Lesson 18: Tablets for Textbooks in Schools

        This lesson discusses about the tablets being a replacement to textbooks in clas

sroom setting or in the teaching-learning process. Today, books are still the primary medium of instruction in most schools. Yet, 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.

            As to the experience, I find tablet as a useful tool in learning the lessons in the classroom especially if it deals with Science and other field of study. I do not have any of one yet I just have a netbook so, I will use my cousin as an example to express my experiences on it. He was a Grade 3 and had a tablet already, and as to my observation upon using it as an educational tool his performance in the class has been good. He always ask me to download apps that will help him to learn the subject far better, but it also have a negative effect for every weekend he cannot do his assignments because he is so busy playing with COC and he just do his homework at the morning before he will go to school. This is the reality of using a technology because whether we like it or not there will always a two sides of the new inventions.

            As to the reflection, using tablets as a replacement of the textbooks will have advantages and disadvantages. As to the advantages, tablets will be less burden to bring in the school unlike books, you can access with the information you did not understand in just one click, it is more interactive and it suit to the 21^st century learners. As to its disadvantages, not all schools in the Philippines can implement in using tablet in the school for not all can afford to buy one, it is expensive for typical family, learners may not focus on the information given yet may play online or offline game if they are already bored listening to their teachers, etc. By that, the CHED as well as the DepEd should think many times about this issue before implementing it to the Philippine educational system.

            As to the application, future educators cannot meet this if they are assigned to the public or government schools as well as not all private schools will agree to this. So, for us it would be a challenge on how we find alternative ways upon integrating technology in the teaching-learning process for the students to learn far better. We can employ different activities and strategies that will cater the lesson as well as the objectives that will not solely based on textbooks or the students keep on reading with their textbooks without comprehension. But we should not also close our minds that someday all the textbooks will be replaced by tablets or even by the technologies that are being planned to be created for the new millennium learners. By that, we should always be prepared because whether we like it or not, these inventions will stay and progress from generation to generation.

Lesson 17: Educational Technology 2 Practicum

CONTENT

EdTech 2 Practicum is a performance phase, which offers students the experiential process of adapting to technology. This is the practicum phase consist of hands-on computer tutorials and requirements such as:

            a. Computer laboratory or special classroom with adequate computers for   learning

            b. Participation of computer lab assistant- to assist the learners in the use of computer

            c. Assigned number of hours base on the requirements needed by the course

The practicum phase consists of:

1. Basic Microsoft Word

    

        - Tutorial familiarizes each individual learner to the basics of Microsoft Word by learning how to use the toolbars and software; they will be taught how to encode, edit and format text; creating, formatting, editing and saving documents and printing as well. At the end, the learner shall be able to create, open and save word documents; insert graphics, tables or charts; apply format on the text, hyperlink or creating standard documents.

2. Microsoft PowerPoint

    - Tutorial is focus on the familiarization on the basics of Microsoft PowerPoint presentations to enhance the teaching of subjects. Coverage of learning includes PowerPoint fundamentals, enhancement of PowerPoint presentation with the use of graphics, audio or videos, using templates, presenting and printing a slide. At the end of the tutorial, the learner will be able to create and open PowerPoint presentations, insets objects to creative presentations and templates to enhance presentations.

3. Internet as tool of Inquiry

            - Tutorial will facilitate the finding of sources of information appropriate to a learning task. Its coverage includes accessing the internet, use of internet tools and search techniques.

LESSON 16: THE INTERNET AND EDUCATION

The internet also called the net is the largest and far-flung network system of all systems.  Everything in the internet is coordinated through standardized protocol called Transmission Control Protocol/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 it.

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 worlds, write to celebs, and even send questions to heads of states.  

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 possibility today is connecting with the worlds outside homes, classrooms, and Internet classes.

Lesson 15: Understanding Hypermedia

Hypermedia is nothing but multimedia, but this time 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 and these include:

Tutorial software packages

Knowledge WebPages

Simulation instructional games

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 learner autonomy and thinking skills.

Characteristics of hypermedia applications:

1. Learner control- the learner makes his own decisions on the path, flow of events of instruction.

2. Learner wide range of navigation routes- the learner has a wide range of navigation routes such as by working on concepts he is already familiar with. He may even follow a linear or logical path, even if the previous activity is half-completed. He may explore other sections opting to return or complete the previous activity.

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 by identifying the characteristics of media application, as well as the advantages and limitations of such an application.

Lesson 14: The Software as an Educational Resource

          Whenever people think about computers, they are most likely thinking about the computer machine such as the television-like monitor screen, the keyboard to type on, the printer which produces copies of text-and-graphics material, and the computer housing called “the box” which contains the electronic parts and circuits (the central processing unit) that receives/ stores data and direct computer operations. The computer machine or hardware is naturally an attention-getter.

      It’s 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 called software.

There are two kinds of software:

1. The system software. This is the operating system that is found or bundled inside all computer machines.

2. The application software. This contains the system that commands the particular task or solves a particular problem.

In turn the applications software may be:

(a) A custom software that is made for specific tasks often by large corporations, or

(b) A commercial software packaged for personal computers that helps with a variety of tasks such as writing papers, calculating numbers, drawing graphs, playing games, and so much more.

Microsoft Windows

  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 colorful graphics interface (called GUI – pronounced “gooee”) that can be seen on the computer screen or monitor whenever the computer is turned on.

 The user can work with on-screen pictures (icons) and suggestions (menus) to arrive at the desired software. Windows 95 (now improved with Windows 2003 and 2007) is software designed for Microsoft Windows. Actually, Windows is in itself a self-contained operating system which provides

· User convenience – just click a file name to retrieve data or click from program to program as easy as changing channels in your TV screen

· A new look – fancy borders, smooth and streamlined text fonts

· Information center – Windows puts all communications activities (e-mail, downloads etc. in a single screen icon); adapts/configures the computer for the Internet.

· Plug and play – configures the computer with added components, such as for sound and video.

Instructional 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 school resource collection. But beware since CBIs need much improvement, while web-based educational resources are either extremely good or what is complete garbage. In evaluating computer-based educational materials, the following can serve as guidelines:

· Be extremely cautious in using CBIs and “free” Internet materials

· Don’t be caught up by attractive graphics, sound, animation, pictures, video clips and music forgetting their instructional worth

· Teachers must evaluate these resources using sound pedagogical principles.

· Among design and content elements to evaluate are: the text legibility, effective use of color schemes, attractive layout and design, and easy navigation from section-to-section (such as from game to tutorial to drill-and-practice section)

· Clarity in the explanations and illustrations of concepts and principles

· Accuracy, coherence, logic of information

· Their being current since data/statistics continually change

· Relevance/effectiveness in attaining learning objectives

· Absence of biased materials (e.g. gender bias or racial bias)

Lesson 13: Cooperative Learning with the 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 lack of hardware that educators face.

Defining cooperative learning

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. 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) Encourage active learning, while motivating students
(b) Increases academic performance
(c) Promotes literacy and language skills
(d) Improves teacher effectiveness


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.

Components of cooperative learning


Educators are still wary about the computer’s role in cooperative learning. Thus they pose the position that the use of computers do not automatically result in cooperative learning. There 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

Lesson 12 - Information Technology in Support of 

Student-Centered Learning

         
  In this lesson, we shall see now the teacher can expand his option to make himself more effective and relevant in the 21st millennium information age. In particular, the lesson shall respond to questions on student-centered learning approach, particular helps on designing and adapting students-learning activities shall be examined.

in addition, suggestion shall be made on how a student-centered classroom (SCL) can be supported by information technology (IT)

The Traditional Classroom

        

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

The SCL Classroom

          In industrialize societies we find knowledge-based economies in which workers depend on information that can be accessed through information and communication technologies (ICT's). Desiring to gain effectiveness, efficiency and economy in administration and instruction, schools in these developed economies have also adopted the support of ICT's. 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 student individually or in groups:

Performing computer word processing for text or graph presentations

Preparing power-point presentation

Searching for information on the Internet

Brainstorming on ideas, problems and project plans

As needed, the teacher facilitating instruction, also giving individualized instruction to serve individual needs.