The course has ended I would now take the opportunity to look back on all the things I have learnt in this course. Starting off with google documents, I can now laugh at myself after purchasing a new laptop in the US and the word trial package expired I was unable to use my computer to do a paper until I had the programme installed. All I had was the use of the internet, but who knew then that I could have done my paper on google docs on the internet? Thanks Aisha!
I believe in using graphic organizers in my classes, and I always had to be combing through various websites to find one that is appropriate and not all sites have them available for free. Thanks to Webspiration I can create my own. Learning how to use the various Web 2.0 tools to utilize technology in the curriculum would certainly not only enhance our teaching in term of delivery but also the students’ learning. In that through the use of the various digital multimedia devices, our lessons will appeal to the multiple intelligences of the learners, deepening their understanding and widening their perspective of concepts. Once again I would like to extend my gratitude to Aisha for a job well done and to my tutor Cherrise. The lessons you have shared would not be forgotten since they would now be a part of our daily lives.
Friday, August 6, 2010
The Draft ICT Policy
The Ministry of Education Draft ICT Policy is laudable; whether it is achievable by 2020 is left to be seen. From where we are now to where we would like to go we are a long way off. The MOE’s vision is
“To be the premier institution leading and transforming education through Information and Communications Technology.”
Mission
“To establish a technology centred infrastructure focused on enabling the education system to be responsive to the dynamic social and economic environment.”
To accomplish its vision as the society’s change agent, the MOE has embarked on bringing ICT into schools on a phased basis. Since the early 1990’s many schools have been outfitted with a single computer lab and sad to say, the status quo remains the same. We are yet to see classroom that are ICT ready where computers and projectors are provided for teaching and learning. We seem to be stuck at phase one for the past 20 years but one must not abandon hope, the Draft policy is only five years old after all. As Sabrina asked is it a myth or will it be a reality?
“To be the premier institution leading and transforming education through Information and Communications Technology.”
Mission
“To establish a technology centred infrastructure focused on enabling the education system to be responsive to the dynamic social and economic environment.”
To accomplish its vision as the society’s change agent, the MOE has embarked on bringing ICT into schools on a phased basis. Since the early 1990’s many schools have been outfitted with a single computer lab and sad to say, the status quo remains the same. We are yet to see classroom that are ICT ready where computers and projectors are provided for teaching and learning. We seem to be stuck at phase one for the past 20 years but one must not abandon hope, the Draft policy is only five years old after all. As Sabrina asked is it a myth or will it be a reality?
Technology in the classroom September 2010
Most Form One students will be happy this September, when they each will be receiving their new laptop computers. I too am excited for them. The Ministry of Education is still in the process of formulating policy guidelines for using these computers. They are yet to iron out whether the laptops would be taken home or left at school. They have to ask and answer many questions to shape this policy. Such as; would the laptops be safer in the homes or at the schools? Would they be used by the form ones for every subject or only during Information Technology (IT)? Would the SEA students in 2011 be given laptops as well? Would all teachers be trained in the use of it in the various disciplines? Would each school be provided with IT teachers? At my school in particular, only students in form three receive IT instruction and students in forms four and five who have selected IT for CSEC since we have one lab and one teacher.
Currently, there are more questions than answers and everyone is eagerly looking forward to see how these questions will be answered in September.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Registration of Form One Students
I can still see their faces as they entered the school gate and into the designated classrooms with a parent for registation at the school. Some faces were bright, others sulky with disappointment since they didnot like the school they were placed in. Many parents insisting that they wanted a transfer out of the school for their child aince they believe that their child was good (performance)and the school was not.
So we went through the motion of registration and in some cases, application for transfer. The form asked for parent's career expectation for their child, some had none, but most had high expectation for their children. This was good indeed, but the problem that many teachers face after the registration process is that there is little support coming forward for these children from there on in. Some parents we never see again. Parents must know that for their children to excel they need to be part of the education process. Home and school must work together for the students to succeed.
So in September, as we work with our new classes, it is imperative that each teacher gets his or her parents to buy into the education process by supporting their children from home. Maybe if we set up a class wiki site with parental access, we can make our parents feel as part of the process since they can always see what is happening in the class and the school without having to take time off from work.
So we went through the motion of registration and in some cases, application for transfer. The form asked for parent's career expectation for their child, some had none, but most had high expectation for their children. This was good indeed, but the problem that many teachers face after the registration process is that there is little support coming forward for these children from there on in. Some parents we never see again. Parents must know that for their children to excel they need to be part of the education process. Home and school must work together for the students to succeed.
So in September, as we work with our new classes, it is imperative that each teacher gets his or her parents to buy into the education process by supporting their children from home. Maybe if we set up a class wiki site with parental access, we can make our parents feel as part of the process since they can always see what is happening in the class and the school without having to take time off from work.
Creating a Print Rich Environment in the Home
Creating a Print Rich Environment in the home.
Researchers have discovered that children who are introduced to literacy skills very early in life enjoy a head start over their peers by the time they start school. Parents, who read to their young ones, would have been fostering their children’s understanding of print and reading. It has been found that these children are generally more successful academically since what takes place in the home is in sync with what is taking place at school.
Any parent who wants to give the young child a head start academically, need to create a print rich environment in the home. A print rich environment is one which displays a variety of books, poems, writing tools, charts and labeled items for the benefit of the learner. This type of environment allows the child to become immersed in a world of print at a very early age. Parents can use the child’s bedroom as the nucleus for the print rich world. To do this, Shelby Moore (2010) suggested the following tips:
Researchers have discovered that children who are introduced to literacy skills very early in life enjoy a head start over their peers by the time they start school. Parents, who read to their young ones, would have been fostering their children’s understanding of print and reading. It has been found that these children are generally more successful academically since what takes place in the home is in sync with what is taking place at school.
Any parent who wants to give the young child a head start academically, need to create a print rich environment in the home. A print rich environment is one which displays a variety of books, poems, writing tools, charts and labeled items for the benefit of the learner. This type of environment allows the child to become immersed in a world of print at a very early age. Parents can use the child’s bedroom as the nucleus for the print rich world. To do this, Shelby Moore (2010) suggested the following tips:
• Label all the furniture in the child’s room at the child’s eye level.
• Provide lots of age appropriate books of different genre for the child. E.g picture books, animal books numbers, fairytale etc.
• Provide material for drawing writing and colouring.
• Place charts on the wall with colours, alphabet, nursery rhymes, calendars etc.
• Provide music
• Provide puzzles, games and flash cards.
Every effort must be made to make the room fun and inviting. The child must be able to interact with the material provided in the environment and be able to experience that learning is fun.
http://community.leapfrog.com/t5/Kindergarten-Teacher-Shelby/Tips-for-Creating-a-Print-Rich-Environment-at-Home/ba-p/3842
Wikis in the Classroom
The use of wikis has the potential to change how teaching and learning can occur in and out of the classroom. Its major strength is its potential for collaborative teaching and learning. A wiki page can allow anyone who visits the site to change, add or delete content on the page providing they have the password. The creator of the new content is able to see what has changed. In a classroom, students can collaborate on assignments on line, they can add their own interpretation of a topic, hyperlink to other students’ wiki pages or other web pages and they can either add their own images or images from the net.
Once students respect the rights of others and do not change ‘willy-nilly’ the items on other students’ wiki pages, the wiki can deepen students’ understanding, broaden their perspectives and foster the development of a culture of sharing and collaboration in the classroom.
For teachers, a wiki is a great management tool that possesses the capability of bringing school and home together. Class assignments can be posted on the wiki, so too can class and school activities. Parents, once given access to the class wiki site, can always know what is taking place in the classroom therefore the school and home divide would be greatly reduced.
Digital Storytelling
Bernard Robin describes digital storytelling as the art of combining a variety of digital multimedia with narration to tell a story on a topic. As with any traditional story, a digital story contains themes and is told from someone’s view point. Digital stories are often used as personal narratives, to recount historical events or to instruct on a topic.
In the classroom, many teachers find use for digital stories as an introduction to a lesson, where they can be used to bridge the students’ previous knowledge with the lesson to be taught. It can be used within the lesson to aid the conceptual development of the lesson, or at the end, to summarize the details covered in the lesson. Where ever it is used in the classroom, it is a powerful tool that helps students to deepen their understanding and memory on a topic.
Students can be taught to develop their own digital stories. In this process, students will learn the following skills:
• Research
• Writing
• Organizational
• Technology
• Presentation
• Interview
• Interpersonal
• Problem solving
• Assessment
What is crucial for students being taught the art of digital storytelling is their understanding of the content area. Having a library of pictures without knowledge of the content or storytelling technique will simply lead to bad storytelling.
In the classroom, many teachers find use for digital stories as an introduction to a lesson, where they can be used to bridge the students’ previous knowledge with the lesson to be taught. It can be used within the lesson to aid the conceptual development of the lesson, or at the end, to summarize the details covered in the lesson. Where ever it is used in the classroom, it is a powerful tool that helps students to deepen their understanding and memory on a topic.
Students can be taught to develop their own digital stories. In this process, students will learn the following skills:
• Research
• Writing
• Organizational
• Technology
• Presentation
• Interview
• Interpersonal
• Problem solving
• Assessment
What is crucial for students being taught the art of digital storytelling is their understanding of the content area. Having a library of pictures without knowledge of the content or storytelling technique will simply lead to bad storytelling.
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