Lesson 18: Tablets for Textbooks in Schools

Content

          

        Today, books are still the primary medium of instruction in most schools. The disadvantage of using books for learning are debated upon. For school-graders, the loads of books are backbreaking due to weight and size. Publishing and printing millions of books for millions of public school children are just too expensive for the public purse. The errors in public school textbooks have also been exposed, errors resulting from wrong information, technical mistakes, and editorial lapses.

        Today, technology is being viewed as a savior. Already computer games have been adopted in developed countries as a learning technology along with other audio-visual aids to teaching and learning. Classroom instruction which rides the vehicle of gaming admittedly makes learning more effective and more fun.

      Use of tablets in public schools in the country maybe difficult considering certain factors, such as cost of one tablet for one student, books have more durability compare with electronic gadgets, and technical expertise for the learning software is not widely available.

Experience

         

          I don’t have any experiences on this – tablet for textbooks in school. But I have laptop where I can store my files needed for teaching-learning process.

Reflection

          

          I think it is good to have tablet for textbooks in schools for convenience and making the discussion easier and more fun. Students are no longer carrying bundle of textbooks, instead, just one tablet. If there’s a need to search or browse, there is no need for them to go to the library, just one tablet with Internet. Everything will be stored in just one storage and that would be very beneficial. But considering some disadvantages of tablets for textbooks in school in terms of the cost, durability and radiation will also not good to the learners. Everything exist has its positive and negative side just like computer and Internet. Let us not rush things that we assumed it can be beneficial, instead, let’s consider both sides – positive and negative – for harmonious and meaningful teaching-learning process.

Application

          

           As technology continues to evolve, we really need to adopt it specially in implementing instruction to catch the learners’ interest. As future educator link with this topic, I will give an activity to the student that could also let them think critically about their opinions on these – Tablet for Textbooks in School. I will ask them to make a collage, gathering picture of technology devices that being used by the digital society today and let them describe its pros and cons and come up with a reflection paper for their opinions.

Lesson 17: Educational Technology 2 Practicum

Content

          

        Much like field studies in teacher education, EdTech 2 offer students the experiential process of adapting to technology integration within a student-centered paradigm. The practicum phase consists of hands-on computer tutorials which the student teacher will need to make him/her capable. The essential requirements for the ET 2 practicum phase will be; a computer laboratory with adequate sets of computers for hands-on tutorial learning, participation of computer lab tutor to assist the learner in the use of the computer and its various program, and must assigned number of hours in conformity with the course requirement.

         The practicum phase consists in basic Microsoft Word where the tutorial familiarizes each basics of Ms Word. Microsoft PowerPoint, where the tutorial is a familiarization on the basics of Ms PowerPoint. Internet as a tool of inquiry, where the tutorial will facilitate the finding of sources of information appropriate to a learning task.

        In sum, EdTech 2 promises to bring the student teacher to the challenge of a new age – integrating technology in the teaching-learning process. EdTech 2 is the preparation to bring teachers move ahead with their use of technology in the classroom.

Experience

         

       I have this experience – hands-on computer tutorials when I am in 4th year high school every weekend at Salawagan, Quezon, Bukidnon. Our school doesn’t have enough number of computers that could accommodate us, so our activity in computer hands-on done often time only. I enrolled hands-on tutorial and I learned the basic uses of computer that includes basic Ms Word, Ms PowerPoint, Ms Excel, Painting, and using Internet as a tool of inquiry.

Reflection

          

       It is very important to learn the uses of technology specifically the computer, so we could appreciate it in instruction. I believe that graduates of this generation already exposed this things, so there is no need for them to have the basic computer tutor, instead, they must practice there learnings to enhance and be more efficient in implementing instruction.

Application

         

      It is really hard if the students in high school stage are not computer oriented. Involving students to activities that is related to computer is quite hard if not all of them knows how computer must be use. As a future educator, I will separate first the students that has knowledge on it and doesn’t have enough knowledge on it then I will mix them in a group so that they can have a peer teaching and come up with best result.

Lesson 16: The Internet and Education

Content

          

      The Internet, also simply called the Net, is the largest and far-flung network system of all system. Everything is coordinated through the internet by standardized protocol called Transmission Control Protocol. To gain access to the Internet, the computer must be equipped with what is called a Server which has special software that uses the internet protocol. The vast sea of information now in the Internet, including news and trivia, is an overwhelming challenge to those who wish to navigate.

       The most attractive way to move around the Internet is called browsing. Using a program called browser, the user can surf the Internet particularly the world wide web, an Internet subset of text, images, and sounds are linked together to allow users to access data or information needed.

      The future of the Internet seems limitless. Already its complexity has spawned and continues to spawn net sites including new demand for services to business, industries, science, government, and even homes. Today, schools are gearing up to take advantage to Internet access, where they can plug into the Library of Congress, make virtual visits to famous museums in the world, write to celebrities, and even send questions to heads of states.

Experience

         

       I’m actually using Internet specially in doing research in specific topics, activities, requirements, sending e-mails, and even leisure time. The very common server I always opened is the Google where I can search everything I need to know. For downloading videos I surf to YouTube.

Reflection

         

      Internet is very important while technology is evolving. Through Internet together with the computer, work becomes easier and faster. It really helps a lot especially in terms of information updates. People around the world could have their communications, posting facts, informing everyone to latest updates becomes possible through Internet. The real possibility today is connecting with the world outside homes, classrooms, and Internet cafes. Teacher could also use this in instruction by using educational software suited to the topic presented.

Application

          

        Activities through Internet are quite hard if I will be assigned in remote areas. As a future educator, I must be flexible and have initiative for the learners become updated to everything they need to learn so that they will not be an idiot in terms of Internet. Exposing them to activities that includes the use of Internet such as doing research, downloading/uploading videos, data, posting activity. Then I will ask them to come up with a reflection about the experience they have with the Internet.

Lesson15: Understanding Hypermedia

Content

          

     Hypermedia is nothing but multimedia, packaged as educational computer software where information is presented and student activities are integrated in a virtual learning environment. Most educational IT applications are hypermedia that includes tutorial software packages, knowledge webpages, simulation instructional games, and learning project management.

          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. There are two important features that are outstanding that characterize the hypermedia software, first is the learner control which the learner makes his own decision on the path, flow or event of instruction. Second is learner wide range of navigation routes which the learner controls the sequence and pace of his path depending on his/her ability and motivation.

          In the use of hypermedia the following instructional events will prove useful to the teacher, these are get the learners’ attention, recall prior learning, inform learners of lesson objectives, introduce the software and its distinctive features, guide learning and eliciting performance, assess performance, and enhance retention and learning transfer.

Experience

          

       The very common activity that is always done in our classroom is the reporting of assigned specific topic through power point presentation. Of course, this involves hypermedia. It actually allows me to construct, design, edit, and decide everything to come up with best presentation. Almost all of the requirements given to us also involve hypermedia especially in terms of documentation, term papers, written reports, podcasting, and many more.

Reflection

          

    Understanding hypermedia is important to instruction in today’s unstoppable fast changing technology. It allows students become independent learners as they explore and do such activity involving hypermedia. The teacher must provide a good learning environment for the learners become active participants in teaching-learning process. Though hypermedia has it all, still does not replace life’s experience and learning from nature of life. This is the saying that information and communication technology cannot replace the teacher altogether.

Application

          

     I know that students are exposed to different activities involving hypermedia. As future educator, I will enhance their learning by involving them to science activities through science software that might new to them in order to catch their attention as well as helping them develop such skill for future purposes. That is, letting them become creative, constructive, critically thinker in decision making, and as a whole – independent learners.

Lesson 14: The Software as an Educational Resource

Content

          

          It’s more difficult to realize that the computer hardware can hardly be useful without the program or systems that tell what the computer machine should do. This is called the software. There are two kinds of software, these are the system software which serves as the ope3rating system that is found or bundled inside all computer machines, and the application software which contains the system that commands the particular task or solves a particular problem. In turn, the application software may be custom software that is made for specific tasks often by large corporations, or commercial software packaged for personal computers that helps with a variety of tasks such as writing papers, calculating numbers, drawing graphs, playing games, etc.

          Microsoft windows also referred to as a program is an operating environment between the user and the computer operating system. The user can work with on-screen pictures and suggestions to arrive at the desired software. Windows 95 is software designed for Microsoft windows that provides user convenience, a new look, information center, and plug and play.

Experience

          

     Some of the educational software was been introduced to us by the teacher. These are Virtual DNA finger printing, Photoshop, Power Director, Rubistar, Toondoo, and many more which are related to the topic discussed. The teacher gave activities through this educational software for us to be evaluated if we really learn from the topic. The very common software is Windows 2010 which is a product from Microsoft allows us to do lot of things in laptops or PCs such as encoding, editing, solving problems, and many more.

Reflection

          

      There are actually lots of software presented to the internet which can really divert/catch the attention of mankind. We all know that young generation  nowadays are invaded with this fast changing technology, and teacher must be flexible enough and must have initiative to cope up students’ learning style. Using software as an educational tool could be very beneficial to catch the attention/interest of the learners. Any subject actually has appropriate software. It is the teachers’ responsibility to choose the appropriate software suited to the topic presented. Teachers’ role is really crucial, it is in his/her hands how teaching-learning process becomes meaningful and interactive that the learners really learn not only knowledge but also skills.

Application

          

        As a future science educator, I will not allow this young generation be bored to my subject. I believe that learning by doing and hands on-minds on is a meaning process for the learners to learned knowledge and skills. I will involve them in various activities through educational software related to specific topic presented. This could help them develop skills and critical thinking especially in problem solving and real life situation.

Lesson 13: Cooperative Learning with the Computer

Content

         

      Cooperative or collaborative learning is learning by small groups of students who work together in a common learning task. It is also often called group learning but to be truly cooperative learning, there are five elements needed. These are common goal, interdependence, interaction, individual accountability, and social skills.

          From several studies made on cooperative learning, it is manifested that cooperative learning in its true sense is advantageous since it encourages active learning while motivating students, increase academic performance, promotes literacy and language skills, and improve teacher effectiveness.

          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. In that case therefore, assign the teacher several tasks in order to ensure collaborative learning. These are assigning students to mixed-ability teams, establishing positive interdependence, teaching cooperative social skills, insuring individual accountability, and helping groups’ process information.

Experience

          

      Making science journal is what I’ve experience presently to my Earth Science subject were we – together with my group mates need to cooperate each other to come up with best result. We are able to get data and related researches link to the activity, of course, using computer. The group activity may paralyze without the participation in even one of the member, thus, cooperation is very important to achieve the common work goal. Other experienced group activities are research paper and power point presentation.

Reflection

          

     Cooperative learning in today’s generation is quite hard without the advent of computer. It is possible but takes long period of time before coming up with best result. Through the aid of computer, it helps students interact each other for any advices and mutual help. But some says that the use of computer do not automatically result in cooperative learning. Therefore, the teacher must set several tasks in order to ensure collaborative learning.

Application

          

    As future educator, presenting various activities will help a lot to students’ progress and development. I prefer to group my future students with various ability levels, through these appears more collaborative and effective group learning unlike to homogeneous way of grouping. I will also set several tasks with regards to the activity related to computer, for them to avoid exploring things that could catch their attention instead of doing such activity.

Lesson 12: Information Technology in support of Student-centered Learning

Content

          

          In this lesson, we shall see how the teacher can expand his options to make himself more effective and relevant in the 21^st millennium information age. This will respond the questions on student-centered learning approaches in the classroom. From the traditional teacher-centered approach, practical helps on designing and adapting student-learning activities shall be examined.

       Desiring to gain effectiveness, efficiency, and economy in administration and instruction, schools in these developed economies have also adopted the support of ICTs. Their students have now become active not passive learners, who can interact with other learners, demonstrating independence and self-awareness in the learning process.

          Generally, the new school classroom environment is characterized by students individually or in groups in performing computer word processing for text or graph presentations, preparing power point presentation, searching for information on the Internet, and brainstorming of ideas, problems and projects plans as needed, the teacher facilitating instruction, also gives individual instruction to serve individual needs.

Experience

          

         Student centered classroom is what teachers implementing for. Even during my high school days, teachers trying their best to gain students attention. In spite of being in a remote area, still they can manage to use technology to support student-centered learning such as film viewing and computer hands-on. But my learning about technology never stop right there as I entered college life. The teachers always let us do activity through the aid of technology such as power point presentation, research papers, podcasting, etc.

Reflection

          

         Information technology in support of student-centered learning is very important especially in today’s fast changing technology. Instead of using this technology for nonsense thing, why not conveying it as a tool for educative process, That is, giving them activities with the aids of technology appropriately for the student become active not passive learners, who can interact with other learners, demonstrating independence and self-awareness in the learning process.

Application

          

       As future educator, I must be careful of selecting appropriate IT to instruction. Power point presentation though very common but actually helps a lot in developing self-confidence. Podcasting and research paper are one of the unique activity, helping students become independent learners with the end of making them creative and thinks critically.