reflection of the course TCDEIT 514

In this course TCDEIT 514-Teaching & learning ICT 2- I had learn a lot, in different aspect: learn new things in using ICT in education, benefit from working in groups, new strategies in teaching and writing reflection on different subjects: how to use computer as (tutor , tools and tutee), student-centered learning flipped classroom, inquiry-based learning, ICT as mind-tools.

And the most important thing that I had benefit WebQuest project because we had worked in group and we cooperate with each others. I had like working in groups because it is improve the performance of our task and provides opportunities for us to work interdependent and to participating in effective ways.

Each one collect information and work with together to discuss, share and expressed our ideas which help us to guide the discussion in thoughtful ways and produce thing.

Finally, this course was interested and I hope that I take courses same as this.

ICT as Tutor

ICT as a tutor is to involving computers in teaching to deliver the information to students. The students can acquire and retain information and skills. Its help them to explore topics and generate their own knowledge.

The learning will be more interest and fun when use ICT as a tutor since the students are involved to look on the information using computer and working on software that they likes and when they see  wonderful interface they will like to use it.

However, teachers need to be careful in choosing materials for their students from the internet because not all of them in the same level of difficulty or have the same cultural value. Also, the language skills differ from resource to another. So, teacher needs to select the appropriate resources that its content is relevant to the course objectives.

The teachers can design or use the available materials in the internet to enrich their teaching. There are many available types of education software that available: drill-and-practice, tutorial, simulation and instructional games.

1) Drill and Practice Software

Its provides exercises and practice to acquire certain knowledge and provide appropriate and immediate feedback for correct and incorrect answers [Well done, No, try again]

Example: http://manassas.k12.va.us/round/Technology/intermed1.htm

2) Tutorial software
in this type the students should be able to learn without any help.

Example: http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/#iphoto

3)  Simulation

A simulation is a computerised model of a real or imagined system that is designed to teach

How the system works for example: procedural Simulation, situational Simulation and computer networks simulation.

Example: http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/netacad/course_catalog/PacketTracer.html

4)  Games
Educational or instructional games are ideal for engaging students with course content and games can test deeper levels of understanding than just knowledge repetition

Example: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/games/

ICT as Mind-Tools

It's recommended to use ICT as mindtools- selecting the appropriate programs that aids our thinking as a teacher which will reflected positively to our students-cognitive tools.

The students learn from computers or teachers but knowledge will be in their minds if they think meaningful ways. The mindtools will allow that way of thinking and enhance them visualize.

Using visual thinking the students will batter understand the lesson and it allowed students abstract the ideas in their mind in mind mapping way and focus on the idea in different aspects. Using mapping and images let the student to visuals and construct their knowledge in logical way. In addition they can correlate the knowledge and analyze it easily.

I had try one of mindtools software in TCDEIT514 which was Inspiration 9 - for downloading: http://www.inspiration.com/

 it's easy to use and fast because it continue everything we need images, linking tools, exporting into MS word, create presentation and convert the mind map into outline view.

Creating mind map using inspiration 9 in TCDEIT514 class

Exporting the mind map to word process "Inspiration 9"

This video is a description of this tool:

In addition, they offer another programs for kids "kidspiration" which kids can used to visualize their thinking it is easy interface and the children will like it. Therefore, I will try these tools in some of my lessons if I need.

There is many ways to teach in this tools and I had found this video that I like the way that the teacher to teach using this tool:

In addition for more illustration of program:

There are many mind tools programs that we can benefit from for example:

1 - MS Visio (which I was use it before knowing Inspiration 9)

2- FreeMind

WebQuest

Nowadays schools in Kingdom of Bahrain are connected to internet which help to improve the educational process and online learning activities create an interactive learning environment.

WebQuest is a learning activity assist students to interact with resources over Internet, its inquiry oriented activity that involve higher levels of thinking, motivate and challenges students. It is project-based approach which the students can cooperate to work on groups to accomplish a project.

WebQuest is simple to create and it's consisting of five important steps:

To understand these steps I had gone through many WebQuest websites and I had chosen one of them to illustrate each step:

The  WebQuest website is the following:  http://www.zunal.com/webquest.php?w=119120

Step1: Introduction:

In the webQuest the teacher provides background information about the topic and motivated students.

Step2: Task

To provide a description of activities and what and students will have to accomplish at the end.

As the website that I had mention the teacher provide them a ready  attached files to read about computer hardware and based on it students will identify the devices and write two paragraphs and have to complete a puzzle. The last task is to make a video presentation, and then uploaded it to the WebQuest. Clarify what the things must done individual and what must be in group.

Step 3: Process:

Specify everything in task section more clearly and accurate. 

Also. providing assistance (worksheets, data gathering tools, hints, etc)-Provide resources that students will be using –web links will form the main resources.

Step4: Evaluation

To decide how students will be assessed or using Rubrics.

Step5: Conclusion

To summarize the experience that the students was gained from this activity and challenging the students to act upon what they have achieved. Also, how can benefit from this webQuest in there learning process.

ICT facilitate the learning by explorer web information, WebQuest is a learning activities that allow the student to explore knowledge, invite creativity and problem-solving in spite of it is not used to teach factual information.

Useful WebQuest links:

http://www.zunal.com/

http://webquest.org/index.php

http://webquest.org/index.php

http://www.aacps.org/AACPS/boe/INSTR/CURR/COMED/HSwebquest.htm

http://www.techtrekers.com/webquests/

http://www.teachersfirst.com/webquest.htm

Masooma Yusuf

Inquiry-Based Learning

                          

In the pervious reflection I was talking about student centered learning, that the student plays the essential role to construct the knowledge and teacher facilitate the student learning.

The student Centered learning can be applied in different ways as shown in the diagram below. In this report I will talk about the Inquired-based learning.

Inquiry-based learning is the process to gather information and learning from questioning rather than having the students memories by having students participate to develop inquiry skills and develop understanding.

In my classroom, I used this technique by encourage my student to ask questions, or by using open-ended questions to encourage them to search and new reading materials.

How is Inquiry-based Learning Different from the Traditional Approach?

The Traditional education system was discourages students higher thinking, the student will not ask many questions and that may stay with him even if he move to higher levels, instead of asking repeat answers. In that approach the teacher play a role in deliver knowledge and the student receive it. 

Traditional approach transfer knowledge from teacher to student

An old adage states:"Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand", the enquiry-based learning is applying involvement that leads to understanding but the traditional leads the students forget what they learned.

The traditional learning limited on what student know while inquiry-based learning more comprehensive it focuses on what student know and how they come to know.

Traditional classroom practices vs. inquiry-based learning classrooms for students and teachers (Reference: http://courseweb.lis.illinois.edu/~dafagan2/LIS506LEB/best_practices/traditional_vs_IL.shtml):

Students

Traditional Approach	Inquiry-based Approach
Listen-to-learn method of learning	Learning is question-oriented with real and authentic goals
Little interaction, individual work	Peer interaction, team work
Assessments in the form of tests and term papers	Shared end product with an audience
Limited knowledge imparted by the teacher	Ability to dig deeper into a topic
Mastery of content	Development of skills and questioning along with mastery of content
Receivers of information	Pursuers of information
Mastery of content	Development of habits of the mind
Students are passive recipients of knowledge	Students are actively involved in learning and construction of knowledge
Moderate to low interest	High interest
Textbook dictated learning	Student focused learning
Evaluation at the end	Ongoing assessment

Teachers

Traditional Approach	Inquiry-based Approach
Talks and lectures	Collaborative teamwork and discourse
Lesson plans	Facilitated learning plans
Teacher centered	Student centered
Teachers are teachers	Students and teachers are teachers and facilitators
Standard blocks of classroom time i.e. 1 hour blocks	Time is of prime importance but timing is not i.e. periods lasting more than 1 hour
Objectives common to entire class	Set objectives for individual students
Teach students things	Students learn about things
Teacher constructs learning	Students involved in construction of learning
Assessment determined on mastery of skills	Assessment determined by progress of learning skills and content understanding
Rigid	Flexible
Textbook driven	Standards-driven/student negotiated
Limited resources	Expansive use of resources in and out of the classroom
Technology lessons to learn about technology	Technology used as a tool

Benefit:

The inquiry-based Learning approach can support student learning in many ways because the students have preconceive ideas about some subjects that allow them to build on what they know and are interested in by asking them self some questions and try to find the answers .

Also, inquiry-based learning in classroom Leads students to be more motivated and participated which develop students information literacy and Encourage higher thinking skills and self-direction which will lead them to become better learners and to be life-long learners and its  give students the opportunity to teach and learn from each other.

In addition, the knowledge will not lost from the student easy, the results in better long term retention of information and the student deeper understanding the subjects.

And we can benefit from this approach as a teacher it will motivate us to increase our knowledge and to improve our work quality and to feel more satisfy.

Collaboration:

The students must involve effectively in the community around them to collaborate effectively and take opportunity to be active in inquiry-based learning. Successful collaboration include efforts from many people: administrators, teachers, information specialists, support staff, family members, community organizations, and the students themselves.

Finally, inquiry-based learning technique is important to student to work in collaboration and cooperative with each other's and develop the multiple Intelligence work. And its key tool for learning in constructivism and by guide our students toward questions and provide to them the required materials to help them o learn effectively.

Masooma Yusuf

References: http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/index.html

http://courseweb.lis.illinois.edu/~dafagan2/LIS506LEB/best_practices/index.shtml

Student-Centered Learning Flipped Classroom

Nowadays learning process in schools became more advanced and it developed fast , because of the development of researches and theories in education and learning processes.

As a teacher I realize that the traditional learning process (teacher-centered Learning) does not develop the  students personality, because they will depend on the teacher in getting knowledge and that will lead them to stop thinking and searching for information, So that their knowledge will be limited on what they get from a teacher.

Flipping classroom from Teacher-Centered Learning to Student-Centered Learning is based on the student and the guidance of teacher.It  depends on student projects, searching, solving problems and activates.

Student-Centered Learning has advantages and disadvantages for both of the student and teacher. In this reflection my opinion about flipping the classroom to Student-Center Learning is based upon two aspect: as me if I am a student and as me as the teacher when  I apply this way in teaching.

As student

Advantage

One advantage, as a student I can gain knowledge and  focus on it more specific and  develop my skills which will help me in my social life. The learning will be more interesting and fun because the student will be involved and be more attentive and willing to participate. Also, they will engaged with other students and encourage their higher thinking.

The use of the activities is much better for encouragement, working on groups and hand-on activities will develop skills and taken some rights and responsibility that give the student self-esteem and he will be able to carry more complicated responsibilities.

Disadvantage

Students are receptive to traditional way in teaching (Teaching-centered learning), but if the student engage in this way and the teacher encourage them they will like it.

As student may I have a problem in reaching information , not all students have the same references and some of them can't reach internet. Also, I will have no time to cover all materials with myself some materials need to be covered by the teacher.

In addition, some students are not like to relate well with other students and they don’t like to work in teams ,they complain of that and they do not have the group skill. Therefore, some students are doing nothing in the group. This type of students must be encouraged by the teacher and need more of the teacher attention . More over, some students bring  researches without reading it. Therefore, the teacher must discuses what the student what they had done.

As a teacher

Advantage

As a teacher I will have less work to do especially with the upper level because they will need less guidance and attention than kids.

Further more , I can gain knowledge form my students.for example, if I collect reports or papers from students I can read useful information and I may gain more knowledge.

This way is more interesting and fun because there is more interact between the students and teacher especially  in group working.

Disadvantage

Some teachers are not trained or not have the resource to teach in team, so the teacher must have the time to search and find the resources that can help him to become better in team skills.

Finally, the Flipping classroom to Student-Centered Learning will help learning process because it depends on the student but the teacher must now how to manage the class to get benefit as well.

Masooma Yusuf

My reflection of computer as tutor, tool, tutee

Computers play a vital role in every field in our life, it pla vital roles in industries, medical, education, small and big companies.

Computer lab 

It play a vital role in modern systems of education such as the educator and learner who can search the internet, translate references, read books (remove the need of fat references books), store information on computer rather than maintaining them in handbook or papers (big storage for information so, saving papers and a big shelf to maintain huge number of folders won't be needed) .

It is effective presentation of information by using Microsoft PowerPoint, animation software (e.g. director, adobe Flash) and audio-visual representation (e.g. prepare a video using Microsoft move maker) that’s will make the process of learning more interactive and interesting.

Also, the student can submit soft copy of assignment to the teacher which will save papers and much easier to a student. In addition, the learner can use computer to online education (distance learning).

In this report I will talk about how to apply computer in teaching as I did  taught one year at the Ministry of Education. Over the past years I had used computer as tutor and tool in the classroom.

Computer as tutor

class prepared by me using smartboard program- interaction with students

I was using the class equipped with smartboard, it’s a kind of interactive whiteboard connected to a computer which can operate by touch, I was using this board to present slides or interact with students. It has increased the participation of students in the classroom and the student liked the subject more.

I was preparing them a class using smart Notebook program or using PowerPoint.

The way that I was using in smart notebook program with my student that the computer present information of subject material and the student response, from the result  evaluate and reward them, then determine what present next.

Some countries are trying to create new ways in teaching such as using ipod, mobile phone or ipad. I hope that Bahrain will reach this development in the teaching process.

Computer as tool

I was using the computer as a tool for students to do there projects using word processing, statistical analysis, text editor. Because at the intermediate school a student have to submit a project using Microsoft office programs (Ms word, Ms Excel, Ms Power point) and this project will be graded 40% from the total subject marks .

Also, computer can be used as a tool in other subjects as a calculator in math and science assignments or as a map  in the geography.

Computer as tutee

In the past year I did not used computer as tutee in my classroom  because there was no computer subject in programming or script language  in the intermediate schools but this year they Ministry of Education added new curriculum  which is scratch it’s kind of program language and it's useful for kids so they train us in this program to learn teaching it.

scratch interface

Finally, tutor and tool can improve and enrich classroom learning.It require both student and teacher to learn more about computers, so they can benefit from computer and learn the third mode tutee.

Masooma Yusuf

Reference: http://www.citejournal.org/vol3/iss2/seminal/article1.cfm