Weebly Website

Weebly is a website creation program that is engaging, easy to use, and packed with features. It allows users to create multi paged websites on any topic of the users choice. There are a number of design options to suit different topics and the easy to use editing toolbar makes this program very suitable for school aged students.

Other features included in the Weebly website creating program is the ability to include a blog. This program would be extremely useful in a learning context as the students could create a multi paged website based on their assignment and blog reflections about their learning journey for other students, teachers, and parents to see.

This program would see students actively involved in their learning and the reflection process. Furthermore, opportunities for collaborate learning will occur as students look at others work and make professional comments about information presented, processes undertaken, and reflections.

This digital tool would sit effectively in a constructivist learning environment. Where the "content is not pre-specified, direction is determined by the learner and assessment is much more subjective because it does not depend on specific quantitative criteria, but rather the process and self-evaluation of the learner" (Mergel, B 1998).

The following represents a PMI chart to demonstrate an overall evaluation of using Weebly as a digital tool in the learning context:
Plus: Easy to use, lots of feature, engaging designs, technological based,
Minus: More attention may be paid to design features rather then level of educational content.
Interesting: promotes collaborate learning and self reflection.

I have created a Weebly website. It contains detailed lesson plans on implementing digital technologies into the learning context. There is a specific page on how to implement websites, into the classroom. To view my Weebly website click on the following; http://leahfriend.weebly.com/

Reference:
-Mergel, B. 1998. Instructional Design and Learning Theories. [Online Journal]. Educational Communication and Technology University of Sashatchewan. Retrieved on 20, July, 2010 from http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/mergel/brenda.htm

Concept Mapping

The concept mapping program used in this analysis is Bubbl.us. It’s an easy to use program that’s main function is to create concept maps that can be stored and saved onto your account and shared with others. To view my week 1 concept map click on the picture.

Concept Maps play an important role in education as it allows students to store and organise information in effective ways. Concept mapping matches in well with the cognitive theory of learning design. It acts as a guide to help students work through the three stage information processing model described by Mergels (1998). “Input first enters a sensory register, then is processed in short-term memory, and then is transferred to long-term memory for storage and retrieval”. The concept map helps students match new information to previously help information aiding in the transformation of knowledge from short to long term memory. Furthermore, concept maps can be used in the learning environment by students and teachers as a revision strategy. Once the information has been organised onto a concept map it makes for easy retrieval.

By allowing students to create concept maps via a digital technology, students are becoming more active in their own learning. Furthermore, by using a program like Bubbl.us, students can view other students work to gain valuable feedback and extend and refine their own knowledge. I believe that by using this type of E-Learning tool in your classroom your students will gain invaluable learning experiences, that are highly engaging, and rich in content.

• Image courtesy of Bubbl.us and Cooltext.com
• Mergels, B (1998), Learning Theories of Instructional Design. [On-line]. Retrieved 10, July, 2010 from http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/mergel/brenda.htm