Planning the activity (1000 words)

 

Name of the activity
Bee-Spell me!

 

Year Level
Year 1

 

Identified Learning Area

o   E.g. History, English, Arts

 

English and Digital Technologies

Student prior understandings

o   How much experience have students already had this technology?

o   Are they beginners, have they used this technology before, etc.

 

·         Students are aware of the program on the Bee-Bots.

·         Students have previously used it before on an alphabet mat and completely understand the button functions and its purpose.

·         Additionally, Intensive prior knowledge of the context of this activity (the story of “the dress-up box”)

Learning objectives

o   What do you want the students to achieve?

o   E.g. For the students to ……….

 

The main objective of this activity is to get students to understand that a computer (Bee-Bot) will follow precise commands and will respond to those commands.  Additionally, students will be able to effectively implement simple programming to practice new vocabulary introduced in “The Dress-up Box” story.

 

Connection to the Australian Curriculum

o   Include one descriptor from your learning area and one from the technologies

o   Copy and paste the descriptors (no reference needed)

 

Digital Technologies:

Follow, describe and represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems (ACTDIP004) – Elaboration: writing and entering a simple set of instructions jointly to sequence events and instructions,

 

English:

Use comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred meaning about key events, ideas and information in texts that they listen to, view and read by drawing on growing knowledge of context, text structures and language features (ACELY1660) – Elaboration: building knowledge about the topic of the text and learning new vocabulary before, during and after reading

 

 

 

Explanation of activity

o   What will you do?

o   What will the students be doing?

 

Introduction of activity:

·         This activity is based on a story of which students have read on multiple occasions “The Dress-up Box”.

·         This activity consists of students trying to spell the new vocabulary they are exposed to from the story.

 

Equipment:

·         Ideally, students will be working in pairs then in groups.

Therefore, there is a need for:

·         Multiple of Bee-bots

·         Multiple of alphabet mats

·         Student’s workbook

·         Pencils

 

Teacher:

·         At the beginning of class, the teacher will demonstrate the task with the Bee-Bot as a whole class demonstration.

·         Students will be gathered around the teacher on the floor as the teacher briefly remind students of the program and functions of the Bee-Bot

·         The teacher will write a few vocabs from the storybook on the board for students to start spelling on the alphabet mat.

For example:

·         Frog

·         Bird

·         Horse

·         Pig

·         Ant

·         Box

·         Work

·         Game

·         Truck

 

·         As students begin the activity, the teacher will begin walking around to ensure proper use of the Bee-Bot is implemented.

·         The teacher will also incorporate open-ended and closed-ended questions as they walk around.

·         “What would you do to the Bee-bot now?”

·         “How many spaces do we need to make it move forward/backward etc.?”

·         “What button should I press now?”

 

 

 

Students:

·         Students will be working in pairs, taking turns in spelling different vocabulary on the alphabet mat.

·         Students will be working collaboratively to ensure they code the Bee-bot appropriately to correctly spell the word.

·         Students will be looking through the alphabet mat to find the correct letters that spell out their chosen words correctly.

·         Then, students will write down the code/pattern in their workbooks before they begin implementing it on the Bee-Bot

·         Students are welcome to choose other vocabularies from the storybook

·         *** an extension for students, is to use longer words for a harder establishment of a Bee-Bot code***

For example:

·         Haunted

·         Favorite

·         Marshmallows

·         Chocolates

 

Pedagogical choices including

o   Strategies you have chosen to engage students

o   Theories you have drawn from using evidence from the literature (refs needed)

o   Base it of these:

o   Technological knowledge

o   Pedagogical knowledge

o   Contextual knowledge

 

Some examples (you do not have to use those, use better ideas if you can):

Collaborative learning

Hands-on

Digital incorporated

Repetition of vocabs

Giving students the choice

Importance to provide an extension for students

 

It is also important to note that some pedagogy strategies are teacher-centred and relies on the methods such as a whole-class lecture, rote memorisation as well as chorus answers (Learning Portal, 2018).

 

Another strategy that can be used is the learner-centred pedagogy which indicate that the learner should take an active role in the learning process. The teacher only facilitates the learning process (Learning Portal, 2018).

 

The final strategy is the learning-centred pedagogy which borrows from both the teacher-centred and the learner centred pedagogy upon consideration of the number of students in the classroom, the physical environment, learning materials as well as the availability of teaching (Learning Portal, 2018)

 

In addition, the unit also provided an opportunity to learn on how technology may be used in the learning process which assisted to build pattern recognition which can be used in the learning of new and future technologies.

 

Also, there was also involvement with pedagogical approaches such as constructivism, behaviourism, constructionism, inquiry based learning, play based learning and collaborative learning (Learning Portal, 2018).

 

The constructivism approach submits that the human learning process is constructed in that it builds over the previous lessons. This tells us that the new learning is based on the previous knowledge (Phillips, 1995). As such there is need to appreciate what the students have learned in the past so as to come up with strategies that help the child to develop their knowledge.

The rationale for the technology (MAJOR, IMPORTANT PART)

o   Affordances of the technology

o   Why this technology is a good choice for the curriculum area

o   Why is it better than other technologies?

o   Find evidence from the literature that this technology improves learning

o   Other technologies you considered and why did you choose this technology?

o   TPACK KNOWLEDGE

 

Affordances:

 

A bee-bot is a good investment, at a cost of under $100, it brings endless learning potential to the students.

Why it is a good choice:

 

It is exciting and intriguing to the child as they are used to play online games and the learning process here mimics the games that the children usually play (LFC, 2016).

It allows children to communicate and interact as they share ideas to solve a learning problem in their pairs (Kaur, n.d.)

Children also learn with their peers without realizing it as the learning process happens in a way that is almost as fun as playing. (Smith, 2012).

 

Why is it better than other technologies:

 

It gives the students learning opportunities in the early years i.e. literacy, math, developing social and communication skills.

Working in groups also fosters collaboration (Victoria State Government, 2015).

 

Other technologies considered:

·         Flashcards

·         Videos

·         Audio presentation

 

The bee-bot was chosen as it gives the children more engagement and allows them to share ideas and collectively come up with solutions to the challenges that they may be presented with by this technology.

 

It is also important to note here that there is a need to take the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) into consideration as it identifies the nature of the knowledge that the teacher is required to have for the integration of technology into their teaching (Koehler, TPACK Explained, 2012).

 

Following TPACK, the teacher is expected to have three facets of knowledge which include Content Knowledge, Technological Knowledge, and Pedagogy Knowledge. The three are not expected to exist in isolation but to intersect such that the teacher has a full appreciation of how they can all be manipulated for the benefit of the student.

 

Content knowledge here refers to the teacher being in the know of what needs to be taught (Koehler & Mishra, What is technological pedagogical content knowledge?, 2009). Here the teacher researches on what topics that will be covered in class in order to have the right content for the class. This is also supported with the curriculum that will be adopted.

 

On the other hand, the Pedagogical Knowledge pertains to how they teach can transform the subject matter for teaching in a way that will be understood and appreciated by the student which stems from the teachers deep understanding of how students and the skills that are required to manage the classroom (Kurt, 2016). This pertains to the choosing a way of imparting knowledge to the children that will best suit the leaners. For instance, the Bee-bot is a way that was chosen to impart knowledge to the children which works well with their age and the content that is being learned.

 

 

Finally, technology knowledge pertains to the knowledge of how to work with certain technologies in the delivery of lessons to the audience (TTF, 2020). In this case, the Bee-bot is a technological intervention that was used to help the children learn Math and the Alphabet.

 

Moreover, TPACK also looks at the implementation of pedagogical strategies in the exercising of duties by the educator community. These strategies are aimed at enabling teachers to influence the learning process of students to capture their attention (Edsys, 2020). Strategies that may be employed include pedagogical creativity which includes the use of creative tools such as brainstorming techniques, the concept of learning outside the classroom as well as storyboarding among others.

 

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Assessment

o   How will you evaluate if the learning objectives have been met?

o   Formative and Summative

o   Informal or formal

 

Some examples: (you do not have to use those, use better ideas if you can):

 

Evaluation:

Teacher observation

Peer observation/assessment (keeping each other accountable)

Students ability to demonstrate the fundamental movements that they need, to make the bee-bot perform the task

Formative assessment:

The teacher will have the class taught lessons progressively. After each lesson, the teacher will assess whether the students have captured the lesson adequately (Weaver, 2020)

Summative assessment:

The teacher will test student knowledge about a previously learned concept such as addition, subtraction, and the alphabet.

Students ability to correctly spell out a word using the alphabet mat

Informal assessment:

The teacher will look at the performance of the children on how they are learning from the bee-bot and records of progress will be kept on file for review.

Formal assessment:

The teacher will test the students on the activities that can be learned with the bee-bot to have a record of the actual performance of each child.

 

 

Safety and ethical considerations

o   Physical

o   Digital

 

Physical safety

The teacher will ensure the safe use of the bee-bot by moving around the classroom to ensure that the children are using it correctly (TTS, 2020).

Digital safety

The Bee-bot has little or no digital risk

Practical considerations

o   Timing/setup

o   Cost

 

Timing/setup

The teacher will set up the Bee-bot to make it ready for use by the children

Cost

The bee-bot is current costing up to 49pounds on eBay

 

Edsys. (2020). 15 best Pedagogical Strategies for innovative learning. Retrieved from edsys.in: https://www.edsys.in/best-pedagogical-strategies/

Kaur, K. (n.d.). Benefits of bee bots in classroom. Retrieved from weebly.com: http://beebotsed.weebly.com/benefits-of-bee-bots-in-classrooms.html

Koehler, M. (2012, September 12). TPACK Explained. Retrieved from matt-koehler.com: http://matt-koehler.com/tpack2/tpack-explained/

Koehler, M., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 60-70.

Kurt, S. (2016, September 16). TPACK: Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework. Retrieved from educationaltechnology.net: https://educationaltechnology.net/technological-pedagogical-content-knowledge-tpack-framework/

Learning Portal. (2018, March 29). Effective and appropriate pedagogy. Retrieved from learningportal.iiep.unesco.org: https://learningportal.iiep.unesco.org/en/issue-briefs/improve-learning/teachers-and-pedagogy/effective-and-appropriate-pedagogy

LFC. (2016). Bee-bot and accessories. Retrieved from lfccatalogue.co.uk: http://www.lfccatalogue.co.uk/bee-bot-and-accessories.html

Phillips, D. (1995). The good, the bad, and the ugly: The many faces of constructivism. Educational researcher, 5-12.

Smith, T. (2012, May 31). Bee-Bot Reviews. Retrieved from robotcenter.co.uk: https://www.robotcenter.co.uk/pages/bee-bot-reviews

TTF. (2020). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). Retrieved from ttf.edu.au: https://ttf.edu.au/what-is-tpack/what-is-tpack.html

TTS. (2020). Bee-Bot – a teacher’s guide. Retrieved from tts-group.co.uk: https://www.tts-group.co.uk/blog/2018/07/18/bee-bot-a-teachers-guide.html

Victoria State Government. (2015). The e5 instructional model. Retrieved from education.vic.gov.au: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/support/pages/e5.aspx

Weaver, B. (2020). Formal vs. Informal Assessments. Retrieved from scholastic.com: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/formal-vs-informal-assessments/

Zouaoui, M. (2017, April 1). 5 Technology Integration Plan Steps You Can Tell Your Principal About. Retrieved from elearningindustry.com: https://elearningindustry.com/5-technology-integration-plan-steps-can-tell-principal

 

 

 

Example of learning activity (if this is a video, please save it in Google Drive, share it to anyone at Monash with the link, and post the link here.)

Leave this one for me to do and record the activity.

 

Unit reflection

 

 

The adoption of technology in education continues to disrupt the educational sector aiding the teachers and educators to provide better deliverables. It is important to note here that teaching strategies that use technology are deemed to be ethical as they facilitate the students to learn, boost their capacity as well as their productivity and capacity. It has been noted that the integration of technology in education greatly inspires positive changes in teaching methods. The impact that this unit had on my learning includes that I can adopt technology in the learning process as it has the advantage of making teaching easy while it also positively impacts the inclination towards learning as one can be learning without knowing and it and can enjoy it as much as they enjoy playing.

I also liked the fact that through technology, it is easier to track the progress that students will be making through various assessments that include formative and informative assessment methods (Zouaoui, 2017). Another thing that I liked about the unit is that with the young students addicted to social media, games, and television, the introduction of e-learning to the classroom makes learning more exciting to the students.

In view thereof, I think that technology should be introduced into the education sector as it makes collaborative more effective not only amongst students but also between the teacher and the students. It is also important to indicate that technology has been observed to do away with any limitations as learning through technology assists the student to use more ways to learn rather than the traditional books. Technology has also made the learning experience more hands-on. Moreover, technology also makes the testing of students done in real-time and hence the assessment of students is done instantly, and results on tests can also be produced instantly with technology.

The challenges that I faced include that I was not conversant with the technology initiatives that were being introduced as methods of ensuring learning process amongst students. However, continuous use of these technological platforms made me more comfortable with time until I was comfortable to use the platforms. Also, it took me a considerable amount of time to learn how to make use of the Bee-bot and later teach the students how to use it for their practical lessons.

This has also helped me to gain the contextual aspect of the technological and pedagogical and how that impacts on the type of technology that may be used and how to use it in helping students learn. This has showed how the teachers can consider the various technological options, the barriers that may find them not being able to adopt technological ways of imparting knowledge to students and hw the lack of teacher confidence can result in lack of explicit instruction.

I think I will be able to adopt the online learning strategy and teach my students online as it gives me more potential to engage with the students since they are already interested in staying online. This would be more interesting as the students will be more willing to collaborate with the teacher and learn more in the process.

 

 

Conclusion

To conclude, the unit has highlighted the importance of technology in the classroom as it has proved to have several advantages that will benefit both the teacher and the student; this includes easy impartation of knowledge through collaboration and immediate feedback. More importantly, it was also noted that with technology, students will enjoy learning as much as they enjoy playing which keeps them engaged in the learning process for longer than where there is no technology involved. Also, the students will be able to share ideas and collaborate more with their teachers.