Design+Rationale

=
This unit of learning " Come and Play" has been designed for a Year 4 class, based on comments made by them about their school playground being too crowded at lunchtimes. The school has grown considerably over the last few years and this is one possible issue arising from this.The unit has been designed to reflect several different learning theories, pedagogies and frameworks. The learning throughout will include the use of ICTS and hold relevant links to The Australian Curriculum and Essential learnings. The unit will place importance on working legally, ethically and safely modelled by the Learning Manager and implemented by students. It will aslo include an overview of the outcome to be achieved by the learners.======

=
The problem is one that the students themselves have put forth, the Learning manager has used this problem to design a unit of work and by taking this approach will endeavour to make the learning authentic Herrington(2010). "The Learning manager has created classroom tasks that relate to students interests and goals" Mazarno & Pickering(1997.p32). Throughout the unit the Learning manager has created a pathway through the learning that is flexible, complex and ill defined and due to this, will not be completed in one or two lessons but will extend over a longer period of time. Herrington(2010). Therefore the learning sequence has been broken into three phases. These phases are influenced by constructivist theories, "the key element being that the learner is an active contributor to the learning and that teaching methods should focus on what the learner can bring to the learning Rowe" (2006,p.3). The connectivism theory "which provides insight into learning skills and tasks needed for learners to flourish in a digital era" Siemens (2004) will also be present throughout the phases. ======

=
Phase 1 sets the scene for the problem. The Learning manager starts by promoting positive attitudes and perceptions towards the learning and states that the problem will be solved by the students themselves. The students need to know that learning will be owned, controlled and managed by them Queensland Department of Education.(2002). With the use of ICTs students collect evidence to support their claims as well as being introduced to gaining multiple perspectives using varied media on the web Herrington (2010) The Learning manager outlines the importance of working safely, ethically and legally. Students are given opportunities to work collaboratively and to think about, reflect and discuss their learning Herrington (2010). ======

=
Phase 2 emphasises the importance of gaining multiple perspectives. Taking Blooms revised taxonomy framework into consideration the Learning manager has incorporated the use higher order thinking skills by giving students the opportunity, using ICT tools, to create their own ways of gathering information from their peers. The students will also use ICTs when analysing and evaluating this information. Clark, D. (1999). Students in this phase are being asked to "use knowledge meaningfully which requires students to engage in thinking and reasoning that is quite different from that required when they are asked to simply recall, restate recognise, recollect, reiterate or otherwise reproduce knowledge" Mazarno, R. & Pickering, D. (1997,pg 191). Students are again asked to work collaboratively in groups hereby supporting the development of active citizenship and strong group identity Queensland Department of Education. (2002) ======

=
Phase 3 brings together the learning journey by asking students to represent what they have learnt by creating their own playground design. The Learning manager has given students the opportunity to represent their design in a variety of different ways and has asked them to make sure that they provide evidence to support their design; this too may be represented in a variety of different ways. In giving students a choice in how they can represent their work, allows them to create something that is individual, unique and can reflect their own style of learning. ======

=
Student's outcomes have been designed to reflect the whole learning journey, not just the end product. Student assessment is to be based on many aspects of the learning journey. Students are to be assessed on how they have contributed to the learning as well as their individual designs. Herrington (2010). ======

=
Throughout all phases ITCs are present, as stated by Queensland Government (2012, p.1&2) "it is expected that students have opportunities to develop ICT knowledge, understandings and skills. It is expected that students explore, select and use ICTs in the process of inquiry and research across key learning areas and that students are given the opportunity to reflect on and evaluate how ICTs have assisted in meeting inquiry purposes and in developing new understandings". The Learning manager has aimed to achieve this by providing many opportunities to use ICTs meaningfully and by providing an opportunity for students to analyse the different ICTs using a P.M.I. thinking strategy designed to reflect Blooms higher order thinking skills Frangeinheim (2010).======

The whole unit has relevant links to the Australian Curriculum and Essential learning's which can be viewed by clicking on this LINK
Overall the unit "Come and play" is a good reflection of the TPACK principles Mishra & Koehler (2006, p.1029) state "developing good content requires thoughtful interweaving of all three key sources of knowledge, technology, pedagogy and content".