Wondering how on Earth to incorporate E Learning into RE? There are some things I've discovered over the past couple of years that could be of use.
1. YouTube (or TeacherTube!)
YouTube has been my main platform over the past 2 years to share my RE resources, and there are many other RE teachers who do the same. To get you started, here are a couple of RE channels:
www.youtube.com/06clared
www.youtube.com/skattp
www.youtube.com/thankGod4RE
www.youtube.com/MrD4RE
Looking at these channels will lead you to other RE channels on YouTube
In the transition of y9 to y10, I created a YouTube channel for my school's RE department where students would have their work uploaded. We would have a lesson or two in a computer suite and then, if the video assignment was not finished, would be homework. Then, the work would be uploaded onto YouTube by an 'RE teacher' (me!) and would be rated in the next lesson by the class, and prizes awarded for 1st place etc. They were fun lessons to create and also take part in (which I can say without being biased as I was lucky enough to do both!) To see the videos some students created, follow this link:
www.youtube.com/REChalloner
The videos were part of something called the 'Extended Media Project'. It's a great idea also for departments whose students have finished their work for the year, but want students to still do relevant, but fun, work. What do students love more than social media?!
If you want students and parents to be engaged in what's going on with your school or a single department, a Twitter account would be a great way to do so. For example, my own school's:
www.twitter.com/bishopchalloner
I created one for the RE department (www.youtube.com/BCREDept) though we never really launched it - I'll ensure this happens at some point before Easter! The Geography department did launch theirs, however:
www.twitter.com/BCGeogDept
The great thing about Twitter is that it's not a social network like Facebook where you're expected to have a friend's list, but, if they desired, parents or pupils could just 'follow' the departments at school.
Similar to YouTube, students could create PowerPoints on a specific topic and leave each other teacher-moderated feedback. This not only lets them realise the sorts of things examiners will be looking at in content, but also gives 30 odd resources that the class can choose to revise from. Perfect! Why not create a departmental account? For example, Bishop Walsh RE department's that I created on work experience is "BishopWalshRE".
Again, more shameful self-promotion, but here is my SlideShare account page as an example:
www.slideshare.net/06clared (I haven't uploaded even half of the PowerPoints I have, but I'll get round to it at some point in the Easter holidays, so expect some Edexcel stuff!)
VLEs aren't so easy, as the school would have to purchase one, but, if your school does have a VLE, you can use courses as my school's RE department do - which is to collate resources from different websites such as BBC Bitesize, YouTube, SlideShare, BBC News, Bible Gateway... I could go on. You can also include things to make the courses a little more interesting such as Vokis - online speaking characters.
My personal favourite VLE is 'Frog', but my school has Moodle, and there are also others, for example, Learning Gateway and Fronter.
You can have external online tasks on VLEs such as www.bubbl.us and Hot Potatoes quizzes (my personal favourite). You can also have the convential activities such as videos and PowerPoints. Most VLEs have their own form of online submissions for assignments - such as a word document type programme. The important thing with a VLE course is not to make it something to look at, but to make it something to be involved with. This is why all of these resources - like creating quizzes and asking for personal opinions of students in things like assignments for Edexcel D questions - are vital.
The majority of students in a school will have a Facebook account. On Facebook, you can create 'pages' where you can post news or leave comments. An example of this would be the Celebrating RE Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Celebrating-RE/123816601010579
Obviously the last thing any teacher wants is their students having a nose on their Facebook, so you can create a "Mr _____" account and comment on it. It would also be good as a homework reminder to students, so there's no excuse for failing to complete homework tasks! In this way, you can keep students engaged with a subject beyond the classroom. I realise this is a controversial idea, but, personally, I think it's a great way for a department to go about ensuring students are motivated in a specific subject. (With this, you don't even have to spend hours answering emails from students - you can just quickly jump onto the Facebook page and answer a question that maybe several students would've asked, but have seen your response publically on the Facebook page - this also prevents 'confusion' with homework).
From personal experience, (as a pretend RE teacher and student), I've seen E Learning motivate students to put so much more effort into a subject, and also get a lot more out of it. I'm sure we'd all love to see this happen with RE! Yes, it takes a lot of effort on a teacher's part, but the student response is phenominal!
So, what are you waiting for? Pilot some E Learning material in your RE department - the sooner you start, the sooner your students will become engaged in a whole new way!
(Just as a 'disclaimer' of sorts, I'm not an RE teacher, and never have been. I'm a year 11 student who has some experience in the E Learning field, especially within the world of Religious Education).
1. YouTube (or TeacherTube!)
YouTube has been my main platform over the past 2 years to share my RE resources, and there are many other RE teachers who do the same. To get you started, here are a couple of RE channels:
www.youtube.com/06clared
www.youtube.com/skattp
www.youtube.com/thankGod4RE
www.youtube.com/MrD4RE
Looking at these channels will lead you to other RE channels on YouTube
In the transition of y9 to y10, I created a YouTube channel for my school's RE department where students would have their work uploaded. We would have a lesson or two in a computer suite and then, if the video assignment was not finished, would be homework. Then, the work would be uploaded onto YouTube by an 'RE teacher' (me!) and would be rated in the next lesson by the class, and prizes awarded for 1st place etc. They were fun lessons to create and also take part in (which I can say without being biased as I was lucky enough to do both!) To see the videos some students created, follow this link:
www.youtube.com/REChalloner
The videos were part of something called the 'Extended Media Project'. It's a great idea also for departments whose students have finished their work for the year, but want students to still do relevant, but fun, work. What do students love more than social media?!
2. Twitter:
If you want students and parents to be engaged in what's going on with your school or a single department, a Twitter account would be a great way to do so. For example, my own school's:
www.twitter.com/bishopchalloner
I created one for the RE department (www.youtube.com/BCREDept) though we never really launched it - I'll ensure this happens at some point before Easter! The Geography department did launch theirs, however:
www.twitter.com/BCGeogDept
The great thing about Twitter is that it's not a social network like Facebook where you're expected to have a friend's list, but, if they desired, parents or pupils could just 'follow' the departments at school.
3. SlideShare:
Similar to YouTube, students could create PowerPoints on a specific topic and leave each other teacher-moderated feedback. This not only lets them realise the sorts of things examiners will be looking at in content, but also gives 30 odd resources that the class can choose to revise from. Perfect! Why not create a departmental account? For example, Bishop Walsh RE department's that I created on work experience is "BishopWalshRE".
Again, more shameful self-promotion, but here is my SlideShare account page as an example:
www.slideshare.net/06clared (I haven't uploaded even half of the PowerPoints I have, but I'll get round to it at some point in the Easter holidays, so expect some Edexcel stuff!)
4. VLEs:
VLEs aren't so easy, as the school would have to purchase one, but, if your school does have a VLE, you can use courses as my school's RE department do - which is to collate resources from different websites such as BBC Bitesize, YouTube, SlideShare, BBC News, Bible Gateway... I could go on. You can also include things to make the courses a little more interesting such as Vokis - online speaking characters.
My personal favourite VLE is 'Frog', but my school has Moodle, and there are also others, for example, Learning Gateway and Fronter.
You can have external online tasks on VLEs such as www.bubbl.us and Hot Potatoes quizzes (my personal favourite). You can also have the convential activities such as videos and PowerPoints. Most VLEs have their own form of online submissions for assignments - such as a word document type programme. The important thing with a VLE course is not to make it something to look at, but to make it something to be involved with. This is why all of these resources - like creating quizzes and asking for personal opinions of students in things like assignments for Edexcel D questions - are vital.
5. Facebook:
The majority of students in a school will have a Facebook account. On Facebook, you can create 'pages' where you can post news or leave comments. An example of this would be the Celebrating RE Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Celebrating-RE/123816601010579
Obviously the last thing any teacher wants is their students having a nose on their Facebook, so you can create a "Mr _____" account and comment on it. It would also be good as a homework reminder to students, so there's no excuse for failing to complete homework tasks! In this way, you can keep students engaged with a subject beyond the classroom. I realise this is a controversial idea, but, personally, I think it's a great way for a department to go about ensuring students are motivated in a specific subject. (With this, you don't even have to spend hours answering emails from students - you can just quickly jump onto the Facebook page and answer a question that maybe several students would've asked, but have seen your response publically on the Facebook page - this also prevents 'confusion' with homework).
From personal experience, (as a pretend RE teacher and student), I've seen E Learning motivate students to put so much more effort into a subject, and also get a lot more out of it. I'm sure we'd all love to see this happen with RE! Yes, it takes a lot of effort on a teacher's part, but the student response is phenominal!
So, what are you waiting for? Pilot some E Learning material in your RE department - the sooner you start, the sooner your students will become engaged in a whole new way!
(Just as a 'disclaimer' of sorts, I'm not an RE teacher, and never have been. I'm a year 11 student who has some experience in the E Learning field, especially within the world of Religious Education).
Excellent ideas Clare, thanks! I found out FB is brilliant to communicate ideas about RE and Philosophy to students. I would include into your e learning resources blogs, podcasts and Skype tutorials.
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