Digital Pedagogies Week 4 - Personal Reflection

Power point presentations (PP) are a valuable resource in which teachers can use in order to convey information to students. The (PP) makes an excellent addition to oral lectures, allowing for the student to listen and gain further understanding through pictures, videos, audio files, graphs or tables. It is also a valuable teaching tool, as the oral, can be recorded and added to the presentation allowing for my future students to receive the information as many times as needed in order to understand the material. I like the idea of the (PP) as it will allow me to be creative and keep the material interesting for students. I particularly like how the (PP) allows the creator to manipulate images, changing the resolution, colors, size or borders. I also think that the power point would provide a good tool for students to use as they could present their own research to the class, allowing for students to learn from each other. I personally found making the (PP) relatively easy to create and the program is user friendly, allowing for input of a range of different forms of information. I believe that the (PP) would be a valuable addition into classes, particularly in my chosen field of History and Geography. Both subjects can be supported well through the use of pictures in order to assist in understanding and retention of information.   

In terms of the SAMR model, computer technology, in this case the (PP) is a very effective use of technology present in the classrooms of today. Areas of the model, such as ‘substitution’ are present as the technology has replaced the traditional lecture where the teacher would use pictures in front of the room or through handouts to the students. There is no real functional change on the method of teaching, however, the technology allows for students to access the presentation at any time to assist understanding and retention. The ‘augmentation’ in the model is also a factor in the (PP) as the computer can be used as an effective tool to perform common tasks. The (PP) can be accessed and added to by students with their input being immediately visible to the class. Comments can be added to provide feedback and it can edited or changed if needed. I find the area of ‘modification’ present also, as reflected in the model. Common classroom tasks are being replaced, to a point, by the technology. The group aspect of this type of learning, and instant audience, gives the student a more personal type of ownership over their input into the work. The final aspect of the model ‘redefinition’ is present in the (PP) to a point. The technology definatley is needed to create the presentation, particularly with multiple authors and instant availability for feedback. The (PP) can also be accessed at any time by students, however the idea of the (PP) type of presentation was still achieved through lecture and pictures, however the impact on students, I feel is far greater today than previously.

 
The power point presentation below is a basic example of how I would use the technology in order to help get information across to my students. I chose the topic of Convict Australia and basic functionality and concepts of the (PP) are briefly described.