Design Rationale
This unit addresses the knowledge, processes and techniques necessary to participate in environmentally sustainable work practices and to work in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Topics covered include:• definition of environmental sustainability
• efficient resource use
• potential environmental hazards
• regulatory compliance
• improving environmental performance (within the scope of competency, authority and own level of responsibility)
This unit addresses the knowledge, processes and techniques necessary to participate in environmentally sustainable work practices and to work in an environmentally sustainable manner.
This is an ideal unit for Year 10 as it provides authentic learning. The main focus of the unit is on environmental sustainability. The students are aware that this is a real life topic and is relevant in their lives – by having an authentic topic such as this it makes it easier to actually engage them in the process of learning.
The learning demonstrated in this unit through the topic provides the students with something that they can actually see the benefit in. This creates greater engagement thus creating lower classroom management which helps the learning process.
The assessment report for the topic relates to the environmental sustainability of the students own school learning areas. This gives the students a sense of ownership and also helps to capture their attention. A lesson on plagiarism and correct referencing through the web has also been added which helps students with this section of the assessment task.
Integrating ICTs into this unit is accomplished through this class having all lessons in the computer room for the school. Each student and teacher has their own desktop school computer. The teacher also has computer and the classroom as an interactive whiteboard. This has helped with options in terms of how lessons can be implemented as there are no real barriers for the use and intergration of ICT in the lessons. I have designed learning experiences that use ICTs to transform the acquisition of knowledge, extend and refine that knowledge and present/create new knowledge with the tools that are available. I have determined to access as many technologies as possible with the time and resources available and in this way transform student learning.
Apart from students using their computers for emailing and creating their assessment task report on a word documents. Additional technologies I have chosen to implement are Digital Video, Learning objects, search engines, Voki, PowerPoint, online forum and online games. Brainstorming has also played a significant role in our class lessons which is aided by use of an Interactive whiteboard.
The blog and forum are both a perfect tools for reflection and communication which are key components of learning process across all KLAs and present across all Student Expectations for ICTs, Education Queensland (2009). Going back to Bloom's Taxonomy (1956), by reflecting, the student is employing the higher order thinking skills of analysing and evaluating. Blogs can be individual, partnerships, small groups or whole class, and can be scaffolded to be collaborative across all these styles. In this Year 10 classroom, a class blog has been established within the unit website as a type of online environmental sustainability journal reflecting on current work and includes teacher embedding ICT creations into the Blog.
Video and YouTube clips can be used in a wide variety of contexts for diverse audiences. They can be very emotive as well as very informative. They are highly engaging to watch as long as they are chosen to suit the class topic and are not too long. They can also help to provide knowledge and understanding of both the ICT and subject matter.
Students who may have some difficulty interacting may be drawn together through the use of video clips when working together on an exciting common project. With a challenging task, collaborative teams and meaningful subject matter, producing a digital video is fulfilling the requirements of Learning Engagement Theory. With this highly engaging and constructivist task, learning will be enhanced by strengthening higher order thinking skills as well as making meaning with subject matter by drawing images and text/information together. Enhancement of social skills will produce an even more positive learning environment in the classroom where all members feel valued, validated and respected. Digital video is ideal to meet the Student ICT Expectation of Creating with ICT 'Students experiment with, select and use ICT to creatively express ideas, represent information and generate products appropriate to particular audiences and purposes.' Education Queensland (2009)
Learning Engagement Theory combined with TPCK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) provides the backbone for integrating Information Communication Technology (ICT) into the classroom learning experience. We must engage the students in meaningful, authentic activities with both collaborative teams and individualised learning experiences. As teachers, we must also fully understand our content (the curriculum), the technology (ICTs) and the best way to teach both (pedagogy). "Engagement theory is based upon the idea of creating successful collaborative teams that work on ambitious projects that are meaningful to someone outside the classroom." (Kearsley and Shneiderman, 1999, para. 4)
The use of problem based learning (PBL) through the assessment task also helps to develop the knowledge and understanding for the students. PBL provides a series of steps that are phased from the perspectives of the students, so its not about I am going to do this as a teacher for my students. Its about – I am am a student and I am going to be doing these things because I am the one who is solving the problem here. Through the use of PBL and authentic learning practice it helps students to understand that what they are learning is real and relevant in their lives – by doing this the more you will actually engage them in the process
Education Queensland (2009) guides us with the content and has set out the Student ICT Expectations to help teachers plan meaningful and engaging learning experiences with ICTs. Most of these ICT learning experiences should be integrated with other Key Learning Areas (KLAs) to facilitate Essential Learnings across the curriculum.
Ethical, Safe and Responsible Practices
When working with ICTs, students and teachers must use ethical, safe and responsible practices. Education Queensland (2009) specifies what students are expected to know. These include being respectful to others and having self-respect whilst sharing resources and online spaces. As in all communications, online communication have an ettiquette and students must be mindful to follow expected conventions and to be positive in any social interactions. Students and teachers must make sure that intellectual property and copyright laws and codes of practice are followed. This includes making sure that creators of digital media are identified and acknowledged, citing references where applicable with students understanding the concept of plagiarism. Students and teachers should have their own passwords and understand what is an appropriate amount of personal disclosure in any given online environment. They must be aware of dangers that exist and what websites are inappropriate.
References
Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives, handbook I: The cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Co Inc.
Education Queensland. (2009). Student ICT expectations. Retrieved from
http://education.qld.gov.au/smartclassrooms/strategy/dp/studentict.html
Kearsley, G., and Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement theory: A framework for technology based teaching and learning. Retrieved fromhttp://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.html
Topics covered include:• definition of environmental sustainability
• efficient resource use
• potential environmental hazards
• regulatory compliance
• improving environmental performance (within the scope of competency, authority and own level of responsibility)
This unit addresses the knowledge, processes and techniques necessary to participate in environmentally sustainable work practices and to work in an environmentally sustainable manner.
This is an ideal unit for Year 10 as it provides authentic learning. The main focus of the unit is on environmental sustainability. The students are aware that this is a real life topic and is relevant in their lives – by having an authentic topic such as this it makes it easier to actually engage them in the process of learning.
The learning demonstrated in this unit through the topic provides the students with something that they can actually see the benefit in. This creates greater engagement thus creating lower classroom management which helps the learning process.
The assessment report for the topic relates to the environmental sustainability of the students own school learning areas. This gives the students a sense of ownership and also helps to capture their attention. A lesson on plagiarism and correct referencing through the web has also been added which helps students with this section of the assessment task.
Integrating ICTs into this unit is accomplished through this class having all lessons in the computer room for the school. Each student and teacher has their own desktop school computer. The teacher also has computer and the classroom as an interactive whiteboard. This has helped with options in terms of how lessons can be implemented as there are no real barriers for the use and intergration of ICT in the lessons. I have designed learning experiences that use ICTs to transform the acquisition of knowledge, extend and refine that knowledge and present/create new knowledge with the tools that are available. I have determined to access as many technologies as possible with the time and resources available and in this way transform student learning.
Apart from students using their computers for emailing and creating their assessment task report on a word documents. Additional technologies I have chosen to implement are Digital Video, Learning objects, search engines, Voki, PowerPoint, online forum and online games. Brainstorming has also played a significant role in our class lessons which is aided by use of an Interactive whiteboard.
The blog and forum are both a perfect tools for reflection and communication which are key components of learning process across all KLAs and present across all Student Expectations for ICTs, Education Queensland (2009). Going back to Bloom's Taxonomy (1956), by reflecting, the student is employing the higher order thinking skills of analysing and evaluating. Blogs can be individual, partnerships, small groups or whole class, and can be scaffolded to be collaborative across all these styles. In this Year 10 classroom, a class blog has been established within the unit website as a type of online environmental sustainability journal reflecting on current work and includes teacher embedding ICT creations into the Blog.
Video and YouTube clips can be used in a wide variety of contexts for diverse audiences. They can be very emotive as well as very informative. They are highly engaging to watch as long as they are chosen to suit the class topic and are not too long. They can also help to provide knowledge and understanding of both the ICT and subject matter.
Students who may have some difficulty interacting may be drawn together through the use of video clips when working together on an exciting common project. With a challenging task, collaborative teams and meaningful subject matter, producing a digital video is fulfilling the requirements of Learning Engagement Theory. With this highly engaging and constructivist task, learning will be enhanced by strengthening higher order thinking skills as well as making meaning with subject matter by drawing images and text/information together. Enhancement of social skills will produce an even more positive learning environment in the classroom where all members feel valued, validated and respected. Digital video is ideal to meet the Student ICT Expectation of Creating with ICT 'Students experiment with, select and use ICT to creatively express ideas, represent information and generate products appropriate to particular audiences and purposes.' Education Queensland (2009)
Learning Engagement Theory combined with TPCK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) provides the backbone for integrating Information Communication Technology (ICT) into the classroom learning experience. We must engage the students in meaningful, authentic activities with both collaborative teams and individualised learning experiences. As teachers, we must also fully understand our content (the curriculum), the technology (ICTs) and the best way to teach both (pedagogy). "Engagement theory is based upon the idea of creating successful collaborative teams that work on ambitious projects that are meaningful to someone outside the classroom." (Kearsley and Shneiderman, 1999, para. 4)
The use of problem based learning (PBL) through the assessment task also helps to develop the knowledge and understanding for the students. PBL provides a series of steps that are phased from the perspectives of the students, so its not about I am going to do this as a teacher for my students. Its about – I am am a student and I am going to be doing these things because I am the one who is solving the problem here. Through the use of PBL and authentic learning practice it helps students to understand that what they are learning is real and relevant in their lives – by doing this the more you will actually engage them in the process
Education Queensland (2009) guides us with the content and has set out the Student ICT Expectations to help teachers plan meaningful and engaging learning experiences with ICTs. Most of these ICT learning experiences should be integrated with other Key Learning Areas (KLAs) to facilitate Essential Learnings across the curriculum.
Ethical, Safe and Responsible Practices
When working with ICTs, students and teachers must use ethical, safe and responsible practices. Education Queensland (2009) specifies what students are expected to know. These include being respectful to others and having self-respect whilst sharing resources and online spaces. As in all communications, online communication have an ettiquette and students must be mindful to follow expected conventions and to be positive in any social interactions. Students and teachers must make sure that intellectual property and copyright laws and codes of practice are followed. This includes making sure that creators of digital media are identified and acknowledged, citing references where applicable with students understanding the concept of plagiarism. Students and teachers should have their own passwords and understand what is an appropriate amount of personal disclosure in any given online environment. They must be aware of dangers that exist and what websites are inappropriate.
References
Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives, handbook I: The cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Co Inc.
Education Queensland. (2009). Student ICT expectations. Retrieved from
http://education.qld.gov.au/smartclassrooms/strategy/dp/studentict.html
Kearsley, G., and Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement theory: A framework for technology based teaching and learning. Retrieved fromhttp://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.html