Lesson 9: Computers as Information and Communication Technology

Content

This topic talks about the computers as information and communication technology. The role of the computer in education was well-discussed. It was pointed out that the advent of the computer is recognized as the third revolution in education. Through computer technology, educators saw the amplification of learning along computer literacy. Soon computer-assisted instruction or (CAI) was introduced using the principle of the individualized learning. The innovation in today’s information age is so dynamic that within the first decade of the 21st century computer technology in education has matured to transform into an educative and communication technology (ICT) in education. Instructional media consist of audio-visual aids that served to enhance and enrich the teaching-learning process. Examples are the photo, blackboard, film and video. Educational communication media on the other hand, comprise the media of communication including print, film, radio and television.

Experience

            It is very evident that teachers nowadays are using technology, in instruction and in communication. Ever since technology had entered the school milieu, experiences in its integration to instruction are experienced by most students (including me). The use of technology in our times is innovating especially in terms of instructional and communication media in education.

Reflection

            Using ICT has become basic part of our society today. The computer, the Internet, and the social media had become a huge part in different aspects: economy, industry and education. In the field of education, ICT is evident in the sense that information are important elements in teaching. As future teachers, we share and give information to our students during instruction. To be able to share information, we need an effective communication through the use of ICT and communicate even outside the classroom.

Application

             Technology in education can effectively be applied with the knowledge of the teacher. Since it is proven that the use of personal computer is useful in the learning process, then it can be implied by teachers through the activities during instruction. Students can easily access information using the internet without spending much time to the library. Even if students are not in school, they can still continue learning and study using their personal computers. In this situation, teachers can better enhance students’ learning skills through independent learning.

Lesson 8: Higher Thinking Skills through IT-Based Projects

Content

            There are Four types of IT-based Projects can effectively be used in order to engage students in activities of a higher plane of thinking.

1. Resource-based Projects – in these projects. The teacher steps out of the traditional role of being a content expert and information provider and instead let the students do the work in gathering the information. Teacher facilitates and only steps in to supply data or information. Sources are varied, it focuses on learning inquiry/quest or discovery, gives emphasis to process and resource-based project is both quantitative and qualitative.

2. Simple Creation- this focused on the creativity of the students. Creativity involves three kinds of skills/abilities: analyzing, synthesizing and promoting. In order to develop creativity, there are five key tasks. First, define the task, second brainstorm, third judge the idea, fourth act and then last is adopting flexibility. Students can also be assigned to create their software materials such as Creative Writer (Microsoft) on writing, Kidwork Deluxe on drawing and painting, and Media Wave on multimedia.

3.Guided Hypermedia Projects- the production of self-made multimedia projects can be approached in two different ways: instructive tool such as in the production by students of a powerpoint presentation of a selected topic and communication tool such as when students do a multimedia presentation.

4. Web-based projects- students can be made to create and post web pages on a given topic.

Experience

            In Educational Technology 1, these types of projects are applied to us. The instructor let us do tasks which developed our individual skills. It developed our creativity also especially in the making of web-based power point, editing of video through Power Director, editing of images using Photoshop, etc.

Reflection

            The development of students’ creative and thinking skills depends a lot on how teacher utilize the use of technology to help students trigger their interests. The big challenge also is facing those teachers in far-flung areas to introduce learners to this innovation. In this case, teachers must be resourceful through the use of available resources, the community and outside the classroom to help students even more productive. With this approach, teachers will inculcate abilities of learners to be flexible in whatever field they will choose in the future.

Application

            Using technology in teaching does not mean teachers relax because they rely on the technology, instead teachers must wisely use technology for better learning of students. As future educators, it is a big challenge for us to be flexible and creative ourselves in using technology so as to show students the outcomes that they too should look us as models.

Lesson 7: Evaluation of Technology Learning

Content

            A new challenge has arisen for today’s learners and this is not simply to achieve learning objectives but to encourage the development of students, who can do more than receive, recall, recite and apply the knowledge they have acquired. Today, students are expected to be not only cognitive, but also flexible, analytical and creative. In this lesson, there are methods proposed for the use of computer-based technologies as an integral support to higher thinking skills and creativity. The standard student evaluation of learning must change. This is justified by the fact that not only has the new generation changed into digital learners, but the traditional world has metamorphosed into a digital world. Teachers must adopt a new mindset both for instruction and evaluation. Evaluation must be geared to assessment of essential knowledge and skills so that learners can function effectively, productively and creatively in a new world. It must use evaluative tools that measure the new basic skills of the 21^st century digital culture, namely: solution fluency, information fluency, collaboration fluency, media fluency, creativity fluency and digital citizenship. These six fluencies reflect process skills. On the other hand, the change in evaluation approach is referred to as mass amateurization, a term which implies a mass of student output.

Experience

            Back in high school, our teacher applied this new form of evaluation which uses computer-based technologies as an integral support to higher thinking skills and creativity. She would always give us electronic exams and make us do a computer-based project. I realized that those things really help me a lot in the field I studied today since it gives me the full awareness on how to apply technology in the evaluation for the digital learners. Also, in educational technology I have experienced technology-based evaluation such as electronic exams, and application through the use of IT-based projects like in Edmodo, Toondo and Rubistar.

Reflection

             As future teachers, we must employ an evaluation that is appropriate for the digital learners. With the integration of technology in evaluation, it should enhance and develop our students’ flexibility, analytical and creative thinking. In the teaching-learning process, teachers must facilitate and evaluate students with the use of technology learning. Computer-based technologies must be an integral support to higher learning process. We must use technology not only for leisure but for learning. Nowadays, it is very evident in the educational milieu that the use of technology is applied. Teachers compute grades using computer conveniently, power point presentations are used in the instruction and above all, the use of technology-based evaluation to assess students’ outcome of learning.

Application

            As a teacher equipped with the learning about technology-based evaluation, I should apply it to my future students. It will be applied through giving students computer-based assignment and projects, letting them use power point presentations in their reports, and even give them electronic exams to test their learning. The use of technology in evaluating students’ learning will not just test how far they have learned, but also enhances their analytical, flexibility and creativity because it is on their interest to use the technology so it is very easy to integrate it in the instruction.

Lesson 6: Developing Basic Digital Skills

Content

                This topic tackles about developing basic digital skills with the integration of technology in education. Educators must adjust their teaching to effectively bridge the gap of the new digital world of information and communication. They must be knowledgeable on what basic knowledge and values need to develop by digital learners. These basic literacies will not replace the 3 R’S but they will be complemented by six essential skills to equip students. The following are the basic digital skills:

·         Solution fluency – refer to capacity and creativity in problem solving.

·         Information fluency –involves 3 subset skills which is ability to access, retrieve and reflect information.

·         Collaboration fluency – refers to teamwork with virtual or real partners in online environment.

·         Media fluency – refers to channel of mass communication.

·         Creativity fluency - which is artistic proficiency, adds meaning by way of design, art and storytelling to package a message.

·         Digital ethics – is guided by principles of leadership, global responsibility, environmental awareness, global citizenship and personal accountability.

This topic also taps about the higher thinking skill and its significance upon entering the new world of information and communication technology. By developing higher thinking skills, students will be inculcated with the digital fluencies while overcoming limitations in the high-tech world. This implies that teacher move from the center stage and allows students to do hand-on and actually make the classroom a student-centered classroom.

Experience

            Not all teachers in the past years of my study had used the integration of technology in developing the skills of the students. Based on my own experience, integrating technology in developing the basic digital skills will really help students ponder the learning.

Reflection

            As we develop basic skills, it would allow us to properly apply different uses of computer and integrate this to the teaching process. Definitely, the six fluency skills (solution, information, collaboration, media, creativity and digital ethics) are vital to digital learners of today’s era. There is a need for them to acquire and equip these skills in order to adjust and face the overwhelming challenges brought by modern technology specifically in learning processes. On the contrary, teachers must adjust their teaching to effectively match the new digital world of information and communication technology (ICT). They should be flexible and creative in searching new ways to efficiently utilize and develop the basic digital skills which students truly need. Moreover, the new era opens the way for complex and higher cognitive skills. Therefore, Bloom's Taxonomy of Thinking Skills must be developed.

Application

            We, as digital learners, should not only acquire those digital skills but also we should aim to go beyond with those skills to be more effective and influence to others especially our future students. As future educators, we must know how to develop these skills to achieve the efficient and effective teaching-learning process. With my knowledge about these things, as a future teacher, I shall be responsible in inculcating these digital skills to the new millennium learners. 

Lesson 5: Preferences of the Technology Generation

Content

            This topic taps on the preferences of the new generation students in terms of their styles in life, work and leisure. It also talks about the things that older generation’s preferences that are now obsolete and may not be applicable to the generation today.

            In the field of education there is a noticeable gap in perceptions and critical differences between the older and younger generation. Between single and multi-track activity patterns, new generation prefers the multi-track activities because they were exposed to quick flicking video games, mobile phone texting, surfing the web and downloading text/music/videos adapting to task-switching speed. Between texts versus visuals, they choose visuals. They also prefer hyper media over linear because they follow personal random access to hyperlinked digital information. They prefer social learning and group activities than independent learning. They learn to do than learning to past the test therefore they are more on hands-on activities to learn. New generation also wants instant gratification and rewards and do not want delayed ones since they are exposed to scores from games, enjoyable conversations, emails and chatting through Facebook. Therefore, the new generation wants fun learning and rejecting rote memorization.

Experience

            These are like what I had experienced when I was in elementary to high school, we are given group activities to lessen the boredom of the students. However, in elementary, we lack technology facilities that I had really faced a big difference when I reached high school. I was not able to use a computer before that is why when we had our computer hands-on test in 1^st year, I was terrified and shock that I almost cried. I really feel the gap between the preferences of my classmates and me. I feel demotivated and helpless that I was so different from them. However, as time passed by, I really tried my best to cope up with them and fortunately, I made it.

Reflection

            As a future educator, I can reflect with this topic especially that I will soon to be exposed in the field. There is really a need to bridge the gap between new and old generation through targeting the learners’ need. Since new generation learners are fun of using the modern technology, teachers should also learn their world and take technology an opportunity for meaningful learning and not to separate them with instruction.

Application 

            Knowing the preferences of the students is really essential in order to bridge the gap and to ease the difficulties that might occur during the learning process. In application, educating also the new generation about the life before them will help bridge the gap between them. Helping and understanding each other’s’ differences and preferences is of great help in the society today especially in the educational milieu. So, modern teaching strategies which will touch the interests of the learners need to be used in the classroom instruction. The uses of multimedia and hyperlinked projects are just examples in order to reach the learners.