4.1 Linking learning outcomes, activities and tools
The University of New South Wales Sydney (2017) provides a very useful table that groups common themes of learning outcomes, the kinds of activities often used with learners to achieve those outcomes, and potentially useful online technologies for each. An edited version of this table forms the basis for Activity 4.4 below.
Activity 4.4 Identifying technologies that you might use
Read the activity tasks below and then complete them using the table that follows. The column on the far right of the table identifies different tools, while the other columns address desired learning outcomes, rationale for use and relevant activities.
- Which tools and associated practices shown in the table do you or your students currently use in a teaching/learning context? Spend a few minutes making a list.
- Outside the teaching environment, which tools are your students likely to use to express themselves, to reflect, to explore and to have fun? Again, make a list.
- Put an asterisk by each tool on your lists that you would describe as social.
Comment
This activity should help you to develop your ideas further – now you should be able to match possible tools to the tasks you wish your students to complete online. You will build upon these ideas in later weeks.
| Desired learning outcomes (‘what?’) | Rationale (‘why?’) | Relevant activities (‘how?’) | Potential technological tools |
|---|---|---|---|
Information literacy. Global practice. Digital literacy. Ethical practice. Preparation for success. | Exposure to, awareness of, contribution to external:
Appropriate referencing. Appropriate equipment of the 21st-century graduate. Managing information load. | Multidimensional evaluation. Sharing and reviewing online resources. Connecting with outside experts/communities. Checking for plagiarism. Media making/mash-ups. Digital storytelling. Copyright/Creative Commons discussions. Activities relevant and authentic to discipline. Embedded activities for generic attributes. Contextual prompts to evaluate sources. | RSS feeds/aggregators. Blogs. Plagiarism prevention (e.g. Turnitin). Presentation sharing (e.g. SlideShare). Video sharing (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo). Podcasting. Online/distance learning platforms (e.g. Blackboard Collaborate, Adobe Connect). Screencasting. |
Self-directed learning. Reflective practice. Engaged learning. Co-learning. Quality learning environment and experience. | Negotiate understanding. Feedback on the course. Reflection on learning. Global practice. Consistency of experience. | Problem/case-based learning. Flexible access to material. Project planning and management. Student self-tests. Teacher (and technology) as facilitator of learning. Choice of modes and activities. Access to technology (e.g. mobile devices). Agreed code of conduct. | Wikis. Quiz/survey. Recorded lectures. Video sharing (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo). Podcasting. Mobile learning (e.g. smartphone, tablet). Online/distance learning platforms (e.g. Blackboard Collaborate, Adobe Connect). |
Giving and receiving feedback. | Multiple perspectives. Feedback on performance. | Collaborative writing. Group negotiation and planning. Assessment of teamwork. Reviewing (e.g. group work). Publishing. Reflection. | Wikis. Blogs. Discussion forum. Peer review (e.g. via forums). Online/distance learning platforms (e.g. Blackboard Collaborate, Adobe Connect). Screencasting. |
Working in teams. Collaborative practice. | Negotiating understanding. Multiple perspectives (for teacher). Management of group work. Digital literacy. Inclusivity. | Collaborative writing. Group negotiation and planning. Project planning and management. Problem/case-based learning. Assessing team contribution. Media-based projects. Variety of communication styles supported. | Wikis. Blogs. Peer review (e.g. via forums,). Collaborative word processing software (e.g. Google Docs). Online/distance learning platforms (e.g. Blackboard Collaborate, Adobe Connect). Moderated discussion. |
Critical reviewing. Critical thinking. Independent learning. | Negotiating understanding. Multiple perspectives. Feedback. Practice of critical reviewing. Practice of critical thinking. | Reflecting. Debating. Reviewing. Social knowledge building. Review of/ commentary on online material. Giving and receiving feedback. | Blogs. Discussion forum. Online/distance learning platforms (e.g. Blackboard Collaborate, Adobe Connect). Seminar replicators (e.g. VoiceThread). Video sharing (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo). Podcasting. RSS feeds/aggregators. Peer review (e.g. via forums). |
Synthesis of learning. Applying learning (at high level). | Able to solve new problems. Application of knowledge in integrated way. | Experiencing ‘authentic’ practice. Integrative (could be group) project. Problem/case-based learning activities. | Authentic voice via video/audio. Online/distance learning platforms (e.g. Blackboard Collaborate, Adobe Connect). Simulations e.g. virtual experiments. Animations. |
Written communication. | Negotiating understanding. Contributing to external activity, conversations, resources. Appropriate referencing. | Reflecting. Debating. Reviewing. Publishing. Checking for plagiarism. | Blogs. Discussion forum. Plagiarism prevention (e.g. Turnitin). Presentation sharing (e.g. SlideShare). Messaging (e.g. Twitter, Yammer). RSS feeds/aggregators. |
Oral communication. Presentation skills. Language proficiency. | Sharing audio/video material. Presenting. Digital storytelling. Audio/video discussion and feedback. | Seminar replicators (e.g. VoiceThread). Video sharing (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo). Podcasting. Presentation sharing (e.g. SlideShare). Online/distance learning platforms (e.g. Blackboard Collaborate, Adobe Connect). Screencasting. |
Activity 4.5 Selecting tools
Think back to the activities in the previous weeks and retrieve your notes about what you want to deliver online and what kinds of tools you would need to employ to achieve this. Consider:
- Which tools from your lists map across to some of your desired objectives in teaching online?
- Which objectives do not have an already-used tool mapped across to them?
- Have you discovered anything in this week’s materials that might help you meet these objectives?
Comment
Activity 4.5 should help you to develop your responses from previous weeks – now you should be able to match possible tools to the tasks you wish your students to achieve online.