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.

LESSON 7: IT for Higher Thinking Skills and Creativity



The traditional information absorption model of teaching is that the teacher is the one who organizes and presents information to student-learners. He/she may use the chalkboard, videotape, newspaper or magazine and photos. Then the presentation is followed by a discussion and the giving of assignment. But a new challenge has arisen for today’s learners and this is not simply to achieve learning objectives but to encourage the development of students who can do more than receive, recite and apply the knowledge they have acquired. Today students are expected not only to be mentally excellent, but also flexible, analytical and creative.

The Upgraded Project Method

Given these complex thinking skills, the modern day teacher can now be guided on his goal to help student achieve higher level thinking skills and creativity beyond the ordinary benchmark of the student’s passing, even excelling achievements tests. When the ordinary classrooms are lacking with instructional kits, use the project method to bring students to higher domains. In a project method, students work on projects with depth complexity, duration, and relevance to the real world. There is already a revised project method wherein the students would make decisions about what to put on the project, how to organize information and how to package the outcomes for presentation while the teacher guides and facilitates the learning process.

Lesson 6: IT enters a New Learning Environment

It is helpful to see useful models of school learning that is ideal in achieving instructional goals through preferred application of educational technology. These are the models of Meaningful Learning, Discovery learning, Generative learning and Constructivism.

In these conceptual models, we shall see how effective teachers’ best interact with students in innovating learning activities, while integrating technology to the teaching learning process.


Meaningful learning

If the traditional learning environment gives stress to rote learning and simple memorization, meaningful learning gives focus to new experience that is related to what the learners already know. New experience departs from the learning of a sequence of words but gives attention to its meaning. It assumes that.
Students already have some knowledge that is relevant to new learning
Students are willing to perform class work to find connections between what they know and what they can learn.

In the learning process, the learners are encouraged to recognize relevant personal experiences. A reward structure is set so that the learner will have both interest and confidence, and his incentive system sets a positive environment to learning. Facts that are subsequently assimilated are subjected to the learner’s understanding and application. In the classroom, hands-on activities are introduced so as to simulate learning in everyday living.

Discovery learning

Discovery learning is differentiated from reception learning in which ideas are presented directly to students in a well organized way, such as through detailed set of instructions to complete an experiment or task. To make a contrast, in discovery learning students perform tasks to uncover what to be learned. New ideas and new decisions are generated in the learning process, regardless of the need to move on or depart from organized set off activities previously set. In discovery learning, iti s important that the students become personally engaged and not subjected by the teacher to procedures he/she is not allowed to depart from.

Generative Learning

In generative learning we have learners who attend to learning events and generate to learning events and generate to learning events and generate meaning from this experience and draw inference s thereby creating a personal model or explanations to the new experience in the context of the existing knowledge.

Generative learning is viewed as different from the simple process of storing information. Motivation and responsibility are seen to be crucial to this domain of learning. The area of language comprehension offers examples of this type of generative learning activities, such as in writing paragraph summaries, developing answers and questions, drawing pictures, creating paragraph titles, organizing ideas/concepts, and others. In sum, generative learning gives emphasis to what can be done with a piece of information, not only on access to them.

Constructivism

In constructivism, the learner builds a personal understanding through appropriate learning activities and a good learning environment. The most accepted principles of constructivism are


- Learning consist in what a person can actively assemble for himself and not what he can received
passively.


- The role of learning is to help the individual live/adapt to his personal world.


These two principles in turn lead to three practical implications:


- The learner is directly responsible for learning. He creates his personal understanding and transforms information into knowledge. The teacher plays an indirect role by modeling effective learning, assisting, facilitating, and encouraging learners.


- The context of meaningful learning consists in the learner connecting school activity with real life.


- The purpose of education is the acquisition of practical knowledge, not abstract or universal truth.