Blog Synopsis

The age old image of a teacher standing at the front of a class teaching is becoming a vision of the past. Students need learning managers to be technology savvy to enable them to be engaged in their learning experiences and achieve positive learning outcomes. Technology is an evolutionary development that will continue to evolve. As we move into the 2000 epoch we need to be aware that Society has experienced many changes since the idea of schooling first came about. The change from industrial base to knowledge base society has had an enormous impact on the socio-economic profile. The school system still operates under long held traditions of an industrial based society, causing mindset constraints. This also helps us see the need for a disruptive mindset to take place. To be workplace ready, futures oriented and prepared to cope with a knowledgeable and creativity-based economy. There is a need for learning managers /teachers to possess a new mindset to approach education in the 2000’s epoch.
As stated in Kearsley and Shneiderman’s learning engagement theory. “The fundamental idea underlying engagement theory is that student’s must be meaningfully engaged in learning activities through interaction with others and worthwhile tasks,” (Kearsley and Shneiderman, 1999). E-learning facilitates the use of information communication technology to effectively engage our students in meaningful learning experiences.
We as Learning Managers need to ensure we are giving our students the best possible chance to obtain the desired learning outcomes in an environment that enables students to feel that they have some control over their learning journey. This brings us back to Kearsley and Shneiderman’s learning engagement theory “relate, create, donate” (Kearsley and Shneiderman, 1999) focusing on collaboration, creativity and contribution. These attributes will enable students to be futures oriented with high order thinking skills, thus able to cope with life outside of school.
Being aware of the socio-economic diversity facing students in an ever changing world makes our task even more challenging. Students come from a wide variety of backgrounds including, socio-economically advantaged/disadvantaged, religion, cultural, those with learning disabilities etc… as long as we remain aware of the fact that all students are capable of achieving desired learning outcomes, hopefully we will engage our students and achieve those outcomes.
As Learning Managers we need to provide a student centered approach to our teaching in order to achieve a healthy academic rapport with our students. This rapport is important if we are to get to know the learning styles of our students. Knowing students learning styles will help us to tailor the learning experiences to each student.
Using blogs in the classroom would also enable Learning Managers to get to know their students better. If students were asked to blog their learning journey, Learning Managers would be informed of the students attitudes and perceptions of what he/she is being taught. With an aim to being student focused and futures oriented, the insight from this knowledge would allow Learning Managers to create engaging learning experiences, which used pedagogic strategies to ensure learning outcomes are achieved for all students.
Wiki’s are a fantastic opportunity for students to collaborate and could facilitate whole class group discussions/suggestions/ideas. Students can contribute without feeling inadequate or being singled out, thus allowing students to feel accepted by teacher and peers alike. Wiki would encourage creative thinking while engaging students in classroom tasks that relate to students interests and goals. Using wiki students are able to collaborate on the task requirements and what is expected in relation to learning experience outcomes, giving students clarification. Learning Managers would be able to provide positive constructive feedback to students whilst ensuring the students are remaining on task. Helping students recognize that they have the ability to reach the desired learning outcomes.
Using interactive whiteboards in the classroom enables Learning Managers to engage their students using technology that is relevant. Students are technology savvy from a very young age and are capable of relating their learning experiences to the real world via technology. Interactive whiteboards enables students to perceive the task as relevant helping them to develop and understand positive attitudes and perceptions within the learning journey. This encourages students to push the limits of their knowledge and ability by encouraging creative thinking and the ability to acquire and integrate knowledge. Students would also gain the skills to plan appropriately, identify and use resources available to them, helping them to use their knowledge meaningfully and to extend and refine that knowledge. It is therefore imperative that Learning Managers use this technology to the fullest potential.
Other e-learning tools such as Voki, , Flickr, picnic, power point, you tube etc…all provide endless possibilities. Voki is a very creative way to tell a short story, weather you are a student or a teacher. Students could present their Voki as an introduction to an oral presentation or Learning Managers could use it to introduce the next block of work. Students are able to use this tool easily, it is extremely user friendly.
Flickr could be used to show a students learning journey through building an on-line photo album. Learning managers would need to acquire appropriate permission to display photographs of students on the internet. Students would be able to post photos of various learning experiences including classroom activities, camps, outings, and interests while giving a description of what the images represent.
Picnik enables students to enhance their photo’s adding personal touches (create) posting images to Flickr or a blog etc… (donate) relating to personal experiences on their learning journey (relate).Students are able to verbalize their perceptions of their images encouraging declarative knowledge. Asking students to comment respectfully/constructively on their peers images will encourage students to use their critical thinking skills, ensuring students are aware of these skills.
You tube is another great resource as the possibilities of use are endless. Students could use you tube as a means of creating and presenting their work, providing them with a whole e-learning experience. This work could be meaningful to an organization, company, person/persons etc… outside of the school, or reflect the interest of the student/class. Learning Managers are able to use you-tube as a means of demonstration, introduction, research and general class presentations.
Information communication technology facilitates all aspects of engagement.
Undertaking Managing E-learning as part of my learning journey, I have realized how invaluable technology can be. I have been extremely frustrated by some aspects of the technology and totally elated by others. Had I had the tuition that suited my preferred learning style I would have coped a lot easier with the learning experiences. I feel that my learning outcomes would also have benefited. I can honestly say that I felt meaningfully engaged and that my tasks were worthwhile. The addition of collaboration for assessment purposes made me feel that I was not alone in the way I was feeling. I trust that this assessment of my personal learning journey will help me to become a better Learning Manager, having experienced an engaging, challenging learning journey.
Throughout this journey I have contacted my lecturer in regards to links not working correctly. With my peers I have discussed course content, collaborated on assignments, as well as expressed my frustrations and elation's. I have left hopefully constructive comments on some of my fellow student’s blogs, collaborated via wiki and mahara. This course has a lot of content and I found that I was spending a lot of time looking at the new technology introduced in the course. Having gained the knowledge to use this technology I feel I would be able to use it to its fullest potential, providing I remain up to date and futures focused with a new mindset towards Learning Management. Upon the completion of my Bachelor of Learning Management I would want to possess the skills and attributes to be able to engage my students and create positive learning outcomes for those students, by being knowledgeable, work place ready, adaptive, innovative, creative, student centered, using technology, having high order thinking skills, evaluation/critical reflection skills, being willing to accept change and become a lifelong learner. Learning managers of the future will need the skills to create a pedagogical performance to achieve desired learning outcomes.
Being futures oriented and workplace ready in collaboration with capability are things we as future Learning Managers need to achieve. We have the opportunity to achieve these goals and become the teachers of tomorrow.

References
Kearsley, G. & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning.