Week3 - Jumping Frogs, Quia and Cyber Safety

The first part of the lesson required us to design a "jumping frog" after being provided with an elastic band and piece of cardboard. Figure 1 shows the template that was used for the activity. This required the group to think "outside the square" to come up with a solution. This activity was very similar to a task we completed in Science which required to group to create a bridge using paper and sticky tape. During practicum, my students were required to take on this challenge and they were quite engrossed by the whole process. Tasks such as the "jumping frog" and "bridge building" exercises encourage discussion through teamwork, planning and lateral thinking. Following on from the exercise, students should be encouraged to reflect on how they worked with their partner and their reasoning behind why they set up their task the way that they did. A "Reflection Wiki" or blog is a good way to encourage students to reflect on their learning and consider what others have mentioned, without having to discuss these thoughts face to face. This reflection tool could be separated into different subjects where students can post their thoughts and the teacher can monitor class input on a regular basis.

Figure 1: Template for "Jumping Frog"
Figure 2: Games Produced on the Quia Website

During the second part of the exercise, we explored the Quia Games website http://www.quia.com/ where we were able to create our own quizzes and fun activities for the classroom. This was great fun and certainly showed a different way to approaching learning. Students are usually quite concerned when the idea of a test is discussed in class. This application could perhaps allows for teachers to assess students not based on how they answer the questions, but the quality of questions/ideas they create for their peers.

Students could produce their own worksheets and have them accessible for the whole class to complete during a quite time of the day in the classroom. The teacher could create a board with all the names of the worksheets and names of the students. Once students had completed a worksheet, they could document this on the "Quiz Board". Students could be challenged to complete as many sheets as possible. Obviously, the teacher would need to monitor the quality of work produced. In terms of catering for inclusion, because the quizzes/worksheets are made by the students for the students, it is likely that every child will be able to successfully complete the activities in the class. This may be a good way to encourage healthy competition in the classroom and keep students occupied during "free work" times or during rainy lunch days.

The importance of teaching children how to be safe on-line was discussed in the lecture is an imperative part of ICT training in the classroom. There is no doubt that technology in the classroom is an important learning tool, however, it is not fool proof. Children can be quite vulnerable using the internet. It is essential that as teachers we use settings that are child friendly and double checked by other staff before students are allowed access. The Victorian Department of Education Website has an "Acceptable Use Kit for Schools" which includes a consent form outlining the students' expectations when using the internet, as well as some student/teacher discussion questions to prompt students to think about what they would do if they encountered difficulties accessing the internet. The link can be found at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/management/elearningsupportservices/www/formstemps.htm#H2N1000B.

The website CyberPigs is an essential resource for primary aged students who access the internet on a frequent basis. The site can be accessed from http://www.mediaawareness.ca/english/special_initiatives/games/privacy_playground/flash/start.html

Figure 3: Cyber Pigs Website

Cyber Pigs teaches kids how to spot online marketing strategies, protect their personal information and avoid online predators(refer to Figure 3). Throughout the quest, the pigs are asked questions related to their safety. Depending on their answers, students receive points and positive reinforcement, or a reminder of the negative consequences of their actions. The website also includes a teacher’s guide with a number of classroom activities to be conducted prior to using the website. These include educating students about advertising ploys, such as using celebrities or music to enhance the product. Confidentiality and the ways to maximise personal safety whilst using the internet are also discussed.

In terms of using this program in the classroom, this would be a great resource for students to engage in team work. Ideally, a more competent reader would be paired with a less competent reader in order for the teacher to ensure that students are getting the most out of the program. Students can record their scores in pairs on a chart and aim for higher scores when they have the opportunity to play the game again.