ICTs for Learning Design week 1 learning activity

ICT Learning activity 1
Please see end of page for a summary of personal learning outcomes

Q1. Think about your own education – what has it resembled to date? Was it a remnant of the Industrial Age or was it based around skills required for the 21st centaury?

I would have to say that at the time of my schooling years, I was in an age where that push for more technology occurred; between the Industrial age and the 21st century future developments. This change happened when I was in year 7 (1997). In my opinion, my school was behind with the times as other schools had computer labs, internet etc at least 3 – 5 years before us. I’m not sure if it had anything to do with funds, as we were a private school and had no Government funding, and for a private school, we were poor. Or if it just the fact we were a school that wasn’t keeping up with the times and it just took us a little longer to see the advantages of technology; such advantages as the ability to store and transfer large quantities of information at low cost (especially through the internet).I can remember thinking how exciting it was going to be when all the computers arrived in 1998 (my first year of high school).
So I suppose you could say my school was a school that was changing from history and moving towards the skills required for the 21st century?

Q2. Future work was written 10 years ago. Think about where we are now and the rapid changes that have occurred even since this article was written.

• For one, digital phones and personal digital assistants are not exactly classified as “high tech” or “new” anymore. So that just goes to show how technology rapidly changes. I thought this articles statistics were pretty much on the mark of what today will hold, such as, growth in Health –services, contracted-out business activities (takeaways, pre made foods), convenience store opening hours (night open hours and Sunday trading), home day care centers and nannies and the computer related occupations (engineers, computer support specialist etc). I think what we were not prepared for was the stock crash and the fall of our economy. Although the above statistics I mentioned above did rise and more people were provided jobs, due to the crash, many couldn’t afford to spend money in these areas and thus jobs were cut.

• I was interested in the articles statement about how at a time there wasn’t a need for skill requirements for jobs. That there wasn’t a high demand for skills but more so on the job training became popular. I think due to technological change and international competition in technology, there is a need for workers who are educated and highly skilled. But not only that, youth of today are so technology focused/minded they are moving to the cities and wanting to move to the cities and get these qualifications. Due to this, I think there is a cry for farmers. Maybe due to this technology rush there could be better pay for farmers to encourage more of them. But in saying that, even in some non tech jobs, they do require some technological know how.

Q3. How does the author differentiate between Mode 1 and Mode 2 knowledge and what implications does this have for you as a teaching professional?

• Mode 1 knowledge is based on the concept of traditional ways of education/teaching that have always worked – the existing knowledge. One that is seen, read, practical, known, has seemed to work and has done so for years.
Mode 2 knowledge can be based on a distinct philosophy which derives from truth-seeking practical points of view regarding education/knowledge which then, is determined by a group of practitioners coming to a general agreement to decide whether something is true. Mode 2 knowledge is more likely to operate in new knowledge industries than mode 1.

From what I obtained from mode 1 and 2 is, mode 1 is looking to the past, using traditional teaching/education methods that have seemed to have always worked. Mode 2 knowledge is looking into modernising education fundamentally finding new methods or approaches to teaching and to better determine truth (facts/knowledge).

• I think that in some ways we will need to use aspects of mode 1 knowledge and in other aspects using mode 2 knowledge. History shows that mode 1 knowledge has been quite effective and can still be used. In my opinion, in today’s society mode 2 knowledge would be used more or would be more practical to use due to sudden changes in education (such as technology). As a teaching professional, I think it all depends what school you are situated in and what resources that school has as to how you adjust yourself to either mode 1 or 2 knowledge.

Q4. How do Smith and Mienczakowski’s idea’s work, or conflict with the 3 readings above?

Smith and Mienczakowski idea’s I feel, work with the above readings because like the 3 readings, they mention and agree that there are continuous rapid changes in technology and in the way knowledge is applied. They believe school systems have to deliver new skills/ways of teaching as mode 2 (reading 3) also suggests. Learning programs and institutional structures need to recognise that one-size doesn’t fit all and as society changes children do need different ways of learning. Therefore teacher education needs to shift from mode 1 knowledge (reading 3); getting rid of the well-known patterns of the past and focus on mode 2 knowledge; preparing next generation teachers for the rapid and irreversible technical social change that effect student learning and the way they (teachers) work in them. As Bentley (reading 4, paragraph 1, page 26) puts it, “The purpose of education systems is to prepare young people in appropriate ways for the challenges and responsibilities they will face throughout their lives and if society is changing, so should the way in which we introduce young people to it”. This type of teacher learning experience I thought worked with the “Flexible Organisation” in reading 1; meaning becoming multi-tasked, flexible, contemporary, IT skills-grounded teaching training relevant to a variety of workplaces.
So in a sense, teachers will be at one end of the “knowledge chain” connecting their students with sources of knowledge, but at the same time be users of knowledge.

Learning activity 2 – Watch link



I personally feel that this comment is quite accurate. I believe family values have changed 50, 40, 30, even 20 years ago. Back in those times teaching was done by rote and everyone seemed a lot happier. I feel what the issue now is, schools don’t have the authority or power per say to discipline which is making matters worse. So not only are students not getting that richness of community, family, social capacity a home, they’re not getting it at school either. Teaching/education is becoming almost impossible because teachers are worrying more about behavioral issues and trying to control the classroom and because of that, there’s next to no learning.
If you watched further into this youtube link, she mentions that children around the age of 12 need community etc, but they can’t get it due to being in school all day. On a personal note, I believe this is why home schooling is becoming so more poplar, because you are getting that quality family time, there is a more 1 on 1 experience and more can be taught and learnt. But of course this isn’t the only reason why home schooling is becoming more popular; I think bullying has another big affect on that.

Summary of week 1 ICT activities:

During this week I have learnt a lot of different and interesting aspects about technology. 3 main things really stood out to me:
1. Technology influences – Technology has a huge influence in today’s society, especially with the youth of today. We have become a very technologically focused world. Can you imagine what it would be like without your mobile, or computer? It has become an essential feature in homes, schools and workplaces giving them the ability to manipulate, store and transfer large capacities of information at a very low cost.
2. Technology changes at a rapid rate – Since technology is competitive globally, it’s only natural for changes to occur so swiftly. This change is virtually irreversible I’ve just gotten used to the idea of an iphone, now I need to familiarise me self with an ipad!
3. It’s imperative for teachers to of keep up to date with changing technology - Since live in a very 21st century (Knowledge economy) technically focused world and as next generation teachers we need to be prepared for the rapid and irreversible technical social changes that effect student learning and the way we as teachers work in them. We need to obtain flexible, contemporary, IT skills-grounded teacher training programs.
I like how Bentley (1998) puts it:

“The purpose of education systems is to prepare young people in appropriate ways for the challenges and responsibilities they will face throughout their lives and if society is changing, so should the way in which we introduce young people to it”.
Bentley, (1998)

here are some top tips when using technology in the classroom.