Post 7 – The five-stage framework and e-activities.

As trainee practitioners central to our study is the role of the teaching in understanding how children learn, their behavior for learning and realisation of the extrinsic and intrinsic motivation of children to participate in this learning. However, this is all applied in the setting of classroom through traditional learning and activities that complement this. In the relatively new are of online learning do these same theories and principles exist? Salmon (2012) proposes a new framework based on research that teachers and educators can may find useful in the learning and development stages when working on-line. Her chapter on the five-stage framework and e-activities provides a model for practitioners who may struggle in adapting their existing pedagogy to cater for on-line activities and learning.

Of interest with the reading and Salmon’s idea is that it makes sense. The  notion of children simply logging on an off they go is something I have witnessed in school practice, and the level of understanding and lack of prior knowledge of the children is often represented in the teaching staff. Providing structure for teachers to work from will enable learning objectives to be well planned  and incrementally achievable. Any learning is a journey and on-line learning does not differ in this sense, while barriers to entry are inevitable at the early stages, careful planning, understanding and clearly defined opportunities will enable children to progress with purpose and achievement.

The framework has similarities with the current pedagogy of mastery where learning and knowledge acquisition at each level of understanding has to be secure before successful application of this enables the learning to progress through the next logical stage of development. Understanding that a major factor on on-line learning is the freedom it exposes children to explore and develop by them self, the teachers role can be seen as am e-moderator.  In relation to our google-classroom projects this highlights the importance of the teachers role in structuring children’s comments, posts and the information they wish to publish for others to see. Allowing children to post without filtering first is a big step for a teacher take, understanding how different age groups will react to such freedom will influence the teacher in allowing or restricting such activities. Knowing what is appropriate and what would benefit other learners in a socially constructive environment is paramount for the moderator.

Understating that the teacher will be on a learning curve as well, the model provides guidance for stages of continually development of the resource. This is something I have been conscious of during development and something I know an end user practitioner would be as well.

Great food for thought going forward and something that I will refer to when planing future on-line environments in schools to come.

 

3 Comments
  1. I agree this provides a good structure for teachers with a lack of confidence or knowledge in ICT. Is there a way to encourage them to keep up with a program like this and not discard it after a year like so many neglected school blogs?

  2. I think a good teacher always has to sacrifice something to benefit the children. Maybe we would have to reinvent the blog space that we have at school each year in our summer holidays.

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