Module 2

As I step rather sheepishly into this world of the internet diary, I find it daunting that my opinions and musings could be perused by many people I have never met...but here it goes anyway.
I have been contemplating how blogs could be effectively incorporated into my teaching and assessment programs. I have begun by looking at what I have already done and what has already been published in the school's assessment program. It is exciting to see how easily blogs can fit into existing models and provide fresh energy and excitement.
In year 8 History, we have a research assignment in which students select a personality from the Renaissance and write an imaginary diary detailing a particular moment in the life and career of the personality (Leonardo painting the Mona Lisa, Luther posting the theses on the church door, Lucrezia Borgia facing the annulment of her first marriage, Bramante designing St. Peters). Creating a blog for these personalities would allow for the introductory profile, a wide selection of relevant images and documents and active links to sites that were researched. A profile of a personality from ancient Egypt by each student could be made accessible to all the other students in the class. Group work can now be much more effectively conducted outside the classroom. Work from a year can be archived so students in following years can see effective modelling before beginning their own responses.
I can see a real advantage for gifted and talented students who may have a very specific area of interest that might not be shared by anyone else in their home or school. They can find a community of like minded enthusiasts from across the globe - and not feel so isolated. This can then lead to significant intellectual growth and development.
I am sure that the sharing of comments and information so prevalent in the Harry Potter phenomenon are paralleled (to some degree) by enthusiasts of Dickens, the Brontes, Shakespeare and Ray Bradbury. That there are blogs out there sharing an appreciation of people as diverse as Alfred Hitchcock and Ray Harryhausen - and perhaps even Akhenaton and Hatshepsut!

Module 1 Part 2

As a brief reflection of Module One, I am particularly pleased that the meaning of Web 2.0 has been fully explained (although it would seem that a universally accepted definition is open to some discussion). I can finally contextualize all those sites and applications that have been mentioned by students, other staff and via media comments. Perhaps mixed with the thrill of a "Brave New World" is the so-called "dark side". Most of the videos viewed in the module mentioned problems and concerns towards the conclusion of their presentations - but these are fast becoming issues that are proving difficult to manage. As a teacher of a unit on ethics in the senior Studies of Religion course, I often tell students that guidance bodies like governments, churches and professional organizations need to be relatively conservative in embracing new areas of science as the best intentions of scientists/researchers can be compromised by problematic applications of their "discoveries" (the "Frankenstein" conundrum - for example, the wonder of assisting infertile couples with the move towards "designer babies").
Already the issues of cyber bullying, sleep deprivation and hours spent on social networking sites are giving us a really "dark side" of Facebook. With such a ready exchange of information, it is going to be increasingly hard to detect bias, prejudice and proper academic credentials - testing the reliability of information will be a real challenge. The issues of intellectual ownership and copyright are in real danger of disappearing - perhaps the new reality will see "payment" for one's work in terms of exchange. This sharing of information, opinion, creation and interpretation will become a form of barter. I think it is rather ironic that the age of 21st century technology is leading us to the most basic form of exchange.

Module 1

Hi,
My name is Mark Gwyer and I teach Studies of Religion (Year 12), Ancient History (Years 11 & 12) and History (Years 8 & 10). I have the area of responsibility of Stage Six Coordinator. Now that our Year 11 students all have MacBooks, I hope this course will allow me to engage in a new way - at the very least I will gradually become familiar with the key terms and concepts of IPT.