Lesson 18: Tablets for Textbooks in Schools

                            

Today, books are still the primary medium of instruction in most schools. Already, 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.

      In general, tablets as a primary learning tool can be replacing the textbooks. Tablets are conducive to higher thinking, constructive and participative teaching-and-learning. By that, parents gave full support to the IT advancement. Technology itself may be a key to problem resolution and Filipino ingenuity is called to respond to the challenge facing the digital generation of the millennium.

Having something that can replace heavy bulky books is a good idea, the students will no longer suffer from carrying heavy books and if the only use tablets they can access their books anytime anywhere because it can be brought easily without hassle.

It is no longer impossible as what the students in La Salle were experiencing. Even ordinary college students were no longer buying books in the store especially now that PDF format copies of the books were already available and free to be downloaded.

In the near future this kind of events will be achieve by all levels of schools in the Philippines it may sound impossible because of the current situation in our country that cannot even provide good classrooms and equipment. But nothing is impossible, if there’s a will to become better there will always a way in achieving better and bigger things.

Lesson 16: The Internet and Education

                            

We are all familiar with the term internet because we are all experiencing using it in our daily lives –like by simply chatting or communicating, surfing different sites and specially for educational purposes. Although it contains a lot of information,  it has no comprehensive  online index to tell users what information is available in the system. Internet can be lot meaningful and essential if we used it in Educational purposes, it helps the teacher for updated references, trivia or for many important facts that the students must know. You can't measure the information that you may get from the internet, so it serves as a powerful medium in teaching. Internet can widen the scope study and even can share a lot of ideas in your mind... Because internet is widely used today and can really capture interest of many individual, it is good to take advantage of this to connect it to education to result a more quality of education and easy access of vast information....

Lesson 15: Understanding Hypermedia

                                         

Hypermedia is nothing but multimedia, but this time packaged as an 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.

                                             

THE SOFTWARE AS AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE

Software

Ø  is a program that a computer uses to perform  tasks.

Two Kinds of Software

1). Systems Software

2). The Application Software

Two Kinds of Software

1). Systems Software - This is the operating system that is found or bundled inside all computer machines.

2). The Applications Software - This contains the system that commands the particular task or solves a particular problem.

The applications software may be:

a).  A Custom Software - 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

Microsoft

Ø  Computer Software Company.

Windows

Ø  any of several microcomputer operating systems or environments featuring a graphic user interface.

Microsoft Windows

Ø  program

Ø  Microsoft Windows/ Windows

Ø  Shell

GUI

Ø  Graphic User Interface.

Windows Versions:

Windows 1.0, the first version, released in 1985

Windows 95, released in August 1995

Windows 3.0, released in 1990

The latest stable Windows release, Windows 7

Future of Windows

The Start Screen of Windows 8 RTM .

Windows is in itself a self- contained operating system which provides:

v  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

v  A New Look - fancy borders, smooth and streamlined text fonts.

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

v  Plug and Play - configures the computer with added components, such as for sound or video.

INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE

Ø    can be visited in Internet or can be bought from software shops.

Ø  decide on the best computer- based instructional materials.

Guidelines in Evaluating Computer- Based Educational Materials

•       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:  

Ø  text legibility

Ø  effective use of color schemes

Ø  attractive layout and design

Ø  easy navigation from section-to-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

Lesson 13: Cooperative Learning with the Computer

                                         

Cooperative or Collaborative learning is learning by small groups of students who work together in a common learning task. It is often called group learning but to be truly cooperative learning.

5 Elements are needed:

1. Common goal
2. Interdependence
3. Interaction
4. Individual accountability
5. Social skills

From several studies made on cooperative learning, it is manifested that cooperative learning in its true sense is advantageous since it:

• Encourage active learning, while motivating students
• Increases academic performances.
• Promotes literacy and language skills
• Improves teacher effectiveness

In addition, there are studies which show that cooperative learning enhances personal and social development among students of all ages, while enhancing self-esteem and improving social relationship between racially and culturally different students.

Cooperative Learning and the Computer

Researchers have made studies on the learning interaction between 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 student's social Now this mythical fear has been

contradicted by studies which show that when students work with the computer in group, they cluster and interact with each other for adviceand mutual help. And given the option to work individually or in a group, the students' generally wish to work together in computer-based and non-computer-based activities.Reflecting on this phenomenon,psychologists think the computer fosters this positive social behavior due to the fact that it has a display monitor-just like a television set-that is looked upon something in communal.

Therefore researchers agree that the computer is a fairly natural learning vehicle for cooperative (at times called primitive) learning.

Educators are still wary about the computers' 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

• Establishing positive interdependence

• Teaching cooperative social skills

• Insuring individual accountabilty, and

• Helping groups process information

LESSON 12: Information Technology in Support of the Student-Centered Learning

                                     


The Traditional Classroom

    It may be observed that classrooms are usually arranged with  neat columns and rows of student chairs, while the teacher stands in font 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 discussions.

The SCL Classroom

         John Dewey has described traditional learning as a process in which the teacher pours information to student learners, much like pouring water from a jug into cups.  This is based on the long accepted belief that the teacher must perform his role of teaching so that learning can occur.  This learning approach is generally known as direct instruction, and it has worked well for obtaining many kinds of learning outcomes.

     The problem with direct instruction approach to learning, however, is the fact that the world's societies have began to change.  Of course, this change may not be strongly felt in many countries in which the economy longer depends primarily on the factory workers who do repetitive work without thinking on the job.  the traditional classroom and direct instruction approach to learning conform to this kind of economies.

     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 projects plans
• As needed, the teacher facilitating instruction, also giving individualized instruction to serve  individual needs

LESSON 11: The Computer as the Teacher's Tool

                                                   
                                             

     Constructivism was introduced by  Piaget (1981) and Bruner (1990).  They gave  stress to knowledge discovery of new meaning/concepts/principles in the learning process.  Various strategies have been suggested to foster knowledge discovery, among these, is making students engaged in gathering unorganized information from which  they can induce ideas and principles.  Students are also asked to apply discovered knowledge to new situations, a process for making their knowledge applicable to real life situations.

     While knowledge is constructed by the individual learner in constructivism, knowledge can also be socially constructed.  Social constructivism.  this is an effort to show that the construction of knowledge is governed by social, historical and cultural contexts.  In effect, this is to say that the learner who interprets knowledge has a predetermined point of view according to the social perspectives of the community or society he lives in.

     The psychologist Vygotzky  stressed that learning is affected by social influences.  He therefore suggested the interactive process in learning.  The more capable adult (teacher or parent) or classmate can aid or complement what the learner sees in a given class project.  In addition, Dewey sees language as a medium for social coordination and adaptation.  For Dewey human learning is really human languaging that occurs when students socially share, build and agree upon meanings and knowledge.


The Computer's Capabilities

     Based on the two learning theories, the teacher can employ the computer as a/an:

• An information tool
• A communication tool
• A constructive tool
• As co-constructive tool
• A situating tool

    

 Informative Tool

                                            

     Still Image             Video Footage              Animation               Text

    

 The computer can provide vast amounts of information in various forms, such as text, graphics, sounds , and video.  Even multimedia encyclopedias are today available on the internet.

Communication Tool

Constructive Tool

     The computer itself  can be used for manipulating information, visualizing one's understanding, and building new knowledge.

Co-constructive Tool

     Students can use constructive tools to work cooperatively and construct a shared understanding of new knowledge.

Situating Tool

      By means of virtual reality (RS) extension systems, the computer can create 3-D images on display to give the user the feeling that are situated in a virtual environment.

Lesson 10: The computer as a tutor

The computer is one of the wonders of human ingenuity, even in its original design in the 1950s to carry out complicated mathematical and logical operations. With the invention of the microcomputer (now commonly referred to PCs or personal computers), the PC has become the tool for programmed instruction.
Educators saw much use of the PC. It has become affordable to small business, industries and homes. They saw its potential for individualization in learning, especially as individualized learning is a problem since teachers usually with a class of forty or more learners. They therefore devised strategies to use the computer to the break the barriers to individualized instruction


Computer-assisted instruction (CAI)


The computer can be a tutor in effect relieving teacher of many activities in his personal role as classroom tutor. It should be made clear, however, that the computer cannot totally replace the teacher since the teacher shall continue to play the major roles of information deliverer and learning environment controller. Even with the available computer and CAI software, the teacher must;
· Insure that students have the needed knowledge and skills for any computer activity
· Decide the appropriate learning objectives
· Plan the sequential and structured activities to achieve objectives
· Evaluate the students’ achievements by ways of tests the specific expected outcomes.


On the other hand, the student in CAI play their own roles as learners as they;
· Receive information
· Understand instruction for the computer activity
· Retain/keep in mind the information and rules for the computer activity
· Apply the knowledge and rules during the process of computer learning


During the computer activity proper in CAI the computer too plays its roles as it:
· Act as a sort of tutor (the role traditional played by the teacher)
· Provides a learning environment
· Delivers learning instruction
· Reinforces learning through drill and practice
· Provides feedback


Today, educators accept the fact that the computer has indeed succeeded in providing an individualized learning environment so difficult for a teacher handling whole classes. This is so, since the computer able to allow individual student to learn out their own pace, motivate learning through a challenging virtual learning environment, assist student through information needed during the learning process, evaluate student responses through immediate feedback during the learning process also give the total score to evaluate the student’s total performance.


CAI Integrated with Lesson


CAI computer learning should not stop with the drill and practice activities of students in effect, CAI work best in reinforcing learning trough repetitive exercise such that student can practice basic skills or knowledge in various subject areas. Common types of drill and practice programs include vocabulary building, math facts, and basic science, and history or geography facts. In these programs, the computer presents a question/ problem the first and the student is asked to answer the question/problem. Immediate feedback is given to the student’s answer. After the number of practice problems and at the end of the exercise, the students get a summary of his overall performance.


The question arises: When and how can teacher integrate drill and practice programs with their lessons? The following suggestion can be made:
· Use drill and practice programs for basic skills and knowledge that require rapid or automatic response by students (e.g. multiplication table, letter and word recognition, identification of geometric shapes, etc.)
· Ensure that drill and practice activities conform to the lesson plan/curriculum.
· Limit drill and practice to 20-30 minutes to avoid boredom.
· Use drill and practice to assist students with particular weakness in basic skills.


In integrating computer programs in instruction, use tutorial soft ware associated with cognitive learning. While practice exercise or learning by doing is still the heart of each tutorial, the tutorial software should be able to:
· Teach new content /new information to students (in as much as CAI provides practice on old or already learned content)
· Provide comprehensive information on concepts in addition to practice exercise
· Can be effectively used for remediation, reviewing or enrichment
· Allow the teacher to introduce follow-up question to stimulate student learning.
· Permits group activity for cooperative learning




SIMULATION PROGRAMS


Simulation software materials are another kind of software that is constructivist in nature. This simulation software:
· Teacher strategies and rules applied to real-life problems/situation
· Ask students to make decision on models or scenarios
· Allow students to manipulate elements of a model and get the experience of the effect of their decisions


An example of such software is SimCity in which students are allowed to artificially manage a city environment. Decision-making involve such factors as budget, crime, education, transportation, energy resources, waste disposal, business/ industries available. (Note: soft ware may not be available on local computer shops. Still concept-learning is helpful).







INSTRUCTIONAL GAMES


While relating to low level learning objectives (e.g. basic spelling or math skills), instructional computer games add the elements of competition and challenge.
An example is GeoSafari which introduces adventure activities for Geography History and Science. The program can be played by up to four players to form teams. Learning outcomes can be achieved along simple memorization of information, keyboarding skills, cooperation and social interaction, etc.







PROBLEM SOLVING SOFTWARE


These are more sophisticated than the drill and practice exercises and allow students to learn and improve on their own problem solving ability. Since problems cannot be solved simply by memorizing facts, the students have to employ higher thinking skills such as logic, recognition, reflection, and strategy-making
The Thinking Things 1 is an example of a problem solving software in which the team learners must help each other by observing comparing.







MULTIMEDIA ENCYCLOPEDIA AND ELECTRONIC BOOKS


The Multimedia Encyclopedia can score a huge database with text, images, animation, audio and video. Students can access any desired information, search it vast contents and even download/print relevant portions of the data for their composition or presentation. An example is the eyewitness children’s encyclopedia.





Electronic books provide textual information for reading supplemented by other types of multimedia information (sounds, spoken words, pictures, animation). These are useful for learning reading, spelling and word skills. Examples are Just Grandma and Me animated storybook which offer surprises for the young learner’s curiosity.

Lesson 9: Computer as Information and communication technology

     In educational technology course 1 the role of computer in education was well discussed. It was pointed out that the advent of the computer is recognized as the third revolution in education. The first was the invention of the printing press; the second, the introduction of libraries and the third the invention of the computer, especially so with the advent of the microcomputer in 1975. Thus emerged computer technology in education

     Through the technology, educators saw the amplification of learning literacy. Much like reading, the modern student can now interact with computer messages; even respond to question or to computer commands. Again like writing, the learner can form messages using computer language or programs.
     Soon computer assisted instruction (CAI) was introduced using the principle of individualized learning through a positive climate that includes realism and appeal with drill exercise that uses color, music and animation. The novelty of CAI has not waned to this offered by computer-equipped private schools. But the evolving pace of 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 information and communication technology (ICT) in education.

FIGURE 6 – USES OF THE COMPUTER AS ICT IN EDUCATION

THE PERSONAL COMPUTER (PC) AS ICT


Until the nineties, it was still possible to distinguish between instructional media and the educational communication media.


Instructional media consist of audio-visual aids that served to enhance and enrich the teaching-learning process. Examples are the blackboard, photo, film, and video


On the other hand, educational communication media comprise the media communication to audiences including learners using the print, film radio, and television or satellite means of communication. For example, distance learning were implemented using correspondence, radio, television or the computer satellite system
Close to the turn of the 21st century, however, such as distinction merged owing to the advent of the microprocessor also known as the personal computer (PC). This is due to the fact that the PC user at home, office and school has before him a tool for both audio-visual creations and media communication.


To illustrate, let’s examine the programs (capabilities) normally installed in an ordinary modern PC:

• Microsoft Office- program for composing text, graphics, photos into letters, articles, reports etc.

• Power-point- for preparing lecture presentations

• Excel- for spreadsheet and similar graphic sheets

• Internet – access to the internet

• Yahoo or Google- websites; email, chat rooms, Blog sites, news service (print/video) educational software etc.

• Adobe reader- Graph/photo composition and editing

• MSN- mail/chat messaging

• Cyber link power- DVD player

• Windows media player- Editing film/video

• Game house- video games

Lesson 8: Higher Thinking Skills through IT-Based Projects

In this lesson, we shall discuss four types of IT-based projects which can effectively be used in order to engage students in activities of a higher plane of thinking. To be noted id the fact that these projects differ in the specific process and skills employed, also in the ultimate activity or platform used to communicate completed products to others.
It is to be understood that these projects do not address all of the thinking skills shown previously in the Thinking Skills Framework. But these projects represent constructivist project.


Key Elements of a Constructivist approach:
a) The teacher creating the learning environment.
b) The teacher giving students the tool
c) The teacher facilitating learning.


Now let us see four IT-based projects conducive to develop higher thinking skills and creativity among learners.


I. RESOURCE-BASED PROJECTS


The teacher steps out of the traditional role of being an context expert and information provider, and instead lets the students find their own facts and information.


The general flows of events in resource-based projects are:'

The teacher determines the topic for the examination of class.
The teacher presents the problem to the class.
The students find information on the problem/questions.
Students organize their information in response to the problem/questions.

II. SIMPLE CREATIONS


In developing software, creativity as an outcome should not be equated with ingenuity or high intelligence. Creating is more consonant with planning, making, assembling, designing or building.
Three kinds of skills/abilities:
· Analyzing- distinguishing similarities and differences/ seeing the project as a problem to be solved.
· Synthesizing- making spontaneous connections among ideas, does generating interesting or new ideas.
· Promoting- selling of a new ideas to allow the public to test the ideas themselves.


The five key task to develop creativity:

Define the task- clarify the goal of the completed project to the student.
Brainstorm- the students themselves will be allowed to generate their own ideas on the project. Rather than shoot down ideas, the teacher encourages ideas exchange.
Judge the ideas- the students themselves make an appraisal for or against any idea. Only when students are completely off check should the teacher intervene.
Act- the students do their work with the teacher a facilitator.
Adopt flexibility- the students should be allowed to shift gears and not follow an action path rigidly.


III. GUIDED HYPERMEDIA PROJECTS


The production of self-made multimedia projects can be approached into different ways:

Instructive tools- such as in the production by students of a power point presentation of a selective topic.
Constructive tools- such as when students do a multi-media presentation (with text, graphs, photos, audio narration, interviews, video clips, etc. to simulate a television news show.


IV. WEB-BASED PROJECTS


Students can be made to create and post web pages on a given topic. But creating new pages, even single page web pages, maybe tool sophisticated and time consuming fort the average student.


It should be said, however, that posting of web pages in the Internet allows the students (now the web page creator) a wider audience. They can also be linked with other related sites in the Internet. But as of now, this creativity project maybe to ambitious as a tool in the teaching-learning process.