Learning Engagement Activity: Week 2 - Wiki activity reflection

 

Engagement Activity 4: Should phones be allowed in the classroom (Understanding a Wiki)?

 

My personal experience with this Wiki enabled myself to not only participate in a controversial topic but I was able to reshape my ideas to better reflect with de Bono's 6 thinking hats which was enabling myself to think in a different state of mind. I believe being able to think in a different state of mind allows you to create a more in-depth understanding of a topic. Not only this but I was also able to connect with other students who have posted on the Wiki which is beneficial to view what another student has written along with being able to understand their reasoning of the topic under the 6 thinking hats - especially when they use one of the hats that you didn't use or 'think under'. This also deters 'copying', you can agree with someone, but it makes everything unique due to the fact that it shows every ones responses. The only issue that may arise is confliction may arise between people who are opinionated and who are dedicated to their beliefs because with assignments and their own work no one besides maybe the teacher will look at it. This can be easily avoided through letting everyone know that everyone is right in what their opinion is. There is also an issue of cyber bullying which may occur. The drawbacks that may prevent this Wiki is the actual use of it for the teacher, setting it up, ensuring only 'your class' can see it, along with the time and energy it takes to be the administrator if you are only beginning to use it but of course over time this will change also.

First thing you can tell is that by entering information onto this Wiki you need to know information on a phone and how it would be either beneficial or not or in between. If this was used for students, students would need to find their own information because the topic doesn't provide the information for them and because of this, it demonstrates connectivism. Students will know where to find the information as opposed to knowing ALL the information off the top of their head. Another learning theory is incorporating more technology within the classroom which suits the learners better seeing as they have grown up with technology and are captivated by it as well. This is a theory brought upon by Prenskey which is to teach children with technology since it controls most of their life.

As a teacher minding students through the use of blogging on the internet for their first experience in an educational setting I would reward the positive responses etc to Wiki's that students produced. I will also credit and reward the positive work samples that students produced. This is incorporating the learning theory of behaviourism. As for the negative work, depending on the seriousness, will either be ignored or punished if it does come to this.

By allowing students to use Wiki it will allow constructivism to be used where students understand Wiki's but in order to present relevant information for the class they are to research for information, knowing where to look. In form of a Wiki it applies to the learning style of Cognitivism as well. This is because the students methodology understands about how to use a Wiki, so what they do is derive from previous experiences using other computer programs (internet explorer etc). After using the Wiki more frequently they develop internal rules for proper continued use this becomes the theoretical component of congnitivism. In conclusion, including a Wiki into the classroom will allow students to be included in these learning theories which will enhance their learning.