Embedded Task 1- Week 3

Blogging as a learning tool

For me, this is blog number 2 through the website Blogger. Although I am and have always been a little slow with technology, I believe what I am producing is becoming easier and more beneficial for my learning. I considered blogging to be; beneficial for no-one, boring and a waste of time. Now I can see how reflecting on tasks and information builds a positive learning experience in a way we can reflect and have time to think about what is being considered.
Below is an image of what I personally thought of bloggers. 

Found from- The Greatest Job Application Ever | Brainscape Blog 2014

As I have started to create, understand and engage in my first ever blogs, it has given me realisation as to how I can post my own perspectives and understanding on a topic to help me increase my knowledge in the area. The same can be said for teaching and how using blogs can be a big influence in classroom on student's learning capabilities. With the continued increase in digital literacy skills in the classroom and preparing students for the 21st century, teachers are continuing to improve on their use of blogs in the classroom as a critical teaching tool. Yes, blogging in the classroom can be fun and effective but this can become dangerous for students, it is important that they are taught safe use and showing students how to back up their ideas with legitimate evidence. Plagiarism can greatly harm students blogs, their reputation and relationships with editors and other authors. It’s also a huge, indisputable ethics violation.
Students are able to use blogs to their benefits without them even realising it. They can improve student writing, develop skill analysis, allow for inclusion and display of multimedia and provide a means for student discussion such as collaborative learning. 

                                                                     By- K.Baker @KTBkr4

                                                                    https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-

Blogs have several different abilities attached to it as they allow me to add multiple editors to my blog and or student's blogs if they were to be using it in a collaborative setting.  If a blog has multiple authors that are part of a class, this allows for an extended response on further added knowledge into a blog. Authors involved in a blog can view and edit the page, manage information and read comments. These features are an advantage in a classroom setting if a whole class is using it safely. Although blogs have these features and may sound exciting to students, they are to know the possible negatives and safety protocols to consider. Hacktivism: If a blog created by students is seen to be controversial to others who read it and is not correctly written or referenced, they may be targeted and have negative comments made towards them. 

Vandalism: Students sites may be shut down by other bloggers who create their own just because people out there have the ability to. 

https://vpnclientapp.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/online-safety-tips-636x355.jpg

Using the website blogger itself is very simple and user friendly. The website is very simple to use and if I am able to direct myself around it at a satisfactory level, students will find this new type of classroom learning simple. Working on blogger allows anyone to go on and create a professional site but also gives those professionals the advantage to add the extra features that other may not use in the beginning. It has a large number of tools that allow you to insert into the page including google sites, YouTube clips and images. Blogger allows students in the classroom to learn as they go using Bloom's taxonomy and because it can be used as an order for cognitive behaviours, it can be used for almost anything. Creating blogs allows students to remember and understand, evaluate and create while collaborating with other classmates to build on their current knowledge.

https://image.slidesharecdn.com/course106ictinclassroomteaching-

SAMR Modelling

As new teachers using blogging for the first time, they will begin to use it as a teaching tool and learn how to transform lessons and assessment pieces as they consider the benefits of how to evolve lessons into a more beneficial and collaborative one. The SAMR model is a learning tool that teachers are to consider as they transfer the use of the traditional classroom to technology in the classroom.
If teachers are to learn and use this model correctly, there will be a big difference between what the teacher had planned to begin with and what it could turn into using the SAMR model. The skills that students use with the SAMR model are much more suited for their learning as it gives students the chance to become more engaging and collaborative. An example is explained below.

A simple hand written piece in regards to students and their different playing positions in their practical sport- Touch football. The original task was using pen and paper but can be transformed into:

Substitution: The students involved in the lesson are to create a blogger account and use it to explain and define different playing positions on the touch field as a replacement for Pen/Pencil in a writing assessment.

Augmentation: Students use different functions in Blogger to improve their writing and thought processes in which it will help the students show further detail to their learning.

Modification: The student's are involved in an assessment where they have created a Blogger in small groups (same playing positions) and continue to create an account which will allow them to share with their classmates and teacher for feedback to help improve quality of students writing.

Redefinition: The multimedia tools accessed on Blogger are used by the students for the use of their assignments instead of them formally writing it. The student's were involved in recording themselves playing touch football during their practicals. They are to use these videos, upload them to their Blogger accounts, explain their positioning and upload current evidence found online to support their positioning in attack and defence. Once videos are uploaded, student's are able to give their classmates feedback in regards to their videos and tips on how to further improve.

https://image.slidesharecdn.com/samrtpack

References

Blogger.com. (2020). Publish your passions, your way

Client, V. (2019). Why VPN Client Application?

Cohen, A. ( March 6, 2017). The Greatest Job Application Ever. 

Dave. (10 Feb, 2015). Three Tips for Juggling Multiple Client Projects. 

Puentedura's, R. R. (January 15, 2020). Research In Practice: SAMR, Observation, Analysis, and Action.

Walsh, K. (April 20, 2015). 8 Examples of Transforming Lessons Through the SAMR Cycle.