Links to other blogs

The following links are to the I.T and Physical Activity blog we set up for our group assignment, and to an “instructional” video that is on YouTube used on the blog. The video is of me doing a dance that I taught a year 7 PE class on placement, although this version has been recorded by my fellow PE student teachers one night at the pub. I would like to add that this was ‘a little later in the evening’, hence the stumble in one part of the dance! 

I.T. and Physical Activity Blog: http://ictpe.edublogs.org/

"Instructional Video" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9mAU69Ntso&feature=youtu.be&noredirect=1

Comment on another student's blog

Hi Josh. Nice picture. That could almost be used as a poster to promote the MTeach course!

I agree with this post about interactive whiteboards because I think they can really increase the engagement and interaction with the students. As a teacher I haven't had much opportunity to use them yet because my placement schools didn't have them, but during a recent presentation for ALT I found it so much easier to scroll through the power point simply by tapping the screen. I think such as simple thing can make a huge difference to a presentation, as it just seems to flow much better and the focus of the audience remains on the screen and the teacher.

I agree that the potential for the use of the interactive whiteboards is huge, and it seems that as student teachers we almost have a responsibility to bring their use into teaching, as I get the feeling that many experienced teachers see them as foreign and don't use them as much as they could, instead sticking to their more traditional methods of whiteboards and the odd use of a projector.

I think more focus could have been placed on their use in this MTeach course. One of the major things that I believe was lacking in the delivery of this course was basic practical classroom teaching, and if these interactive whiteboards are going to become the norm (which I hope they do), then there should have been more focus on how to actually stand up the front of the classroom and incorporate their use when delivering a lesson. I think the university overlooked the fact that as diploma of education students, we are experts in our field, but generally speaking have little to no experience in a classroom setting, particularly teaching. I think overall, more focus on the basics like where to stand, public speaking, behaviour management, and the use of technology such as this would have been extremely beneficial.
http://joshbrun-ictblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/interactive-whiteboards.html?showComment=1321487774818#c5687077397351146506

ICT and VELS

“Through the selection and application of appropriate equipment, techniques and procedures, students learn to process data and information to create solutions to problems and information products that demonstrate their knowledge and understandings of the concepts, issues, relationships and processes related to all areas of learning.”

                Although Health and Physical Education are grouped together in the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS), I am focusing solely on my teaching method of Health for this blog. The VELS states that in relation to this learning area Information and Communications Technology (ICT) can be used to access, process, manage and present information. It provides the opportunity for students to use software such as web authoring, presentation and word processing to create reports and presentations about knowledge of health and wellbeing (VELS, 2009).

A good example of this is creating a presentation on sex education using a power point presentation. This is an effective way of engaging the students using diagrams of human anatomy to explain concepts such as the reproductive system.  Another example is the use of still and moving images from websites to help explain content such as the different stages of the menstrual cycle. This could prove useful for teachers who are not yet completely confident in delivering this type of content, as they can direct the students’ attention towards the projected images. Examples of these can be found on websites such as www.itsmybody.com.au and www.kidshealth.org.

                Another suggested use from the VELS is to identify, collect and evaluate data from online sources such as blogs, websites and forums to inform their investigation of issues ranging from individual lifestyle choices to health services and products that can be used to support the health needs of young people (VELS, 2009). For example students could research a topic such as bullying by visiting www.bullyingnoway.com.au and collecting information, then using what they think is relevant to produce a brochure or a poster on bullying.

                In my experience teaching Health so far, the use of ICT seems to make the job of the teacher much easier and engages the students much more. Personally, at this stage I couldn’t imagine teaching a health class on sex education without using visuals from a power point or a website. With sensitive topics such as this, I believe the use of ICT is essential to make the entire classroom a more comfortable place.

The difference between Albert and the Princess

I really can't complain about the opportunity I've been given to teach in two completely different secondary schools on my placements, especially in regards to ICT. The first was a brand new state school with only year 7's attending. All 150 students were required to wear their ties and bring their iPads to class (yes iPads). Teachers took the roll not by ticking boxes, but by pressing portable screens. Students submitted assignments not by handing in paper, but by ensuring they had typed the teacher's email address correctly. In contrast my second and current placement is at a secondary school where the uniform seems to only be limited to particularly extreme or sensitive slogans. I'm yet to see an iPad or a Macbook, and my mentor teacher ensured I didn't leave my first taught class without the whiteboard marker and duster he had loaned me, claiming they were "like gold." Two completely contrasting schools, both of which I'm enjoying the experience of.

2009