The view from behind a coffee cup

Sunday morning, and time to reflect on the first two weeks of the course. The timetable is packed with lectures, assignment deadlines and teaching placements, and I am frantically reassessing my definition of a full time course, having being lulled into a false sense of security by three years of full time undergraduate study - a completely different beast! The expectations are higher, but so are the rewards.

The ICT classes with Mandy have introduced me to a number of short cuts and tools which will take hours off such tasks as referencing and creating visual aids for the classroom. The Harvard referencing button in Word - where have you been all my life? All those hours I spent sobbing into my keyboard.........

I've started putting my lesson together for the micro teach session this weekend. The subject is a simple one, but the time available to deliver and prior knowledge of my fellow students has narrowed down a huge subject area for me, and allowed me to select something which I feel can be delivered and understood successfully in the time slot. I am looking forward to the other sessions enormously - the diversity of subject expertise and personalities in the class is staggering, and should make for some very interesting lessons.

Things that occur to me

I've been watching my son play Minecraft this evening as I browse the web, and I am still amazed at what he and others create and share. It's a great example of how gaming can be educational as well as fun, and sent me off  on another search for information. I found a great piece here on how it has gained popularity with parents as well as children. It will be interesting to see if Microsoft are able to create a balance between maintaining the spirit of the game and making improvements that truly benefit the community.

Another useful little tool

Today, we looked at using Bubbl.us a really useful little tool which can be used in class to create online mind maps with students. The primary topic is entered into what is called the "parent" bubble, with other ideas then added as "child" bubbles" which are colour coded according to their hierarchical relationship with the "parent" bubble.

Below is an example of my first experience of playing around with it.

 

I like the idea of these online mind maps, particularly the collaborative aspect. This type of activity is also great for visual learners, who can see a visual representation of how ideas and concepts are linked, and can further enhance their understanding by using images, such as in the example below.

Source - bubbl.us

It's not just the visual learners who benefit though - mind mapping is an excellent way to support the development of critical thinking skills. Different elements of a newly introduced or complex subject can be explored and analysed, with learners being encouraged to discuss their thoughts and opinions with each other. Communication and interpersonal skills are therefore developed simultaneously.

Because mind mapping is more flexible than outlining, it encourages creativity. Displaying all related topics on the same mind map, with emphasis and connections indicated by images, symbols, and colors, improves memory retention. The maps are also easier to understand, which saves time and increases productivity. 

Diane Murley “Mind Mapping Complex Information

Material things

We have a plethora of electronic devices scattered throughout our home, from mobile phones to televisions. The presence of two teenage boys (11 and 17) also means that we have a full range of games consoles from Nintendo 3DS right up to PS4 and everything in between. Add to that a collection of tablets and laptops and you've got a pretty good idea of where my money has been spent over the years.

I think that we, as a society have become over reliant on certain forms of technology, to the detriment of other forms of communication.







Aaaand we're off!

Okay, this is my first foray into the blogosphere - having never used this medium to communicate before, I apologise in advance for any thoughts or musings which escape and wander around unattended!

I've taken the plunge as part of my continuing university education - I have just embarked upon a PGCE in PCET training course at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David Swansea campus, which includes an ICT module. This blog is part of the assessment criteria for the module and will also be used as a place to record any thoughts and observations I have as the course progresses.

In addition to being a mature student, I am a single mother of two boys, aged 17 and 11. This brings a whole new set of challenges and demands which need to be satisfied alongside the academic requirements of the course. Time management will be crucial, even more so when the supervised teaching placement begins in November.

I am lucky that my children are so understanding and supportive as I undertake this journey. It,s been a long and arduous one so far, but this course will provide me with the skills to be able to grasp the opportunities that become available and make a better life for us all.