Introduction:
This blog tends to teach the basics of money values to the year 2
students in a Western Australian Primary School, applying the blended-learning
approach (flipped-classroom model) where students learn the basics at school
and can also practice at home using online websites and blogs (Newhouse, 2017).
The year 2 Australian Curriculum used for creating this blog is: Count and
order small collections of Australian coins and notes according to their
value (ACMNA034) (Australian
Curriculum [ACARA], n.d.). This blog shows a safe structure of using
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by supporting imaginative
parts of the tasks by playing related online games (for example, the quiz). This
class has various students including students with special needs, therefore,
the ICT applied here also reflects the significance of socio-communicational
skills teachers can develop by watching related videos and studying about
different special needs (in this case autism and EAL/D students), amongst all
students (Ford, 2018). This assessment includes a rationale that addresses the
pedagogical strategies used in applying the curated resources and it also
consists of a Professional Learning Plan for using ICT efficiently based on my
personal needs and through this experience to enhance student learning.
Rationale:
Teachers and educators go through an eternal learning process
getting updated just like any other career fitting in the world of technology (Sheffield
et al, 2018). ICT has to be used with skilled implementations, and for this to
happen, it is important to consider the efficient resources, classroom
management approaches (groups, pairs), concept alignments (matching with the
curriculum), student awareness, adaptations, and pedagogical strategies
(Newhouse, 2017).
Teachers can use the pedagogy of skip counting by providing
links on the blog after practicing it in class (Saraji & Taggart, 2014). For
example, students can count by 5s individually and teachers can observe how
much practice this class needs for counting money values (Sawatzki &
Sullivan, 2017). This can be practiced by listening to online videos (songs)
about skip counting. Some technologies respond to student moods, just like the
show game used in this blog in the quiz section (Quizizz). Students will have
multiple attempts to try the game and they can move above and beyond in the
same area to make practices easier or harder for them (Sharples, 2019).
Children who have special needs like the EAL/D students who come
from different linguistic backgrounds can learn this concept through
additional tools such as picture resources, rhyming songs, structured number
lines, and mainly any visual strategy that requires their short answer (like
pointing at notes and coins) (Jones & Seilhamer, 2019). Videos 1 & 2
are interrelated; therefore, their following practice easily attracts students’
attention and engages them. A good point about these curated resources is that
they are considered as “chunking activities” which enable students (especially
EAL/D and Autism) to break down the instructions, pause, play, and learn the
information with their own speed rates (Willis, 2012).
The fact that students can learn mathematical concepts online is a
desired skill in using technology and students’ conception of information
influences their self-concept (Ros et al, 2020). Teacher support affects
students’ interest in participating in an activity, therefore, in this blog’s
instructional video, it is stated that students can be in touch through the
contact form (Bringula et al, 2021). This blog focuses on using ICT efficiently
and safely in order to construct critical thinkers with decent
socio-communicational skills who can work independently rather than guiding a
class through individualized strategies (eSafety Commissioner, 2021).
