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.

Lesson 5 

Text versus Visual - Our parents read book texts, enriched by illustrations and photos. In order to research, they go to the school library, use the cart catalog for needed books, and sign up to borrow books for home reading. The technology or digital generation has greater affinity to visuals compared with texts.

Linear Versus Hyper media - The past 30 year old generation has obtained information in a linear logical and sequential manner. On the positive side, this has made them more logical, focused, and reflective thinkers.

Independent Versus Social Learners - The traditional education system gives priority to independent learning, prior to participative work. New learners, however, are already acquainted with digital tools that adopt both personal and participative work.

Learning to do Versus Learning to pass the test - Old teachers teach students in order to help them pass test and complete the course requirement. On the other hand, the new digital learners simply wish to acquire skills, knowledge and habits as windows of opportunity afford them to learn.

Delayed Rewards and Instant Gratification - The traditional reward system in education consists in the grades, honor certificates/medals, and diplomas. On the other hand, digital learners on their own  experience  more immediate gratification through immediate scores from games.

Rote Memory Versus Fun Learning - Teachers feel obliged to delivering content-based courses, the learning of which is measurable by standard tests. Digital learners prefer fun learning which is relevant and instantaneously useful to them. Learning is play to new learners and not surprisingly there is much fun in the digital world outside the school.

Lesson 4 - Bridging the Generation Gap

  The older generation often feels a generation gap between them and the younger generation. This is apparent in simple things like the manner of dressing, socializing, more intimate relationships like friendship and marrying etc.  Even in education, traditional schooling has hardly changed even with the clear evidence of a digital world.

Generation Gaps

Dressing 

Socializing

First, we need to understand the potentials of ICT

• The new network of instantaneous communication is global, overcoming borders between countries and continents.
• Much of what elders believe may not be applicable anymore to the new generations, especially along matters of traditional value systems.
• Alvin Toffler’s book, Future Shock, show how the information age has begun to create many cultural changes in the family, societies, businesses, governments such as what he calls throw-away society, modular man, kinetic image, scientific trajectory, fractured family, surfeit of sub-cults, psychological dimensions.

Lesson 3 - Understanding Technology Learners

Our teachers today generally use the traditional education program applicable to learners of the past, acquainted with linear, textual and sequential learning.  They fail to realize that the new generation of the 21^st millennium is not the kind of learner that they were, but are information technology or digital learners.The 21st century education is going to be empowered by digital learners pretty soon as the beginning is coming.•      53% of students use a smart phone and are connected and prefer the internet.
•      78% of the students believe and prefer learning through technology

            Even in classes, their concentration is questionable as they are uneasy to simply sit and listen. They become alive again through video presentations, group activities and computer classes.Information Technology learners ( Digital Learners ) – A video is presented in discussing the characteristics of a digital learner.

                                                       

21^ST Century Learning is done with :

Lesson 2 - An Overview of Ed. Tech. 2

Concerned of: “Integrating Technology into Teaching and Learning”

The meaning of which is putting together technology into teaching and learning so that these will become one in learner’s education. To specify- focused on introducing, reinforcing, supplementing, and extending the knowledge and skills to learners so that they can become exemplary users of educational technology.

ET-2 will involve a deeper understanding of the computer as well as hands-on-application of computer skills. To infuse technology in the student-teacher training, helping learners to adapt and meet rapid and continuing technology changes in information and communication technology environment.

The course objectives are:

To provide education in the use of technology in instruction;
To impart learning experiences in instructional technology supported instructional planning;
To acquaint students on information technology;
To learn to use and evaluate computer-based educational resources;
To engage learners on practical technology; and
To inculcate higher-level thinking and creativity among students.

Manifestations of Technology Integration into Instruction

1. There's a change in the way classes are traditionally conducted.

2. The quality of instruction is improved to a higher level in such a way that could not have been achieved without educational technology.

3. There is planning by the teacher on the process of determining how and when technology fits into the Teaching Learning Process.

4. The teacher sets instructional strategies to address specific instructional issues/ problems.

5. The use of technology provides the opening of opportunities to respond to there instructional issues/ problems.

6. Technology occupies a position in the instructional process.

Lesson 1 - A Review of Ed. Tech 1

What is Educational Technology - is the application of technology in the educative process that takes place in education institutions.

4 Phases of application of Educational Technology in Teaching and Learning

Technology in Education

- is the application of technology in the operation of education institution.

Instructional Technology

- it refers to aspects of educational technology are concerned with instructions.

Technology Integration

- is using learning technologies to introduce, supplement and extend skills.

1. Technology as tools to support knowledge construction.

2. Technology as information vehicles for exploring knowledge.

3. Technology as context to support learning by doing.

4. Technology as a social medium to support learning by conversing.

5. Technology as intellectual partner to support learning by reflecting.

Learning Objectives of Ed. Tech 1