E-learning Week summary

In this week, for once, we need not attend our classes. Although this may seem to be a happy point, it meant that we had to accomplish certain tasks that were outlined for us to complete. This week was all about ICT and how to conduct a class using technology. To ensure that we had done our readings and comprehended them, we were assigned a scenario to study.

My group was given a scenario whereby the teacher tried to introduce technology in the form of a function called 'track changes' that can be found in microsoft word. The teacher then asked the student to complete an essay using the word application whilst she corrected it using the 'track changes' function. This led to certain issues due to the technology and classroom management.

Analyzing the scenario, I uncovered certain things necessary to run a ICT class properly. First, as a teacher, I must have fully mastered the technology before asking students to use it. This is important as students may have questions regarding the lesson and as an educator I should be well prepared for them. Secondly, classroom management is different compared to a normal classroom. A teacher must be ensure there are adequate resources for all the students and that the students are fully engaged in the lesson not wandering around the internet. Students should also be properly briefed before embarking on the lesson thus ensuring a smooth flow of the lesson.

All these points were raised up in our group forum whereby a lively discussion regarding the scenario occurred and this re-emphasized the point that e-learning can be effective but the students are also responsible to create the content instead of a normal classroom where the teacher spoon-feeds the student. This lesson is thus vital in our future as teachers as ICT will become even more prominent due to the MP3 that is currently being implemented.

3rd lesson summary

In this week's lesson, we learned the various pedagogical approaches that can be used in the classroom. This was done in a group discussion where the class split up into its various groups to discuss the various approaches and its pros and cons. This was done randomly which I felt allowed the class to get to know each other better.

My group focused on game based learning and its various advantages and disadvantages. Looking through the internet at game-based learning, I found various information regarding the pedagogical approach which fascinated me. Firstly, game-based learning seems to becoming more and more popular with the advent of technology especially high-speed broadband making online gaming a possibility. Secondly, there have been various conferences such as the European education gaming conference in 2008 which illustrates the legitimacy of games as a learning tool.

Games thus are becoming integral to education as it provides a good platform which students can be engaged in a certain subject. This can be seen in various examples such as the students in Ngee Ann polytechnic who use second life as a learning tool.

We must also take time to differentiate between educational games and using games as an educational tool. Firstly, educational games are created as a specific educational tool. This is seen in games such as typing of the dead which is specifically targeted at improving the player's capability of typing quickly.

There are also other games which are normally used for entertainment purposes can also be converted to be used for education. This can be seen in mathematics/physics lessons which use certain applications such as world of warcraft as a way of calculating gravitational force and measuring of areas.

Although gaming has its advantages, there can also be undesired impacts regarding gaming. First, games can become an addiction. We see this in China where gaming addiction clinics have been set up due to the growing number of gaming addicts and the usage of games as an educational tool may only just encourage certain students to use their computers for a greater length of time. Secondly, games must be regulated as certain undesired content can be found within a game. This is seen in Second life whereby there are certain adult sections of the world which the students are able to enter.

To conclude, the proper usage of games can be both educational and engaging but proper restrictions should be implemented before embarking on this pedagogical approach.

2nd Week Summary

Self-Directed & Collaborative Learning with ICT

In this 2nd lesson of ICT, the focus was on self directed & collaborative learning. Self directed learning is seen by Knowles (1975) as a process in which 'individuals take the initiative, with or without help from others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating their learning goals; identifying resources and implementing appropriate learning strategies and evaluating their learning outcomes.' I feel that this is a vital component in the classroom as learning in this manner inspires a child to not only acquire knowledge but it will help produce a desire to obtain knowledge by oneself. This is useful as students develop within their own comfort zone where previously you had a standard lesson plan for all the various students.

Collaborative learning is similar but this is done in groups where students, through interaction, are able to learn and acquire new skills. This can be seen in various forms such as . ICT is also seen as a vital component of collaborative learning where it provides a useful platform where lively discussion can take place. A teacher in this case becomes the mediator too whereby he/she provides the student information which they can collectively analyze.

I think the videos highlighted a very ideal and perfect use of the two different learning methods. These case studies show how students are thoroughly engaged throughout the learning process and the use of ICT is also vital to this. It is also interesting how they used ICT as a way of tying the projects to reality where students were required to create a glasshouse where plants can be grown.

These two different learning methods is important in the classroom of today and the future as we move away from the monologic teaching to a dialogic style of communication. Students in this era should not be spoonfed and instead have a desire to not only learn by themselves but also through the constant communication with one's peers.

There are certainly some obstacles that I envision makes self-directed and collaborative learning an issue in the classroom environment of Singapore. Resources will be one such issue where there is simply not enough to go around. This is why the masterplan 3 is vital as MOE keeps itself constantly updated with the latest education tools that are evenly distributed amongst the different schools. Technology also cannot replace human interaction and the teacher/student relationship may be in danger if the student relies more often on wikipedia than the teacher.

In conclusion, self-directed and collaborative learning is indeed a new way of teaching the students and hopefully this raises students who are independent learners in their lives

1st lesson reflections

Dear lecturer/classmates/whomever that is reading this blog for reflection,

This is my first post regarding the ICT class that we just sat through in the previous week. It really looks like the school system has changed so much in the few years since I have left. From black to white (boards), from desk to laptops, the changes are quite innovative and this has enhanced the learning experience for the students of today. I am sure that there will be greater innovations such as the smartboard (which is to me a wonderful learning tool) that will be implemented by schools in the future.

As an future educator, I thus find it essential to keep myself completely up to date with the latest technological advances so I can seek to incorporate this into my classes. Applications such as twitter can be a wonderful learning tool where the students post short notes regarding their feelings regarding the class and help create meaningful dialogue amongst the students and the teacher.

But all this technology can also be a hindrance too as students may become too focused on what is on the screen and ignore the importance of human interaction. This digital age has brought about certain problems such as gaming and internet addiction where children forsake their daily activities in lieu of using their computer. We thus should adopt technology with careful steps as it can become a roadblock in the path of learning.

I thus hope that this ICT class will be a good stepping stone that will aid me in becoming a better teacher