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Element Two

Investigating with ICT

Resource Details

  • https://edutrainingcenter.withgoogle.com/

  • This webinar provides training and examples of how to search, locate and use a range of Google tools for teaching, enabling teachers to develop skills to teach with a range of Google web-tools. 

  • Suitable for all operating systems and mobile devices.

  • Free for all users.

  • Stage 6 - Adult (Ages 15+).

(Google Videos, 2012)

Description

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Google Educator provides teachers with the skills and training to meet capability 2, "Investigating with ICT". Using the range of webinars, training videos, and lesson resources, teacher can develop skills to "define and plan information searches" for their students.

(ACARA, 2013)

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Critical Analysis

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Research has demonstrated that teachers can support and enhance learning, specifically higher-order skill development through what Roblyer & Doering call "online lesson-enhancements" (2014, p.260), such as the use of Google Education resources. Interactive software tools support educators to illuminate difficult concepts in the classroom, making them easier to grasp by students (Roblyer & Doering, 2014).

Successful ICT implementation requires competent teacher ICT skills, which some teachers lack (Voogt, Knezek, Cox, Knezek, ten Brummelhuis, 2011). 

Google Education provides numerous web-based resources that teachers may use to learn and practice these to increase their confidence, as well as providing online support, if required (Google. n.d.).

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Resource Description

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  • Google My Maps: Visualize-your-data-on-a-custom-map-using-google-my-maps/

  • Google My Maps allows users to locate, plot, generate and visualize data and information. In this interactive activity, students will import data, customise the style of their maps and share with others.

  • Recommended operating systems are Chrome, Firefox and Safari. Suitable for all mobile devices.

  • Free for all users, google account sign up required.

  • Stage 4 – Adult (Ages 13+).

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Explanation

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This resource develops students’ skills in capability 2, “Investigating with ICT”, engaging in a hands-on interactive lesson to "locate, generate and access data and information", through a series of guided activities. Students will develop skills required to conduct searches using Google My Maps to investigate geographical phenomena around sustainability across different cities to conduct research for their Minecraft project.

(ACARA, 2013)

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Critical analysis

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This interactive suite of lessons engages students in “Informational visualization”, that is; moving images, sounds, and buttons, making data easier to understand and use for students (Roblyer & Doering, 2014, p. 366). The multimedia setting, such as the Google My Maps tutorial, creates a student-centred learning environment, where students can engage in active experiences (Lau, Yen, Li & Wah, 2014). As this is a set web-based program, teachers will need to differentiate the content for students to ensure that they are supported throughout the lessons (Roblyer & Doering, 2014).  

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Weather Makers Resources

(Cool Australia, n.d.)

Resource details

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Explanation

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This resource develops students’ skills in capability 2, “Investigating with ICT”. Students will engage in a suite of lessons investigating the validity of website content to “select and evaluate data and information” for weather patterns in Geography.

(ACARA, 2013)

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Critical Analysis

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This suite of interactive activities enable students to participate in Problem Based Learning (PBL). "PBL is a learner-centred pedagogy focusing on learners’ active and often collaborative production of knowledge through engaging with real world problems or cases" (Tambouris, et al., 2012, p. 239). Roblyer and Doering contend that "students are more motivated to learn complex skills when technology tools help them do it the low-level skills involved" (2014. p. 35). 

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