A+contribution+from+Rae

Hey, what you have all done is really brilliant - I'm sorry I haven't been here to support you better - who know what that will mean for my mark! anyway - I had a go at building on the implications for classroom practice - trying some academic inclusions. You may include it or reject it as you feel fit. I'll keep trying to see if I can add to it in other ways - so if you are on line or near the uni library, Launceston I'd love to hear from you. If i come up with anything else I will add it here. Rae.

__Implications for our classroom practices__ ‘Theoretically speaking and practically, teaching requires an intricate combination of content, pedagogy and technology knowledge.’( Fluck,, p50) Therefore the first step is to address the content, pedagogy and technology knowledge of the teacher in relation to the unit.

As far as content goes to successfully teach this learning sequence and achieve desired learning outcomes, it is essential, as a teacher to have a broad and sound knowledge of the topic, in this case time, timezones and geography. As teachers, we would thoroughly research the topics before the first lesson begins to refresh our existing knowledge and possibly extend it. Students can be unpredictable and ask questions that are not factored into the lesson plan so it is best to know the subject and be prepared for the unexpected. 

In relation to pedagogy we need to acknowledge that learning to tell the time can be difficult to learn, you cannot see it or touch it. This group on the whole will have moved toward concrete operational thinking and so be developing facility with invariance, compensation and reversibility which will enable them to meet the the demands of engaging with the with real life problem solving approaches, along with the ICT learning tools and resources which will encourage higher order thinking and problem solving approaches. These resources will also support and enhance the understanding of a key mathematical concept by promoting skill fluency, foster creative problem solving, help build mental models, enhance motivation and develop group skills.  It is of utmost importance to have sound computer skills when using ICT resources and operating computer systems, so that any unforeseen malfunctions can be rectified with limited fuss and time delay. All professional learning days based on ICT should be attended in order to keep up with technological advances. Due to the fact that ICT is heavily integrated into this learning sequence, we would need to establish a backup plan. A power failure, for example, would make completing this learning sequence very difficult. The value of integrating ICT resources across the curriculum areas is important for enhancing students’ knowledge and extending the walls of the classroom. ICT provides us with unlimited resources, allowing us to design lessons which cater for a variety of different learning styles which is necessary when planning units of work.

I would see this as a very challenging unit technologically. The students are required to be able to use about 10 different resources in different ways and so the skills they would need to bring to the unit i would think would have had to be developed over the year. Lesson 4 is a particularly demanding lesson in that the teacher is providing oversight and technical expertise for 5 complex programs at one time. I expect that we would need more than one adult to handle the technology in that lesson - but I am not used to working in that kind of environment so it may be more achieveable than what I am imagining. I think the outcomes are fantastic and I would love to be involved in a class where this type of thing is not a dream.

Type in the content of your page here.