing students to build on prior knowledge and construct as they manoeuvre through each learning activity. Further, the quiz allows students ‘opportunities to test their ideas’, which is an important constructivist tool in designing ICTs for learning (Ng, 2015). Students are able to construct their knowledge internally, before producing a final knowledge product. Additionally, the provision of this quiz provides both students and teachers with invaluable, informative and expedient feedback (Hattie, 2012) on performance, ensuring that a satisfactory grasp of the concepts explored has been attained.
The use of presentation software can be amplified with the inclusion of voice over narration. The next learning component on the website is an annotation activity, delivered via vodcast utilising PowerPoint and Community Clips. Ng’s (2015) discussion of the various features of effective ICT-based learning, including CLT and cognitive theory as bases, was used as guidance in designing the vodcast. Features such as the animation of the PowerPoint accompanying the voice over, the segmentation of larger ‘chunks’ of text, alongside the highlighting of important information for students, were purposefully incorporated into the vodcast. This ensures that students are not overly burdened with unnecessary information and are building upon existing prior knowledge, as per the constructivist framework, in order to hone their skills in analysis further. The nature of the subject content in this learning activity also ensures that students are activating higher order thinking skills in terms of analysing the use of language, which is an essential component of the Quality Teaching Framework (Department of Education and Trainging New South Wales, 2003). The ease of use and ability to replay particular components allows students to revisit content and enables differentiation. This activity is envisaged as a ‘flipped classroom’ exercise, where students participate in class discussion about the text prior to the annotation exercise, which occurs at home. As Jacot, Noren and Berge (2014) have argued, the flipped classroom model allows for greater flexibility regarding learning parameters and releases class time for problem-solving and skill development. As the Higher School Certificate year is an incredibly busy one, any classroom time that can be better utilised can only lead to positive learning outcomes.
With the increasing presence of ICTs in education, collaboration becomes less time consuming and more beneficial to students. On the website, students participate in both a Padlet contribution as well as a collaborative Popplet mindmap. Additionally, a short vodcast is included on how to use Popplet, as it is important for the brain to calibrate how to use particular software before engaging in further learning (Ng, 2015). Here, students are encouraged to share their knowledge within a connected community of learners, thereby constructing new knowledge together. As Kop and Hill (2008) and Boitshwarelo (2011, both in Ng, 2015) found, connectivist theory suggests that students learn most effectively when in a dialogue with one another and when the students are part of a learning community. While these two activities are class-based in the first instance, these could be expanded to incorporate additional Standard classes within, or perhaps even outside, of the school, thus creating a series of ‘nodes’ in a learning community. Rather than students being independently responsible for forming their arguments for their essay responses, for example, they are able to build their understanding through their learning community for collective learning gains.
While collaboration is a potent means by which students can centrally collect their ideas and evidence, as in the Padlet and Popplet activities, the syllabus emphasises that ‘a student engages with the details of text in order to respond critically and personally’ (BOSNSW, 2009, p.22). The inclusion of the ‘contact form’ repurposed on the website for student work submission, allows students to meet the required learning outcome as stipulated. Incorporating a collaborative component enables students to build their required understanding, while they still submit an individual task. The effective use of ICTs ensures that skills in collaboration and individual task completion are both covered.
Developing skills in building initial understanding, higher order thinking, collaboration and individual learning is made substantially easier with the incorporation of ICTs. Students’ ability to access learning material and participate at any time makes learning a more dynamic experience. The learning module, ‘The Stories of Henry Lawson’ incorporates several different learning theories in order to best deliver content and learning exercise. The importance of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK, 2012) was in the foreground of the design of the module, where technology, content and pedagogy meet in an effective meld of learning activities for students. With the underpinning learning theories as well as incorporation of the TPACK (2012) elements, ‘The Stories of Henry Lawson’ module allows students to engage in learning in senior English in a manner relevant to their own 21st century context, without minimising the importance of content or pedagogy.
References
Board of Studies New South Wales. (2009). English Stage 6 Syllabus. Retrieved January 31, 2015, from http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/english-syllabus-from2010.pdf
Department of Education and Training New South Wales. (2003). Quality teaching in NSW public schools: A discussion paper. Retrieved January 31 2015 from https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/proflearn/docs/pdf/qt_EPSColor.pdf
Hattie, J. (2012). Visible learning for teachers: Maximising impact on learning. Oxon: Routledge
Jacot, M., Noren, J. and Berge, Z. (2014). The flipped classroom in training and development: Fad or the future? Performance Improvement, 53(9), 23-28
Ng, W. (2015). New digital technologies in education: Conceptualising professional learning for educators. New York: Springer
TPACK.org. (2012). TPACK explained. Retrieved January 31, 2015, from http://www.tpack.org
Presentation software is one means by which to communicate important content with students. The introductory learning activity featured on the website is a Prezi presentation with a quiz built utilising Google Forms. The Prezi’s content is relatively straight forward, providing a means for understanding composer context in preparation for studying narrative texts. As stated in the Stage 6 English (Standard) syllabus, a student needs to ‘demonstrate understanding of how relationships between composer, responder, text and context shape meaning’ (Board of Studies New South Wales (BOSNSW), 2009, p.22). By exploring the Prezi, students begin to understand the connection between the writer and their written product. Cognitive load theory (CLT) suggests that any learning resource should avoid extraneous cognitive load in order to ensure students can remain focused without being bombarded with information. Prezi is an effective means to avoid this overload, as its design inherently focuses students on the ‘bigger picture’ initially, as well as its subsequent components in a more manageable size.
Accompanying the Prezi is a short quiz created utilising Google Forms. The purpose of this quiz is to test student knowledge retention and understanding of the influences on Lawson’s writing. The questions are given in sequential order, allowing for students to access their knowledge from the Prezi in an orderly manner. This sequencing is a feature of the website more holistically, allowing students to build on prior knowledge and construct as they manoeuvre through each learning activity. Further, the quiz allows students ‘opportunities to test their ideas’, which is an important constructivist tool in designing ICTs for learning (Ng, 2015). Students are able to construct their knowledge internally, before producing a final knowledge product. Additionally, the provision of this quiz provides both students and teachers with invaluable, informative and expedient feedback (Hattie, 2012) on performance, ensuring that a satisfactory grasp of the concepts explored has been attained.
The use of presentation software can be amplified with the inclusion of voice over narration. The next learning component on the website is an annotation activity, delivered via vodcast utilising PowerPoint and Community Clips. Ng’s (2015) discussion of the various features of effective ICT-based learning, including CLT and cognitive theory as bases, was used as guidance in designing the vodcast. Features such as the animation of the PowerPoint accompanying the voice over, the segmentation of larger ‘chunks’ of text, alongside the highlighting of important information for students, were purposefully incorporated into the vodcast. This ensures that students are not overly burdened with unnecessary information and are building upon existing prior knowledge, as per the constructivist framework, in order to hone their skills in analysis further. The nature of the subject content in this learning activity also ensures that students are activating higher order thinking skills in terms of analysing the use of language, which is an essential component of the Quality Teaching Framework (Department of Education and Trainging New South Wales, 2003). The ease of use and ability to replay particular components allows students to revisit content and enables differentiation. This activity is envisaged as a ‘flipped classroom’ exercise, where students participate in class discussion about the text prior to the annotation exercise, which occurs at home. As Jacot, Noren and Berge (2014) have argued, the flipped classroom model allows for greater flexibility regarding learning parameters and releases class time for problem-solving and skill development. As the Higher School Certificate year is an incredibly busy one, any classroom time that can be better utilised can only lead to positive learning outcomes.
With the increasing presence of ICTs in education, collaboration becomes less time consuming and more beneficial to students. On the website, students participate in both a Padlet contribution as well as a collaborative Popplet mindmap. Additionally, a short vodcast is included on how to use Popplet, as it is important for the brain to calibrate how to use particular software before engaging in further learning (Ng, 2015). Here, students are encouraged to share their knowledge within a connected community of learners, thereby constructing new knowledge together. As Kop and Hill (2008) and Boitshwarelo (2011, both in Ng, 2015) found, connectivist theory suggests that students learn most effectively when in a dialogue with one another and when the students are part of a learning community. While these two activities are class-based in the first instance, these could be expanded to incorporate additional Standard classes within, or perhaps even outside, of the school, thus creating a series of ‘nodes’ in a learning community. Rather than students being independently responsible for forming their arguments for their essay responses, for example, they are able to build their understanding through their learning community for collective learning gains.
While collaboration is a potent means by which students can centrally collect their ideas and evidence, as in the Padlet and Popplet activities, the syllabus emphasises that ‘a student engages with the details of text in order to respond critically and personally’ (BOSNSW, 2009, p.22). The inclusion of the ‘contact form’ repurposed on the website for student work submission, allows students to meet the required learning outcome as stipulated. Incorporating a collaborative component enables students to build their required understanding, while they still submit an individual task. The effective use of ICTs ensures that skills in collaboration and individual task completion are both covered.
Developing skills in building initial understanding, higher order thinking, collaboration and individual learning is made substantially easier with the incorporation of ICTs. Students’ ability to access learning material and participate at any time makes learning a more dynamic experience. The learning module, ‘The Stories of Henry Lawson’ incorporates several different learning theories in order to best deliver content and learning exercise. The importance of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK, 2012) was in the foreground of the design of the module, where technology, content and pedagogy meet in an effective meld of learning activities for students. With the underpinning learning theories as well as incorporation of the TPACK (2012) elements, ‘The Stories of Henry Lawson’ module allows students to engage in learning in senior English in a manner relevant to their own 21st century context, without minimising the importance of content or pedagogy.
References
Board of Studies New South Wales. (2009). English Stage 6 Syllabus. Retrieved January 31, 2015, from http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/english-syllabus-from2010.pdf
Department of Education and Training New South Wales. (2003). Quality teaching in NSW public schools: A discussion paper. Retrieved January 31 2015 from https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/proflearn/docs/pdf/qt_EPSColor.pdf
Hattie, J. (2012). Visible learning for teachers: Maximising impact on learning. Oxon: Routledge
Jacot, M., Noren, J. and Berge, Z. (2014). The flipped classroom in training and development: Fad or the future? Performance Improvement, 53(9), 23-28
Ng, W. (2015). New digital technologies in education: Conceptualising professional learning for educators. New York: Springer
TPACK.org. (2012). TPACK explained. Retrieved January 31, 2015, from http://www.tpack.org