LESSON 11 : The Computer as a Teacher's Tool

        Constructivism was introduced by  Piaget (1981) and Bruner (1990).  They gave  stress to knowledge discovery of new meaning/concepts/principles in the learning process. Various strategies have been suggested to foster knowledge discovery, among these, is making students engaged in gathering unorganized information from which  they can induce ideas and principles.  Students are also asked to apply discovered knowledge to new situations, a process for making their knowledge applicable to real life situations.

          While knowledge is constructed by the individual learner in constructivism, knowledge can also be socially constructed.  Social constructivism.  this is an effort to show that the construction of knowledge is governed by social, historical and cultural contexts.  In effect, this is to say that the learner who interprets knowledge has a predetermined point of view according to the social perspectives of the community or society he lives in.

 

         The psychologist Vygotzky  stressed that learning is affected by social influences.  He therefore suggested the interactive process in learning.  The more capable adult (teacher or parent) or classmate can aid or complement what the learner sees in a given class project.  In addition, Dewey sees language as a medium for social coordination and adaptation.  For Dewey human learning is really human languaging that occurs when students socially share, build and agree upon meanings and knowledge.

The Computer's Capabilities

     Based on the two learning theories, the teacher can employ the computer as a/an:

• An information tool
• A communication tool
• A constructive tool
• As co-constructive tool
• A situating tool

    

 Informative Tool

Still Image

Text

Video Footage

Animation

The computer can provide vast amounts of information in various forms, such as text, graphics, sounds , and video.  Even multimedia encyclopedias are today available on the internet.

Communication Tool

Constructive Tool

     The computer itself  can be used for manipulating information, visualizing one's understanding, and building new knowledge.

Co-constructive Tool

     Students can use constructive tools to work cooperatively and construct a shared understanding of new knowledge.

Situating Tool

      By means of virtual reality (RS) extension systems, the computer can create 3-D images on display to give the user the feeling that are situated in a virtual environment.

REFLECTION

     The computer serves as a teacher's tool in the sense that the educators used computers as their instructional materials in supplementing the cognitive development of learners when it comes to technology.  Computer has a great help for both the teachers and the learners, for the teachers it facilitate their instructional methods and improve their instructional materials; for the learners it contributes a lot in their cognitive development and learning experiences.

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

          SCL environment is very useful especially if a nation wants to progress and develop. There are some schools here in the Philippines who already adopted the SCL environment in instruction. Others object from it since they think that and SCL can be noisy and unwieldy.

          As we all know, in the traditional classroom, a teacher can discipline and manage his/her students. The teacher in that has always the first and final say in the lesson. But the difference is that in the traditional classroom, a student can sometimes feel intimidated and bored since it is always the voice of the teacher who echoes most of the time and leads the discussion. While in a SCL environment, it gives students the venue to interact with each other, be motivated as everyone can participate and enjoy. It can be as noisy as it is, but it gives the students independence and self-awareness. It does not mean that in a SCL, the teacher can no longer do classroom management. The teacher still is the one more knowledgeable than his/her students, but he do not anymore act as the teacher who do talking most of the times, but he/she is now a facilitator, open to ideas, problems and resolutions from his/her students. I believe that SCL is fun, memorable and healthy just like training or a workshop.

LESSON 13: Cooperative Learning with the Computer

             Singapore has set the global pace for student learning with a 2:1(2 pupils with 1 computer) ratio in its master plan for IT in education. This show that even in other progressive countries, the1:1 pupil-computer ratio is still an ideal to be achieved. Reality therefore dictates that school faces the fact that each classroom, especially in public or government schools, may not be equipped with the appropriate numbers of computer.

             The creativity of the teacher will have to respond to the situation, and so cooperative learning will likely be the answer to the implementation of IT supported learning in our schools. 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.

      Defining Cooperative Learning

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

1.    A common goal

2.    interdependence

3.    interaction

4.    individual accountability

5.    social skills

          Therefore not every group work is cooperative learning since students working on their work sheets physically sat around a table may be working together without these features of cooperative learning.

            From several studies made on cooperative learning, it is manifested that cooperative learning in its true sense is advantageous since it:

(a)  encourages active learning, while motivating students

(b)  increases academic performance

(c)  promotes literacy and languages skills

(d)  Improve teacher effectiveness.

          In addition, there are studies which show that cooperative learning enhances personal and social development among students of all ages, while enhancing self-esteem and improving social relations between racially and culturally different students.

Cooperative Learning and the computer

          

            Researches 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 the students work with computers with groups. They cluster and interact with each other for a vice and mutual help. And given the option to work individually or in group, the students generally wish to work together in computer-based and non-computer-based activities. Reflecting on this phenomenon, psychologists think the computer fosters this positive social behavior due to the fact that it has a display monitor – just like television set – that is look upon something communal.

            Therefore researches agree that the computer is a fairly natural learning vehicle for cooperative (at times called promotive) learning.

Components of Cooperative Learning

Educators are still wary about the computer’s role in cooperative learning. Thus they pose the position the position that the use of the computers do not automatically result in cooperative learning. There therefore assign the teacher several tasks in order to ensure collaborative in learning. These are:

• Assigning students to mixed-ability teams
• Establishing positive interdependence
• Teaching cooperative social skills
• Insuring individual accountability, and
• Helping groups process information

These are in addition to assigning a common work goal in which each member of the group will realize that their grouped will not succeed unless everyone contributes to the groups’ success. It is also important for the teacher limits learning group clusters (six is the ideal number in a group) so that there can be closer involvement in thinking and learning.

LESSON 14: The Software as an Educational Resource

             When people think about computers, they imagine the computer machine with monitor screen, keyboard, and “the box” or CPU which contains the electronic parts and circuits. It is more difficult to realize, however, that the computer hardware can hardly be useful without the program or system that tells what the computer machine should do. This is also called the software.

2 Types of Software:

1. Systems software- this is the operating system that is found or bundled inside all computer machines.

2. Applications software- this contains the system that commands the particular task or solves a particular problem.

Microsoft Windows

             This is also referred to as program. Microsoft Windows or Windows for short is an operating environment between the user and the computer operating system. Also called a shell, it is a layer that creates the way the computer should work. Windows uses a colourful graphics interface (called GUI- “gooee”) that can be seen on the computer screen or monitor whenever the computer is turned on.

Instructional Software

             This 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 school resource collection. But beware since CBIs need much improvement, while web-based educational resources are either extremely good or what is complete garbage.

REFLECTION

             The computer has paved the way for learning in a new light. It has given human race a lot of advantages from the time it has been invented.  Now the computer has been used widely and optimally in educational settings. Most of the educational materials used by the teachers nowadays are web-based softwares. It is attractive with colourful graphics, sounds and videos; so catching that you really want to download it.

             The sense of patriotism among us has slowly faded away because of computer. Children and young adults do not find it fun to play traditional games like tumbang preso, luksong-tinik and etc. Most of us are fond of playing online games like Farmville, cityville and more or download games from the internet like Plants vs. Zombies. But in so much of these, it has really change lives of people and gives us the realization that man is really ingenious and resourceful.

LESSON 15 : UNDERSTANDING HYPERMEDIA

 * My Report*

Multimedia:

     When we talk about multimedia, first things comes into mind are graphics, drawings, music and videos and that is right. So, the definition of multimedia, is any kind of computer or other technological information and material which can be presented through images, graphics, drawings, videos, music or animations. The multimedia or electronic devices which are used to make this information useful are monitor or display screen for graphics, images and videos. While speaker or mp3 players are used for music or audio. It can be in form of different contents consists upon text, audio, animation, video, etc. There are two kinds of multimedia, namely linear and non linear multimedia. When you watch a movie in a cinema, it is kind of linear multimedia. You just control the voice and on & off feature. While movie run without any further navigation control. On the other hand, video game is the kind of non linear multimedia, which is controlled through external navigation. Game works according to your instructions.

Hypermedia:

Hypermedia is a complex term than multimedia. A little effort will be required to completely understand its core concept. Hypermedia means converting graphics, audios, videos, text, animation, hyperlinks, drawings, etc. in hypertext form with the help of a programming tool or software. Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Reader, Adobe Director, Macromedia Flash Player, Macromedia Authorware, Visual FoxPro and FileMaker Developer are the tools, which are used for hypermedia applications. There is a special language for hypermedia, which is used to make multimedia files to be capable of in operating sate. Unlike multimedia, it has only one non linear medium quality. If you are reading a document or book on your computer, it allows you to navigate on any part of the document. It is also the fundamental and structural part of the World Wide Web.

  

               From the Educational Technology I course,the student has already become aware of multimedia or an audiovisual package that includes more than one instructional media (means of knowing)such as text,graphics,audio animation and video clips.

            Hypermedia is nothing,but multimedia,but this time packaged as an educational computer software  where information is presented and student activities are integrated in a virtual learning environment.Most educational  IT applications are hypermedia and these include:

•   Tutorial software packages;
•   Knowledge webpages;
•   Simulation instructional games;and
•   Learning project management,and others.

      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 the learner autonomy and thinking skills.

            The flight simulator used train pilots is an example of a highly developed hypermedia program.Observe that is simulates an environment  that allows student pilots to practice authentic (as is needed to be done in the real world) tasks while reducing the load of the cognitive mode of learning.

CHARACTERISTICS OF HYPERMEDIA APPLICATIONS

  There are two important features that are outstanding among other features that characterize the hypermedia software:

  1.Learner control.

      This means the learner makes his own decisions on the path,flow or events of instructions.The learner has control on such aspects as sequence,pace,content,media,feedback,

etc.that he/she may encounter in the hypermedia learning program.

2.Learner wide range of navigation routes.

    For the most part,the learner controls the sequence and pace of his path depending on his/her ability and motivation. He/she has the option to repeat and change speed ,if desired.

  

   The learner also has a wide  range of navigation routes such as by working on concepts,

 he/she is already familiar with .He/she may follow a linear or logical path,,even if the previous activity is half-completed.

3.Variety of media.

    Hypermedia includes more than one media (text,graphics, audio,animation,and video clip)but does not necessarily use all types of media in one presentation. Since only virtual learning activity takes place,it is important from the standpoint of the teacher to optimize the learning process oby identifying the characteristics of media application,as well as the advantages and limitations of such an application.

 Given all its capabilities,hypermedia still does not replace life's experience and learning from nature and life.This is the saying that information and communication technology cannot replace the teacher altogether. Note that even technologists admit that the computer has an IQ of zero and depends on what man can input of make of it.GIGO or "garbage-in,garbage-out"is the very first principle that should be remembered about the computer.

  In the use of hypermedia the following instructional events will prove useful to the teacher.

• Get the learner's attention.
• Recall prior learning.
• Inform learners of lesson objectives.
• Introduce the software and its distinctive features.
• Guide learning,eliciting performance.
• Provide feedback.
• Assess performance.
• Enhance retention and learning transfer

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. Whereas in a traditional teaching methods, the teacher would take extra time, attention and effort to help the students who are slow in understanding the lessons. With that it gives teacher a hard time to develop new strategies and objectives for both fast and slow learners. So, it is really beneficial for the teacher to use hypermedia. It is also then possible for a teacher to let his students search, explore and discover in a traditional classroom. But with that, you need to provide the student an event to apply the learning, resources and materials as well as much time since the teacher has to take into consideration each one especially the slow learners.

        Hypermedia is really helpful for both the learner and the teacher but traditional learning does not mean no improvement on the student. It is still the best way for a nation which is not more particular or do not find it a need with using computers and information technology in boosting their economic status. Let us remember, computers have limitations and disadvantages too! As a teacher we should facilitate them.

Application

            Before the implementation of the hypermedia in the class we should be prepared first and know our capacity in handling this new innovation in order for a good instruction to our students someday. Keeping them in our guidance and also monitor them as we go along the every activity in the class. Hypermedia is an aid in our instruction and it is a big help as a future educator someday and to have a collaboration between you and to your students.

            Keeping them in the right track and giving them right instructions in every activity to avoid misconception in the class. Hypermedia is one way to make the class interactive and comprehensive.   

LESSON 16 : The Internet and Education

 

                     The internet, also simply called the NET, is the largest and far-flung networks system –of-all-system. Surprisingly, the internet is not really a network but a loosely organized collection of about 25,000 networks accessed by computers in 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.

                       How is everything coordinated through the Internet? This is done through a standardized protocol (or set of rules for exchanging data) called Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). To gain access to the Internet, the computer must be equipped with what is called a Server which has special software (program) that uses the Internet protocol. Originally developed and still subsidized by the United States government, the Internet connect not only commercial, industrial, scientific establishments but all other sectors including education and its libraries, campuses, and computer centers.

The great attraction of the Internet is that once the sign-up fees are paid, there are no extra charges. Electronic mail, for example, is free regardless of the amount of use. In contrast, individuals using the Internet on their own personal computers must pay ongoing monthly fees to whoever is their service provider.

Getting around the Net

                                The vast sea of information now in the Internet, including news and trivia, is an overwhelming challenge to those who wish to navigate it. Every day, the Net user- population and the available information continue to grow, and new ways are continuously being developed to tour the Internet.

                                The most attractive way to move around the Internet is called browsing. Using a program called a browser, the user can use a mouse to point and click on screen icons to surf the Internet, particularly the World Wide Web (the Web), an Internet’s 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 continue to spawn Net sites including new demand for services to business, industries, science, government, and even homes. Many experts predict that he Internet is destined to become the centerpiece of all online communications on the planet and in some future time in the solar system using interplanetary satellite communication stations.

A 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. They ask probing questions like, “What is your state’s most serious problems,” or How much does pizza cost in your state? This educational activity prodded y their schools are paying dividends from increasing the pupil’s interest in Geography to a greater understanding of how people live in large cities and other places in the United States or the world.

                                Educational software materials have also developed both in sophistication and appeal. There is now a wider choice from rote arithmetic or grammar lessons to discovery and innovation projects. But the real responsibility today is connecting with the world outside homes, classrooms, and Internet cafes. And today schools are gearing up to take advantage of 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.

LESSON 18: Tablets for Textbooks in Schools

             Today, books are still the primary medium of instruction in most schools. Already, there is a disadvantage of using books for learning that are being debated upon. 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 because the students are enamored by computer games. By that, the educators have begun to think that the computer screen can very well serve as a power point educational medium.

             In general, tablets as a primary learning tool can be replacing the textbooks. Tablets are conducive to higher thinking, constructive and participative teaching-and-learning. By that, parents gave full support to the IT advancement. Technology itself may be a key to problem resolution and Filipino ingenuity is called to respond to the challenge facing the digital generation of the millennium.

Having something that can replace heavy bulky books is a good idea, the students will no longer suffer from carrying heavy books and if the only use tablets they can access their books anytime anywhere because it can be brought easily without hassle.

It is no longer impossible as what the students in La Salle were experiencing. Even ordinary college students were no longer buying books in the store especially now that PDF format copies of the books were already available and free to be downloaded.

In the near future this kind of events will be achieve by all levels of schools in the Philippines it may sound impossible because of the current situation in our country that cannot even provide good classrooms and equipment. But nothing is impossible, if there’s a will to become better there will always a way in achieving better and bigger things.

REFLECTION

             The two – book and tablet – have their advantages and disadvantages, however, in this present situation, since our government cannot afford to give everyone this yet (although tablets are less expensive than PCs), we have to use the books that we have (no wonder, books still remain to be the number one instructional material in the Philippines). Books are no less different than those book that has become an EBook in tablets. If one can afford to buy a tablet now, then that’s good but schools should not make it necessary to have this in school if the majority cannot afford it. The use of tablets instead of books is still a choice, not mandatory, hence a teacher can still teach using a book, and it has not yet become useless.

APPLICATION

             Later if the government can already afford to give everyone tablet, then teaching for me (somehow) wouldn’t be so hard. If by now there are some lessons that are difficult to explain since it requires illustrations, with the use if tablets, it will be easy. I will just share to my students my lesson and give them the handouts as guide and it will be up to them to do the action and I will make use of hypermedia to facilitate individualized learning. I will conduct online class since everyone already has the gadget whenever I’m not around.