Creative photos using Picnik & Editing tools

Coming from a photography background, using photoshop techniques to create the effects that the Picnik website's creative photographic tool was able to do in less than 5 minutes was great.


This is the image - which is one of my own that I used to make special effects.

I enjoyed doing this and see its advantages when using this tool in teaching.  I would use this tool to incorporate or build on story telling - using the Polaroid in particular has a culture of capturing the moment whilst travelling/facts/history - therefore this could be used to study artefact's, plants animals - where the student could name the photograph - make a series of Polaroids for a specific group of study, whether it me animals, plants - biology, cultures, travel, history, building on facts and investigating it even further.
Using this creative tool can make a "boring" picture/image seem more appealing and interesting once you play with the settings.
Stories could be created, profiles, portfolios / evidence of work - but in a very creative, expressive, involved way that would seem to engage a student. Visual Literacy!

It is important to teach also:

• Digital image information, file extensions, sizes, pixels and more to understand full use and knowledge of context published in or uploaded online and or for print use.

• Using editing tools to create image for context to use in. For example, creating an image for advertising. Editing can enhance creative look, it can also be a false representation.

-         Analyse these editing tools and its role.

-         Such tools could ruin an images authenticity (“not a true representation’)

-         Teach about person’s perception on own image and media impact.  Classic example is airbrushing models faces and bodies. The local Rockhampton news lately has been about introducing photoshop in school pictures to rid scars or facial blemishes.

Informing students of this is important as the amount of pressure put on young people’s image for perfect skin and body is very high. 

Exploring Images - Flickr & Creative Commons

In flickr this will help you determin your use and copyright this is found through Creative Commons
Attribution means:
You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform your copyrighted work - and derivative works based upon it - but only if they give you credit.
Noncommercial means:
You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform your work - and derivative works based upon it - but for noncommercial purposes only.
No Derivative Works means:
You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform only verbatim copies of your work, not derivative works based upon it.
Share Alike means:
You allow others to distribute derivative works only under a license identical to the license that governs your work.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/sydneywalker/2158145062/
This photo has an Attribution - compliments of photographer - of Sydney Walker


Images

Using images when designing teaching for learning can play an important role in one’s learning, for comprehension, engaging in thinking – knowledge, understanding, analysis and evaluation. Images can provoke more senses of the learner and involve a range of learners, especially those who are visual, as well as influencing feelings about a subject.

Going beyond my KLA, comprehension can be made when describing a subject matter, like a human body and how organs are placed and how they function and are used to describe or show different animals, plants, evidence and more, the options are endless.


Using images in my KLA
Creating an expressive artwork that uses images to convey messasges of social, cultural and political.
-  Analytical skills and thought provoking processes
-  Enhancing, refining and applying own learning to make it meaningful.  Students gaining understanding and knowledge of visual content in images as a medium to convey messages, the poster that they create would be purposeful.

There is a pitfall though, if you are not careful on concentrating on pedagogy or activating higher order thinking skills the image will just play aesthetics, “got your attention” role with no depth.

MobaPhoto

I downloaded the Mobaphoto

resized images for webuse. It was effecient and easy to use. I have used my own images in this case and understand that there will be copyright rules for other uses of images. There are webites that allow people to use their images - such as Pics4Learning.com or Flickr

Reflection on setting up website

S - Having control over content. Is more recognised in a public setting. Can upload assignments. Has a range of features and design layout for effective visual design/navigating tools.  Content could be viewed by other people researching on the Internet and help someone else in their research or information.

W - Other students and teachers will not be able to control content in student's website. It's in public eye and open to scrutiny. Hard to scaffold learning - pedagogy when just uploading assignments.  It doesn't promote collaborative thinking or analytical thinking compared to a blog or wiki. It is rather independent learning.

O - Linking to others searching the Internet - people who use the Internet is always searching for information about or on something.

T - Technology failing, integrating for learning process as a technology tool maybe hard to generate higher order thinking, evaluating. Websites is mainly content already obtained. Learners are still gathering or learning content.

This was the simple website I made:

http://shaz1elearning.weebly.com/

Reflection of a wiki in learning context

S - Collaborative learning space for students to work on projects together.  Wiki can be edited from all students so they can access the information and change it according to their findings or contributing to the project. For example duplication of work can be edited out.

W - Work can be edited by others without too much restrictions. Loss of control over input. It's open to vandalism of work.  May not be allowed in most schools access denied.

O - To set privacy and access restrictions on public input. To collaboratively work as a group in an on-line learning setting. Opportunities to communicate effectively and assess work, using it as evidence against assessments.

T - Technology failing, loss of work. Not trusting within learning groups can open a lot of risk to privacy etc. Constantly managing content relevance - time consumer possibly for teacher.

This video, however I found useful in understanding the strengths and uses of a wiki in its simplest form:
Sourced from EDED20491 week 3 readings Group 1 Technologies

This was the wiki I created:

http://shaz1elearning.wikispaces.com/

Potential of Blogs in my Teaching Context

S - Creates reflection of learning processes where students understand and reflect on learning processes and progress.  This will than get students to analyse, evaluate and basically operate in higher order thinking.

W - Limited or no access in schools. Privacy, policies and procedures could be breached. Have to have trust in students to blog appropriate content. In public view - have to monitor world contribution

O - To enhance learning beyond the classroom. To use as assessment tasks against curriculum. Track the progess of learning, involve & engage more students.

T - Technology failing, breaches of pricay & confiential information.

Assessment Task 1 - Conclusion

Conclusion

Through my experience of eLearning with the Profile, Learning Theories and the Mobile Phone wiki activities I was able to recognise fundamental elements that would shape designing for eLearning.

The core elements relate to the theories that support the learning processes.  Theses theories that mainly scaffolded the wiki activities and my learning were predominately Constructivism, Connectivism, Blooms Taxonomy of Learning, Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge Framework and Engagement Theory. 

These learning theories were demonstrated through the wiki’s, such as collaborative learning exercises where we as the learner could enhance our knowledge, develop, compare, analyse and investigate experiences connected with researched theories and perceptions amongst fellow learners in this program.  Analysing tools such as Plusses, Minuses, Interests (PMIs), DeBono’s Six thinking Hats and Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) assisted in the complex reasoning process.

The theory that is informed here is Constructivism, Connectivism, Blooms Taxonomy of Learning, Engagement Theory and Dimensions of Learning 3,4, and 5.  Constructivism as L.Vygotsky believes social interaction has a large influence on learning.  Connectivism, G.Siemens proposed connectivism is focused on connecting specialised information sets, and the connections that enable us to learn more are more important than our current state of knowing. Connecting theories, perceptions and information sets.  Blooms Taxonmy of Learning encompasses ‘higher order thinking’, levels of knowing from simple to complex.  Learning Engagement Theory framework is based on meaningful learning with a constructive approach that includes Relate (team efforts, communication), Create (application of ideas) and Donate (making useful contribution), G Kearsley, and B Shneiderman. Dimensions of Learning 3, 4 & 5 incorporates, Extending & Refining Knowledge, Use Knowledge Meaningful and Habits of Mind, R Marzano and D Pickering.

Furthermore the wiki’s were scaffolded through Technological Pedogogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK), which framed the learning of content through ICT. The use of the wiki to learn content was a very helpful process as it encompasses all the above where the learning was meaningful and relevant.

These reflections has informed me as a learner to deign eLearning based on learning theory to help me understand how learners learn, especially 21^st Century learners.  I would consider the above frameworks and learning theories to support the content to make it a more meaningful learning experience.

References:

Felder, R. M, Solomon, B. A (n.d) Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire.  Retrieved March 1, 2011, from http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html

 
Prensky, M. (2005). Engage Me or Enrage me, what today’s learners demand, Educause.

Mishra, P. & Koehler, M. (2006). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record 108 (6), p1017 - 1054

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon. MCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5, October 2001.

Siemens, G (2005). Connectivism A learning Theory for the Digital Age Retrieved March 7, 2011, from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

Marzano, R.J, Pickering, D.J, Arredenno, D.E, Blackburn, G.L, Brandt, R.S, Moffett, C.A, Paynter, D.E, Pollock, J.E, Whisler, J.S. (1997). Dimensions of Learning: teacher’s manual, 2^nd edn, ASCD, Alexandria

Mergel, B. (1998). Instructional Design & Learning Theory Retrieved March 1, 2011, from C Q University eCourse, EDED20491 ICTs for Learning Design

Vygotsky, L. (1962). Social Development Theory Retrieved March 1, 2011, from http://tip.psychology.org/vygotsky.html

Kearsley, G, Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning Retrieved March 7, 2011, from

http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm

Blooms Taxonomy of Learning (2010).  Retrieved March 8, 2011, from

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html#cognitive

Churches, A. (2010). Bloom’s Domains of Learning Retrieved March 7 2011

From http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom%27s+-+Introduction