Review of 'Delicious'

You know that 'Favourites' tab or that Star at the side of your page that you click when you want to save a webpage? Well Delicious is basically just that. It is somewhere you can store all your favourite links.

Except, unlike your favourites page on your computer, you set up your own account and you can sign in and access delicious from any computer or device. This means that your favourite useful link isn't left on your computer at home where you desperately need to access it at work but cannot remember the name of the webpage - Delicious is a useful means around that dilemma.

My first thoughts:
I could see the advantages, but as a person who never 'favourited' many pages I didn't think I would have much use for it.

However, since I have started teaching and have endeavored to gather a range of resources I have found a huge number of useful websites that I have stored on Delicious. Overall, it has been very, very handy.

How technology has changed the way we learn...

There is no denying it - technology has changed the way in which we learn. There is a plethora of ways in which technology has altered learning but for the purpose of my short post, I have only selected one way in which technology has changed the way in which we learn:

The Interactive White Board
From the chalk board to the white board to the Interactive White Board.

I'm not very old but I was taught via a chalkboard in Primary school. Granted my teacher was the 'old school' type, but my point is that the chalkboard is not too distant a memory for me. The development of the IWB, I think, is massive in the way teachers now deliver lessons and the way in which students learn. Higgins agrees that, "the use of the IWB may be the most significant change in the classroom learning environment in the past decade."

Gone are the days where the teacher would stand in front of the class and write out all the necessary points in neat, clear handwriting (unless you're in my position and your placement doesn't have an IWB)

As Hillier (p 150) points out the development of IWBs is another potential method to engage learners. She explains benefits of motivating students by being able to involve students with an activity using the IWB (such as physically moving text), other interactive quizzes, having students label an image (see picture above). She also states that it helps to provide spontaneity. Further, you can use sounds, images and videos to reinforce your point. Brazburg also states that it encourages critical thinking, for example, the class can brainstorm together.

There is fantastic potential in this technology - provided that it is used to its potential. If it is just used merely as a projection screen then it needn't be 'interactive' and then you risk falling into the trap of death by another boring presentation. However, in the instances when it is used fully then it can produce valuable learning and teaching.

For more information on the IWB, I have found a useful link that explains the benefits and limitations here. 

Barriers to effective use of technology

Ertmer, 1999, organised the barriers into two categories: external (hardware, access, the technology itself) and internal (teacher's confidence and own beliefs of technology). With the advancement in technology it is fair to say that the majority of external problems are reduced. That's not to say that everything works all of the time, of course things go wrong, but it is true that technology is better than ever and more accessible than ever. What has remained, however, are the internal barriers to learning.

*Taken from Hew and Brush, 2007.


One key internal barrier identified by Hammonds, Matherosn, Wilson and Wright, p.36m is:

 "Often teachers perceive they cannot act as authority figures in their classrooms if they bring in tech tools. Teachers must be at least minimally comfortable with technology use and see the value that these tools can bring to their daily lives before they can consider technology integration as anything more than one more thing required of them."

This is important, as the key barrier to the use of technology identified is the teacher and not the limitations of the technology itself.

In her research, Ertmer identified one teacher who stated that many teachers are intimidated by technology. It is the lack of skill and knowledge of ICT that appears to be holding back many educators from developing their use of ICT in the classroom.

However, the strongest barrier is the teacher's own beliefs and attitudes towards technology - if they feel that it is not useful then quite simply, it will not be useful. Some teachers even reported the use of computers as means just to keep the children busy.

In order to overcome this barrier, teachers will have to be shown that the use of technology will provide meaningful outcomes to the learning. For many teachers, it is likely that the use of ICT will be limited until they can see that it has an impact on the learning that takes place as opposed to merely using ICT because it is another box to tick to state that you have done it.

Despite these barriers, it is important to remember that 'these tech tools are just that - tools' (Hammonds, Matherosn, Wilson and Wright, p.40). This is a reassuring reminder, especially for myself, when I am beginning to fill out a lesson plan and come to the part with ICT and worry that I am missing it out. Of course I use ICT in the classroom - the register is online and my PowerPoint is on, but I rarely have lessons where the students use it. I am probably one of the teachers whose own beliefs, experiences and attitudes impact on the use of ICT with students and until I evidence that the use of ICT benefits my students learning Law, then I will likely continue to limit the amount I use it.

A teaching idea: 'Market Place'

My mentor shared with me what I thought was a brilliant teaching method called 'Market Place'.

My lesson: 

I had to teach the advantages and disadvantages of trial by jury. I had gathered a range of resources that I wanted to share with the students (e.g. cases, statistics, research, newspaper articles etc) that they would have to understand and incorporate into their answers when evaluating the jury.

My mentor suggested that I use 'market place' to deliver the lesson. Basically, I set the classroom up like a market, on each table (or 'stall') would be a different resource. My students (the customers at the market) would go and visit each table and write down the significance of it i.e. whether it was an advantage or disadvantage and why. They had 30 minutes to do this and then 30 minutes we would feedback and I would draw a table on the board putting each resource in a certain category with a title.

How it worked in the classroom:
Despite me telling the students that they could get up and walk around, no one did, they all sat in their seats and read the resource in front of them which was disappointing.
However, I had students, mostly boys, who usually answer very few of my questions but are very interested in their own conversations, discussing in depth the resources. I was so pleased that I had actually managed to engage these learners that I let the activity run on. We had to finish the topic the next day but I felt it was worth it just to have them discussing cases and the law.

This is also a very easy lesson to deliver because as the teacher I did absolutely nothing - they did all the work.

The Drawback:
When I asked my students whether they had enjoyed the lesson and would like to do more, similar activities in the future the answer was very underwhelming.

Although I thought the lesson was fantastic and my mentor agreed (she was also very happy to see engaged learners) the students reported that they prefer just me talking. I was gobsmacked. And there was me thinking that I was boring the life out of them.

However, this has not put me off from putting on more lessons like this. Although the students were not so keen, the fact that I had them all discussing what I wanted them to talk about means that I achieved what I wanted to achieve in that lesson - whether they realise it or not.

How I have been using ICT...

I honestly do not know how teachers managed to teach without ICT.

I don't mean to sound like an ignorant child who can't possibly comprehend a world without technology but seriously, I use it for absolutely everything.

One thing I have quickly learnt from teaching is that teachers steal everything off the internet. I mean absolutely loads, it's just copied, pasted, print, photocopy and there's a lovely little resource for the students.

Aside from the flagrant theft of other's work and falsely leading my students to believe that I have prepared detailed handouts for them, the internet is an ever so handy tool. I know I'm stating the obvious but the amount of resources that I use from the internet - I do not know how I would have coped teaching without it.

Also, my students like having 'booklets' - a resource that I make (I do actually make and not steal, although if a good enough one existed on the internet I would most definitely have it) that contains everything they need on the topic. So it has all the relevant cases, legislation, essay questions, discussion points etc. I would never be able to produce these if I didn't have a computer.

All the class registers are through an online system. ICT is everywhere. And I honestly would not be able to be teaching as effectively without it.

However, I am starting to withdraw from PowerPoint as a crutch. Initially, I needed it - it was my safety device, my school doesn't have touch screen whiteboards, so I had to sit behind the desk to go to the next slide - this made me feel secure. I have recently removed myself from behind my desk and have started to find my feet walking around the classroom and have delivered lessons with nothing other than me and my voice (and a few handouts stolen from the internet, naturally).

Inspirational Video

This is a video of Tim Minchin, a comedian who gave a speech at a graduation of an Australian University. I remember watching this video months ago and I always go back to re-watch it and remind myself of it. I think it's full of wonderful advice for everyone.

I appreciate it is a long video (well it's only 10 minutes but our attention spans have become so limited that 10 minutes is considered 'long'!) but if you can watch it all the way through then do so.

He gives all sorts of advice but he does specifically mention teaching at 7.58 and I just love what he says -  please be a teacher.

"Even if you are not a teacher, be a teacher. Share your ideas, don't take for granted your education, rejoice in what you learn and spray it."

Mobile Technology in the Classroom

This has always been my experience with mobile technology in the classroom. It has always been a 'no phone allowed' policy - after all, if you're looking at your phone you're not paying attention to the teacher.

I haven't ever used mobile technology in the classroom but have, however, used it outside of the classroom to enhance the learning experience.

I had a previous lecturer who had Twitter and encouraged us to follow him. Although he was using Twitter in a personal capacity, he would retweet and post links to relevant legal news and developments. If he found an interesting article that related to a lecture he would state that it was for his class to read. He even began to use Audio files to record mini-lectures so that we would be informed on the class before arriving.

He was young for a lecturer (under 30!) and maybe this had something to do with it, but he was the only one ever to use mobile technology in this way and I really benefited from it.

Using mobile technology in the classroom is clearly a developing area, the investments in iPads made by schools are unbelievable. However, as a person who has only been teaching for a couple of weeks, I already feel the frustration and annoyance at seeing a student looking at their phone and start texting while I am speaking. I find it infuriating, rude and disrespectful.  So, now, being the other side of the classroom I can completely understand the need for a no-phone policy and I am struggling to think of a situation where I would ever permit a class of 16 year olds to get out their phones to improve their learning - because as far as I can see at the moment, it's just another means to distract them from their boring class.