Week 1: Technology for teaching and learning: An examination of Philippines’ national educational priorities

Reflection: How can the use of technology support improved teaching and learning in the Philippines?

       

With the advancement of technology in education comes the advancement of teaching and learning among students from diverse community. Technology has become a vital part in bringing quality education in every classroom and has become a major tool used by teachers to improve their teaching skills. As it has become very useful in industrialized countries, it has also become very useful in the Philippines. Armin L. Bonifacio of the University of the Philippines said “ICT curriculum standards for K-12 schools in the Philippines will serve as a framework for technology integration in various academic content area instructions from kindergarten through grade 12, function as a guide for curriculum decisions by providing student performance expectations in the areas of knowledge, skills and attitudes, and provide examples of classroom activities and instructional strategies utilizing ICT that will guide teachers as they design instruction to help their students meet learning expectations.”

The Department of Education Information and Communication Technology for education strategic plan (DepEd ICT4E Strategic plan) states that with the help of technology teaching and learning will move from traditional to a more enhanced curriculum. It plays a major role in creating a new and improved model of teaching and learning where students will have an access to education anytime and anywhere. Enhancement of the curriculum covers from preschool, elementary, secondary and ALS with inspiration and models from tertiary education. With the enhancement of the curriculum, the ICT will also be used in developing multimedia instructional materials and be used in different assessment.

It does not only enhance the learning of every student but is also covers the competency standard and professional development of teachers, education managers, school administrators and non-teaching personnel/administrative personnel.

Technology in this way will be able to truly improve the teaching and learning in the Philippines. We will never be left behind from other countries and our learners will have an access to education anytime, anywhere that will enable them to gear up with changing environment and cope up with the advancement of education through the lens of information communication technology.

 

 

Week 2: What do research and international standards say about teaching and learning with technology

Reflection: Briefly summarize the arguments that outline the strengths and weaknesses of technology for teaching and learning. As teachers, what strategies will you use to make sure you avoid these weaknesses? Student Teachers should provide between one and two paragraphs for their portfolio, word processed.

Mary Burns, in her articles entitled “Success, Failure or No Significant Difference: Charting a Course for Successful Educational Technology Integration” discussed on how computers have positively or negatively impacted the learning of students. She said that most of the researches on effective school change and innovation implementation points to practices with those who promote the use of technology in schools. Her paper outline the long term structural conditions that lead to the deep change technology initiatives seek to promote. She concluded her paper with the following statements:

Techno-enthusiasts– She said that they are correct in arguing that technology provides important educational benefits and part of the mission of education is to prepare students for the world of work. The ability to use a computer has become basic 21^st century literacy, like reading, writing and numeracy.

Techno-dissenters are correct in their underlying premise—technology has more often than not been used  poorly in schools, particularly in low-resource areas—at the expense of more necessary interventions (like upgrading teacher qualifications).

A debate on educational technology in which they believe that continuing introduction of new technologies and new media adds little to the quality of most education. The debate was between by Sir John Daniel and Dr. Robert Kozma. Sir John Daniel on the pros side believed that “Technology and the media have transformed all aspects of human life – except education!” On the other hand Dr. Robert Kozma believed that “New technologies and new media do make a significant contribution to the quality of education.”

Dr. Kozma said technology has good contribution to education when coordinated with the training of teachers to integrate technology in teaching, with applications that draw on the unique capabilities of technology, and with supportive curricular, assessment, and school contexts that advance complex problem solving, creative thinking, and life-long learning—skills that are needed to support an information society and knowledge economy. In order for us teachers to avoid the weaknesses and negative effect of technology in teaching-learning process we must train our self and keep on seeking information that will make us more effective users of  technology. We must innovate ways that can capture the interest of our students in learning with the use of technology and avoid the common problem that it has brought among our learners. Sir John Daniel said “most applications of technology in education disappoint because they ignore these principles and so fail to use technology’s intrinsic strengths to tackle real problems.” In order to avoid these problems, teachers must look very carefully the strength and weaknesses of the technology. And we must acknowledge the principles of using technology in the classroom setting for it to become very useful tool in bringing education to our learners.

Week 3: Technology and active learning

Reflection: Based on what you have read and seen, what is your overall assessment of active learning? Is this really how children learn? Is it how they learn?  Or, are there other, more effective strategies?

As teachers, what concrete steps could you begin to take to set up a classroom that promotes active learning? (Think about the layout of the classroom, materials, technology, communication, how students would act, etc.)

Technology and active learning are vital part in the learning process of each student. An article by Paulson and Faust define active learning is anything that students do in a classroom other than merely passively listening to an instructor’s lecture. This includes everything from listening practices which help the students to absorb what they hear, to short writing exercises in which students react to lecture material, to complex group exercises in which students apply course material to “real life” situations and/or to new problems.

Active learning instructional strategies can be created and used to engage students in  thinking critically or creatively, speaking with a partner, in a small group, or with the entire class , expressing ideas through writing, exploring personal attitudes and values giving and receiving feedback and reflecting upon the learning process.

With the kind of learners that we have today, active learning is the best way in teaching. Students are more active unlike the students before. Engaging them in every activity will help learn more about the concepts and lessons that are being taught to them. As this Chinese proverb says “Tell me, I’ll forget. Show me, I’ll remember. Involve me, I’ll understand” which is very true to our learners now. Teachers will serve more as a facilitator than someone who feed all the ideas to the students.

The best example of active learning was shown in the video of Ms. Huttenen, a 37 year veteran teacher who showed how she integrates technology to change her practices. She implements progressive learnings, on how technology was used to enhance learning through research and data collection and on how Ms. Huttenen changed her role in the classroom. With the use of ICT she was able to let her pupils learn actively, answer online exams and see the results directly and how she was changed from being the provider or source of learning into a facilitator. It also showed that from traditional experiences that students need to be very stiff inside the class it was transformed into a place where students can freely move from one to place to another and act as a teacher and most of all a friend who can help their fellow classmates who are struggling. It also said that student can answer their exams at home.

It showed to us the 21^st century goal, wherein students will have an access to education, anytime , anywhere. I will follow the steps of Ms. Huttenen in promoting active learning in class. I can start it during the first day of classes where my students will become part in making the classroom rules where they will be part and active participants in the planning. In this way I can have a good head start in promoting active learning inside my class. The pictures below show some of the ways we can do to promote active learning.

      

Week 4: Teaching with technology: Using technology to find and evaluate content

Reflection: Develop an annotated list of ten resources that you believe are most helpful in teaching a particular subject, or topic within a particular subject.

Why did you choose these particular sites? What attributes do these sites have that would improve student learning? What attributes do these sites have that would improve student learning?

As a preschool teacher, I selected these sites because I found them very helpful in capturing the interest of my pupils in different subjects. Being a preschool teacher is very tough hence, I have to find ways on how to get my pupils participate in class. With the use of these sites I was able to give them activities that got their attention. These sites offer activities that will encourage the children to participate in writing, art, mathematics and sciences. Pinterest and youtube are two of the most useful sites in searching for my lessons. With these sites I learned some creative ways to make my classroom attractive to kids and become a best place in learning. From classroom decorations, arts and crafts for every subjects, tips for classroom management, etc. which are all very useful in improving the student learning. Some of the attributes are listed below.

                                 

1. Classroom Management-http://www.wholebrainteaching.com/

 

2. Pinterest – pinterest.com

 

3. Videos- youtube.com

 

4. Best for Craft Projects: http://www.crayola.com/educators

 

With hundreds of lessons for every grade level, you’re guaranteed to find a colorful idea for your class, such as the “Chinese Dragon Drum” for Chinese New Year or the “What Do You Love?” project for Valentine’s Day.

 

5. Best Way to Start the Day: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/daily-starter

 

Establish a morning routine with Daily Starters — fun, fast math and language arts prompts and questions, including Teachable Moments from history and Fun Facts, such as “Before erasers, people used a piece of bread!” Sort by grade (PreK-8), and project them onto your interactive whiteboard or print copies for your students.

 

6. Best for Writing: http://www.educationnorthwest.org/traits

 

The creators of the 6+1 traits of writing offer a terrific overview of the model on their site, with research to support the program, lesson plans, writing prompts, and rubrics. You can also find writing samples to practice scoring and see how other teachers scored the same piece.

 

7. Best Online Dictionary: http://www.wordsmyth.net

 

Add the beginner’s version of the Wordsmyth widget to your toolbar, and students can look up new vocabulary no matter where they are online.

 

8. Best Math games: http://www.nlvm.usu.edu

 

At the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives, you’ll find activities for every area of math at every grade level. Need to teach shapes to preschoolers, for example? Try the Attribute Blocks, which challenge students to sort virtual objects. Working on functions with middle schoolers? Drop numbers into the function machine to identify the pattern.

9. Best for History: http://www.free.ed.gov

 

This fantastic site acts as a clearinghouse for all of the educational materials developed by government organizations. You can find primary sources, videos, and photos for just about any topic. For example, listen to “Fiddle Tunes of the Old Frontier” or find a timeline of Ben Franklin’s life. And it’s all free!

 

10. Best for Science: http://www.nsta.org

 

The National Science Teachers Association site is a goldmine for classroom teachers who may not feel as comfortable teaching geology and astronomy as they do reading and arithmetic. You’ll find journal articles, experiment ideas, and a roundup of the latest science stories in the news.

 

Week 5: Technology and instruction

Reflection: Analyze technology integration by subject area. Select one subject area (such as math, science, etc.) and examine the integration of technology within this particular subject area along a continuum, from entry, adoption, adaptation, infusion, and transformation. Use the Technology Integration Matrix to assess the level of technology integration.

1. (By Group) The University of Southern Florida’s Technology Integration Matrix (TIM) models how teachers can use technology to enhance learning for students in math, science, social studies, and language.

ENGLISH SUBJECT

 

2. Copy of teacher lesson plan

http://www.fit4theclassroom.com/sites/fit4theclassroom.com/files/downloads/One%20Fine%20Day_TeacherGuide_Final.pdf

 

3. Photos and/or video of teacher and students doing the one-computer classroom activity. Describe what these photos show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The picture shows a one-computer classroom activity. The teacher is discussing a certain topic to the students using the computer. They are doing collaborative learning using the available technology inside the class. After the discussion the class will have a chance to talk with their group mates and answer the group question found in the computer. The teacher will check the output of the students that they input in the computer.

 

4. Refection of one to two paragraphs.

Using the one-computer class activity, the students were very interested to participate in the class activity. Their attentions were captured by the videos and pictures shown in the computer. This means that the students were able to learn more through the use of technology. However, during the activity the students need to wait for their turn to answer the question due to unavailability of computers for students.

a. How would you rate your one-computer activity?

If I will rate the use of one-computer activity from 1-10, 1 being the lowest and 10 the highest I will give them 7. The activity engaged and captured the attention of the students, but the setback would be during the assessment using the computer. But nevertheless it is very effective in teaching-learning process.

b. How did it go? How did students react?

 

The activity went very well during the discussion. The students participate actively and teacher was well prepared in doing the presentation. I would say learning was present in the activity.

c. What went well and what would you change.

 

The discussion went very well. However during the assessment though the students were able to answer the questions correctly, it would be better if they have at least on computer per group or one computer per student.

 

Week 6: Technology and assessment

Reflection: Technology is only a tool, but assessment is a practice designed by teachers. Based on what you have read, examined, and watched, how can technology used as part of assessment check for student understanding, monitor student progress, and ultimately improve student learning? Provide examples from the resources you have accessed, in addition to other resources you have come across.

Classroom Concept states that Modern technology offers educators a variety of new tools that can be used in the classroom. Technology can help teachers track and assess their students’ — as well as their own — performance in the classroom. It can also be used to facilitate communication between students and teachers and to create digital records of student growth and development that can easily be passed along from grade to grade.

That means that teachers can use technology in assessment in several ways. First, we can use technology in classroom evaluation.  Teachers can use several types of technology to assess the learning of the students. After a lecture or class activity, a teacher can give formative assessment using computer and will let the students answer the questions.  They call this type of assessment as using Online Assessment in Face-to-Face Courses.  Example of this assessment is the use of online blackboard. Blackboard’s assessment features provide instructors with a form for building online assessments using different question types. These assessments provide students with immediate feedback, are automatically graded, (with the exception of essay questions), and scores are logged into the online Grade Center.

Second, we can use technology to give comments and feedback on students written output, such as reports, research and even thesis using MS Word Features for More Effective Feedback on Student Writing.  With this technology the teacher can do the following to evaluate student writing by emphasizing text by highlighting it, Insert Comment, Track changes to a document, Accepting and rejecting comments and changes, Merging Track Changes, Using Macros and Using macros to feedback on student writing.

Also, teachers can give let their student assignments using a created website for the class. It will allow the students to express their ideas online using online group discussion, blogging and even using social media such as facebook, twitter and instagram to poll their works online. With the help of these technologies, the teachers will become more active in teaching the students even beyond the four corners of the classroom and it will let shy and passive students to participate. Also, it will give immediate feedback to both teachers and students that will allow both to assess their works and find immediate remedy to the problems that may exist during the assessment.

In the Philippines, we have this site for teachers and students to use technology in assessment and evaluation.

http://www.quipperschool.com/en-PH/index.html

In my class I use the Teacherkit application to monitor my students attendance, quizzes and behaviors. It is a very useful application that a teacher can use anytime using cellphone, tablets and computer.

            

Other online assessment websites:

http://quizstar.4teachers.org

 

http://www.123contactform.com/free-online-quiz-maker.htm

http://www.classmarker.com

http://www.rubrics4teachers.com

Week 7: Alternatives to computers and the Internet: Interactive Radio Instruction

Reflection: What ideas do IRI and IAI give you about using technology for your own teaching practice. Do you see any learning advantages of audio over video? How might you incorporate audio into your teaching?

       

Information Communication Technology has become a vital part in teaching learning experience. We can associate ICT with the use of computers and internet but prior to the use of these technologies we already have the interactive radio instruction. Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) is the use of radio to bring curriculum and teacher training to classrooms – a tremendous resource for learning and dissemination. IRI, which only requires a radio and an adult facilitator, reaches large numbers of teachers and learners who are isolated by distance and poor infrastructure. The pictures above show students learning using IRI. IRI is the best alternative for computers and other technologies that are not readily available in remote areas. Though IRI is not as good as computers, I believe that it can bring a good amount of learning to every student. Prior to the advancement of technology, IRI had already brought a lot of learning to the students who used it. This technology can improve the listening skill of the students and will encourage participation because of the instructions they can hear through the IRI.

I can see learning advantages using this technology because it will get my students to listen very well and will teach them to follow certain instructions. Other than that, they can gain a lot of information and knowledge through the different topics that IRI can teach them. According to studies, IRI has demonstrated positive impact in learning in many developing countries.

I will incorporate audio in my reading class to teach them proper pronunciation and right phonetic sounds. It will be very useful to improve their reading skills by listening to the narrators and at the same time will improve their comprehension. World Bank toolkit defined IRI programs that require teachers and students to react verbally and physically to questions and exercises posed by radio characters and to participate in group work, experiments, and other activities suggested by the radio program. I will use this type of technology to get my students participate in such activities. It can be best accompanied with video presentation after using audio to capture the interest of the students and increase learning.

 

Week 8: Emerging technologies and technology trends

Reflection: Think of the emerging technologies you have seen and read about. Discuss in a one- or two-page paper which you believed to hold the most promise for improved student learning, and why. As a teacher, which of these technologies would help you most with content, instruction and assessment?

Information and communication technology offers different learning tools to improve student learning.

As a teacher, I believe books are still the best tool in teaching. It may sound traditional, but it has proven to be very effective tool in teaching over the century. But we have to go with the changes in our educational system as much as the changes in the type of learners that we have. With the advancement of technology comes the advancement of learners. We now have the 21^st century learners who are inclined to learn using technology. That is why we have to let the traditional and modern tools in teaching to meet halfway in order to improve student learning.  From the list of technologies above,  tablet computers and ipad are the tool that I would like to use where students can read books using technology, and we call them the ebook. For me this is the best tool that teachers can use to improve student learning. With the use of tablet or ipad, students can read their books, see the pictures and most of all watch education videos that will help them understand clearly the lessons. It has also interactive applications where students learn the content, follow instructions and at the end of the lesson will take the assessment. They can track what they learned and find ways to improve their learning.

In most schools, especially in developed countries, students will just bring their tablet and they find everything that they need in school using that small gadget. They can write notes, read their assignments and answer their quizzes, watch videos and listen to audio instructions using the gadget. However, teachers and also parents must be caution on the use of this technology and must guide their children on its proper use.

       

Second are the smart boards and LCD projectors. Smart Board is a line of interactive whiteboards produced by the Calgary, Alberta-based company Smart Technologies. Using this technology, teachers will encourage the students to participate actively in classroom discussions. They said, a picture is worth a thousand words when we use smartboard and lcd the students will be able to see visually the concept that we are teaching them. They can understand the concept well than just mere imagining the lessons that we are teaching. It also allows them to have real life experience. Accordingly, in technology savvy classrooms, a teacher acts as a facilitator who sets project goals for the students and provides them with the necessary resources and guidelines to reach those goals. As shown in the picture the student will be able to experience what they learn and become hands-on in their classes. And it give them in depth knowledge. They said, a student sitting in his classroom can learn how people in a small village in Africa live life by taking a virtual tour or seeing real life photos right now. Students can easily acquire in-depth knowledge on any subject using different types of technology such as smart board and LCD projector.

 

                  

 

The two technologies that I choose to use in my classroom are just some of the technologies that can improve the learning the students.  Below is the list of other technologies that will promise improved learning in every student. They are all helpful in giving instruction, assessment and with in-depth content.

Some of the new technology used with the learning process of classrooms today include:

• Laptops
• Projectors
• Televisions
• Smartboards
• CDs
• DVDs
• DVD Players
• Digital Cameras
• Video Cameras
• Educational Software
• Tablets

Deo Volente!

All things work together for good.