Lesson 18

Tablets for Textbooks in School

With advent of Tablets, reading, and learning as a whole have become less cumbersome. If books makes someone’s back ache, tablets are now here to take that burden away. Today, books however are still the number one medium of instruction in schools. Books are more durable than tablets but many educators now prefer the use of tablet in the teaching and learning process. Aside from the fact that it is less bulky, it offers a wide and faster way in accessing information because it cannot only contain books but also access the net. A book has its advantages, a tablet also has its pros – either of this two may prevail today but we cannot deny the fact that we are towards the digital realm where digital things are inevitable. With the present condition of the Philippines, it is still difficult for the government to provide all students tablets. For now, school administration, teachers, and parents must agree upon the notion of using tablets in school since tablets for now are very expensive, if there is a want to use tablets in the school. 

          

As an experienced, I have my own tablet. Yes it very handy and I am comfortable to use because it has the capabilities and abilities that the computer has. I even made and read powerpoint on it. I also made documents and other things that are useful in my studies. So I can say that tablet is essential in teaching and learning process but I must also read books and does not only rely on my tablet.

            

Implementing tablets instead of books in the school can be possible only in the school or institution which they can afford. But in the rural areas it can impossible because of the students are not all wealthy to provide a tablet as their source of information. And it also causes a double jeopardy to the teacher because the teacher must teach his/her students how to manipulate tablets. Unlike in the urban areas they are more updated and they are more engage to technology.

            

For me as a teacher someday, I must use only the available materials in the school as a tool of my instruction. I must also creative and innovative in doing it. Tablets are fun to use but I must consider my students if they can afford it or not.

Lesson 16

THE INTERNET AND EDUCATION

 

The internet, also simply called the NET is the largest and far flung-network system-of-all-systems. Surprisingly, the internet is not really a network but a loosely organize collection of about 25,000 networks accessed by computer on the planet. It is astonishing to know that no one owns the internet. It has no central headquarters, no centrally offered services, and no comprehensive online index to tell users what information is available in the system.

 

GETTING AROUND THE NET 

The vast sea of information now and the internet, including news and trivia, is an overwhelming challenge to those who wish to navigate it.

THE VIEW OF EDUCATIONAL USES OF THE INTERNET

Today, even elementary school graders in progressive countries like the United States are corresponding via e-mail with pen pals in all 50 states. This educational activity prodded by their schools are paying dividends from increasing the pupils interest in Geography to a greater understanding of how people live in large cities and other places in the United States or the world.

 

REFLECTION

          Education is really important to us as well as the Internet, Internet is really helpful in our education because it helps us to gain lots of information where we cannot answer by our self and by our teacher. We cannot deny the fact that there are times that we have inquiry that really plats in our mind and it is just answerable with the use of internet and our teacher. 

Lesson 15

UNDERSTAND HYPERMEDIA

From the educational technology 1 course, the student has already become aware of multimedia or an audio visual package that includes more than one instructional media (means of knowing) such as text, graphics, audio animation and video clip.

The presentation of information-learning activities in hypermedia is said to be sequenced in a non-linear manner, meaning that the learner may follow his path of activities, thus providing an environment of learner autonomy and thinking skills.

 CHARACTESTICS OF HYPERMEDIA APPLICATION

1.     LEARNER CONTROL means the learner makes his own decisions on the path, flow or events of instruction.

a.    LEARNER WIDE RANGE OF NAVIGATION ROUTES. For the most part, the learner control the sequence and  pace of his path depending of his ability and motivation.

 

b.    VARIETY OF MEDIA. Hypermedia includes more than one media (text, graphics, audio, video clip) but doeas not necessarily use all types of media in one presentation.

REFLECTION

Hypermedia provides personalized learning activities as it helps those slow and poor learners, It gives activities suited to your learning objectives and needs. It presents  variety of media that will really cater those fast and slow learners. Where areas in a traditional teaching method, the teacher would take extra time, attention and effort to help the student’swho are   know in understanding the lesson. With  that gives the teacher   a hard time to develop new strategies  and objectives for both past and slow learners. so,  it really beneficial for the teacher to use the hypermedia.

 

Lesson 14

                                                                

THE SOFTWARE AS AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE

 It’s more difficult to realize, however, that the computer hardware can hardly be useful without the program or system that tells what computer machine should do. 

There are two kinds of software:

1.     THE SYSTEM SOFTWARE

2.    THE APPLICATION SOFTWARE                                                                       

INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE can be visited on the internet or can be bought from software shops or dealers. The teacher through his school should decide on the best computer-based instructional (CBI) materials for the schools resource collection.

REFLECTION

 With this lesson, using computer is an electronic device that store, process and display information and data in a form that is easily understood. It has lots of software which is important and useful in learning such as instructional software. It is use as a tutoring tool for students and helps students to learn including drill and practice, tutorial, simulation, games and problem solving.         

Lesson 13

COOPERATIVE LEARNING WITH THE COMPUTER

The creativity of the teacher would have to respond with the situation, and so cooperative learning will likely be the answer to the implementation of IT supported learning in our school. But the situation may not be that bad since there are motivational and social benefits to cooperative learning and these can compensate for the lack of hardware that educators face.

Cooperative or collaborative learning is learning by small groups of students who work together in a common learning task. It is often also called group learning but to be truly cooperative learning, 5 elements are needed:

1. common goal

2. interdependence

3. interaction

4. individual accountability

5. social skills

Cooperative Learning and the Computer 

Researchers have made studies on the learning interaction between the student and the computer. The studies have great value since it has been a long standing fear that the computer may foster student learning in isolation that hinders the development of the student's social skills.

Now this mythical fear has been contradicted by the studies which show that when students work with computers.

REFLECTION

The computer is a natural learning vehicle for cooperative learning. It promotes cooperation and collaboration within the students working on the same tasks, also it develops enthusiasm and sense of belonging between individual within a group who shares common goal. Every individual is given a sense if responsibility to do his part in achieving the goal.

Lesson 12

“INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN SUPPORT OF STUDENT CENTERED LEARNING”

The idea of student-centered learning is not a recent idea. In fact, as early as the 20th century, educational educators such as John Dewey argued for highly active and individualized pedagogical methods which place the student at the center of the teaching-learning process.

The Traditional Classroom

It may be observed that classrooms are usually arranged with neat columns and rows of student chairs or desks, while the teacher stands in front of the classroom or sits behind his table. This situation is necessitated by the need to maintain classroom discipline, also allows the teacher to control classroom activities through lecture presentation and teacher-led discussions.

Noticeably, however, after spending so many minutes in lesson presentation and class management, students can get restless and fidgety. Often enough, the teacher has to also manage misbehaviour in class as students start to talk among themselves or simply stare away in lack of attention.

The SCL Classroom

 John Dewey has described traditional learning as a process in which the teacher pours information to student learners, much like pouring water from a jug into cups. This is based on the long accepted belief that the teacher must perform his role of teaching so that learning can occur. This learning approach is generally known as direct instruction, and it has worked well for obtaining many kinds of learning outcomes. The problem with it is that the approach in learning, however, is the fact that the world’s societies have began to change. It may not be felt strongly to countries in which on countries who depends mostly their economy to factory workers. Traditional and direct instruction is very useful in these countries.

 In contrast, industrialized societies we find knowledge-based economies in which workers depend on information that can be accessed through information and communication technologies (ICTs). Desiring to gain effectiveness, efficiency and economy in administration, schools in these developed economies have also adopted the support of ICTs. Their students have now become active not passive learners, demonstrating independence and self-awareness in the learning process.

REFLECTION

          In this lesson we know that there is a big difference between the traditional classroom and student-centered learning because the traditional classroom the teacher are really focused are really the who one who teaches, she engage herself to teach herself knowing the fact that nowadays students has a total of 50-60 numbers it is really hard for them to accommodate them while in the SCL the students are participating in the discussion. 

Lesson 11

The Computer as the Teacher’s Tool

Constructivism as an approach allows students to construct their own concepts and meaning about anything. Constructing can be done socially, so the term social constructivism emerged. Constructivism as an approach is employed when a teacher makes use of computer as a tool in teaching.

It is now easier for teachers to provide avenues in which higher-level of thinking can be achieve by students since computers now can have problem-solving and simulation programs installed in it. Specifically, a computer can be used by the teacher:

·         as an informative tool – A computer can provide vast amounts of information in any form (text, graphics, sound or video). With the Internet, a computer can provide global information on anything. Computer alone is helpful but with the Internet, it becomes even better. A teacher can use this to teach his/her students develop researching and evaluative skills (choose among sources which is/are reliable).

·         as a communication tool – With Internet, communication has become better. A teacher can have a virtual class thus defying space and still pursue the teaching and learning process.

EXPERIENCE

I have become a constructivist since I got hold of a PC. I get to express my ideas and create anything through it. I get to develop certain skills (like basic editing, text, video, photo, and audio). I get to communicate with other people through the Internet. I was able to share my works to others. Indeed, a computer is just a tool of the teacher because what we are learning from the soft wares are just additional to what we are learning in reality. DNA fingerprinting software for example, we are already taught on how to do DNA isolation manually and the software just served as an additional drill to master more the technique.

REFLECTION

Nothing beats the real experience but when the real thing isn’t available, one can always go for a virtual alternative. It is important for every teacher to develop in his/her students the skill of being a constructivist since it’s the root cause of originality. Computer is never a replacement of the teacher. It is just a tool in making the instruction a whole lot better. Computer is a teacher’s tool and by definition of what a tool is (device that aids in accomplishing something), a computer helps a teacher accomplish his/her task. With the sophistication present day technology is reaching now, computers have made it easy for both the teachers and students to access to information, provide the avenue for creativity, and it has made communication easier.

APPLICATION

I will use the computer only when needed. There are so many soft wares but still not effective because they are not use according to their appropriateness in the classroom. If I use computer in my instruction, then I will see to it that I am present when my students are doing the computer activity to guide them. I will make use of the computer as tutor if I am not around but when I come back I will reinforce the learning of my students by giving additional discussion and assessment because I really believe that the computer is not my replacement, it is just my tool. 

lesson 10

Computer as a Tutor

The computer is one of the wonder of human ingenuity even in its original design in the 1950’s to carry out complicated mathematical and logical operations. With the invention of microcomputer, the PC has become the tool for programmed instruction. Educator saw much use of the PC. They saw its potential for individualization in learning.

Computer-assisted Instruction (CAI)

The computer can be tutor in effective relieving the teacher of many activities in his her/her personal role of classroom tutor. It should be made clear, however, that the computer cannot totally replace the teacher since the teacher shall continue to play the major roles of information deliverer and learning environment controller.

The teacher must:

·         Insured the students have the neede knowledge and skills for any computer activity.

·         Decide the appropriate learning objectives.

·         Plan the sequential and tructured activities to achieve objectives.

·         Evaluate the students’ achievement by ways of tests the specific expected outcomes.

The students in CAI play their own roles as learners as they:

·         Receive information

·         Understand instructions for the computer activity

·         Retain in mind the information and rules for the computer activity.

·         Apply the knowledge and rules during the process of computer learning.

The computer, too, play its role as it:

·         Acts as a dort of tutor

·         Provides  learning environment

·         Delivers learning instruction

·         Reinforces learning trough drill-and-practice.

·         Provides feedback.

CAI Integrated with Lessons

CAI works bet in reinforcing learning through repetitive exercises such that students can practice basic skills or knowledge in various subject areas. Common types o drill and practice programs include vocabulary building, math facts, basic sentence, and history or geography facts.

When and how can teachers integrate dril and practices programs with their lessons? The following suggestions can be made:

·         Use drill and practice programs for basic skills and knowledge that require rapid or automatic response by students.

·         Ensure that drill and practice activities conform to the lesson plan/curriculum.

·         Limit drill and practice to 20-30 minutes to avoid boredom.

·         Use drill and practice to assists students with particular weakness in basic skills.

In integrating computer programs in instruction, we use tutorial software associated with cognitive learning. While practice exercise or learning-by-doing is still the heart of each tutorial software should be able to:

·         Teach new content/ new information to students (in as much as CAI provides practice on old or already learned content).

·         Provide comprehensive information on concepts addition to practice exercises.

·         Can be effectively used for remediation, reviewing, or enrichment.

·         Allow the teacher to introduce follow-up question to stimulate students learning.

·         Permits group activity for cooperate learning.

Simulations Programs

Simulations software materials are another kind of software that is constructivist in nature. This simulations software:

·         Teacher strategies and rules applied to real life problems/situations.

·         Asks students to make decisions o models or scenarios.

·         Allow students to manipulate elements of a model and get the exercise of the effect on their decisions.

Instructional Games

While relation to low-level learning objectives (e.g. basic spelling or basic math skills), instructional computer games add the elements of competition and challenge.

Problem Solving Software

 These are more sophisticated than the drill and practice exercises and allow students to learn and improve on their problem solving ability. Since problem cannot be solved simply by memorizing facts, the students have to employ higher thinking skills such as logic, recognition, reflection, and strategy-making.

Multimedia Encyclopedia and Electronic Books

 The Multimedia Encyclopedia can store a huge database with texts, images,a nimation, audio and video. Students can access and desired information, search it vast contetnts, and even download/print relevant portions of the data for their composition or presentation.

Electronic Books

Provides textual information of learning for reading, supplemented by other types of multimedia information (sounds, spoken words, pictures animation). These are useful for learning reading, spelling and words skills.