Experience of online learning

2.8.4 Reflect

The highlights, advantages, problems and pitfalls

My experience of online has been a bit challenging and some how interesting. I have enjoyed what ever step i was taking since the beginning of this course," Designing Learning". Some thing challenging can either be negative or positive. this time it was positive in such a way that, when you start exploring the tools and resources of technology, they are endless and resourceful. I feel that i can not wait to tell some of my colleague of the importance and what they are missing with not integrating technology in their professional. One thing which i have noticed is that, this integration is two way. it help the teacher in simplifying his lessons as well as easing the absorption and understanding of learners. I was so amazed of the constructivist theory which advocates for the learners construct their knowledge activity rather than just mechanically inserting knowledge from teacher or text books. The MI theory by Gardner were he hopes that one day learners can be able to use what they learned at school. and not forgetting the Authentic learning, the Socrates questioning, virtual learning, to mention but a few.   

My highlights and advantages are quite many. First and fore most, am now confident in what am doing concerning the integration of computing due to the knowledge i have acquired from these two courses. 

I have improved on my communication skills using a variates of tools which are on the internet. for example the face book, twitter, WAYN , blog circles and many others. 

I have acquired different skills of designing which i  feel that they are important to my professional career as a teacher for example the inforgraphs and the mind master 

I have also acquired new skills and methods of technology integration, which can help learners to acquire knowledge more easily and happy. 

My problems and pitfalls all rotates on balancing work and other things with the course work which is ever having time line . it has been a challenge ever since i started this course. But never the less were there is a challenge, there must be solutions.

 

2.7.4 Reflect

The Sweet Spot

The feed back of the lesson i had on Tuesday under the 2.7.4 reflection "sweet spot". The topic we had on that day was about The old storage of information "Manual" compared to the New storage which is the "Electronic". The subject was computer studies

Manual storage

Manual storage

We first defined what Manual storage is.With the help of computers and some diagrams as demonstrated above i used Socrates questioning asking them what they think manual storage is. A good number of the learners had their hands up. They contributed varieties of interesting answers  , and we concluded with one which the whole class agreed upon and this was.

This is the storage  of data and Information on a hard copies. we further went on to describe what the term"Hard Copy" means. Using our small groups we realized that hard copy are the print out of any information or data. it can be seen and touched. 

After,We proceeded by seeing The New storage of information"Electronic". Again in our small groups we started discussing what Electronic storage is?, We all agreed that this is the keeping of data or information on a soft copy and we defined soft copy as the electronic presentation of data and information.           
   

Electronic storage

Electronic storage

 

 

  

After defining the two types of storage we proceeded with comparing the two storage looking at their advantages and disadvantages. We listed the compulsions and we found that the Manual storage had many disadvantages than the advantage and vice verse

After defining and comparing the two , i opened a section of questions, observations and feed backs. One learner stood up and appreciated the integration of technology, how ever he said that the selection of the illustration was biasing the side of electronic storage. he compared the one for the manual as being a bad one for those who were defending that side. He said that even Electronic has some bad side of the coin. 

Manual storage

Electronic storage

 Manual compared with              Electronic storage.   

 

 

 

An other learner stood up and challenged the fellow leaner asking him to bring any illustration of electronic storage which can be like that of manual. I stood between the two group and i first defended the manual, why i decided to come up with such a horrific picture as they termed it. I asked those who were urging to give me only three advantages of manual. they ended up failing even giving one, and when we started giving the electronic, they were as many to an extent that each learner had at list a point. 

All in all, It was a very exciting and interesting lesson.  as a teacher i also enjoyed seeing the whole class active, enjoying and internalizing the topic. It is very important to give the learners a chance to learn by their own and also to integrate technology in our lessons, because the learners understands more by seeing and touching than just feeding them with information.  

 

2.6.3 Apply

Samantha Abeel's memoir

We have such students like Samantha in our classes. The most important thing is to identifier and help them were possible. Samantha  began to suffer anxiety attacks as she struggled with the pressures of junior high, from balancing schoolwork to remembering locker combinations, to social situations with her peers. She was a good artist,good in other subject and very creative. but the only problem was, she never had self confidence thus not believing in her self . This normally happen to some students fearing to make mistakes, so it is the duty of the teacher to employ an approach which can accommodate all students irrespective of their understanding and what ever. Authentic learning, Constructivism, Critical thinking and other are the answer to this.     

The first lesson totally defers from the second, in such a way that it is based on the classroom experience of Samantha talking about her weakness, and were her strength are. the second lesson is about her social life when they were sailing on the ship.      

The relationship between creativity, constructivism, and accommodation of difference.These three ideologies when put together can flip our class rooms, in other words they are compatible.  

Constructivisim requires learner to construct their own knowledge activities rather than just mechanically investing knowledge from teachers or text books.the teacher only encourage learners to constantly access the activity which help them to understand. Constructivisim needs a more collaborative way of learning. this give them a broadening tools to keep learning with a well planned classroom environment. 

On the same how ever creativity is the process of one having an original idea and transform it into visual idea. the learners should work with intensity and produce an incredible numbers of ideas. 

Accommodation of difference. when i relate it to Samantha's story, you find that she had some anomalies, as other learners my be having. We should have some room of tolerance.  learner understand differently, some need to first touch, others need to first see, others need to read a lot to understand,and so on. So all of these differences need to be accommodated not to isolate. 

I summary,learners need to be treated the some irrespective of their sex, behaviors, understanding, culture and so on. it is the only way to stay in harmony. 

 

2.6.4 Reflect

When we were trained to be teachers, and started working in schools, we…	"But our advice to you now is
- At times no sources at all.	- Multiple sources and perspective.
- Always guided by teacher.	- Freedom of expression.
- learners are ever told what to do.	- Learners construct their own understanding
- Feeding of information.	- Active creation, by questioning, explore, etc.
- Text books are our reference	- Technology and its resources
- Learners just learn.	- Learners learn how to learn
- Manual information storage	- Electronic storage
- Factual learning	- Experiential learning

 

 

 

 High Tech High  2.6.2 Study

.In what ways has this school adopted a constructivist approach? 

 First and fore most let us first know the term constructivist. This is basically a theory based on observation and scientific study. This means that learners construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world. Basing on the above statement, it is obvious that the school adopted the constructivist approach. 

When you look at the the clip carefully you find that learners were working in groups collaborating together. and you find that the learners are encouraged to use active technique. experimenting the real world problem solving. 

Do you believe that this school promotes creativity? If so, how?  

Yes i do. Because creativity is all about turning new and imaginative ideas into reality. and this were i base my arguments. Referring to the video clip you find that the school promotes hands on method of working in a creating way. the school teach learner how to create good pieces of Art and design, knowing how to integrate it with technology. you can see students drawing, painting and exhibiting their work. 

The school invested more in science technology engineering, and using technology and their tools. so it is evident  that students have a chance of being innovative in an environment which has all the necessities of doing what they feel like. The school also teach carpentry which also need a lot of creativity .

Do you think this is a realistic, "do-able" approach that you could introduce into your school?   

It is obviously realistic. It is vocational, because learners are trained to perceive the world in new way doing it practically with hands on and also having experiments, and they do it intellectually by knowing were their talents lay by separating those using their heads, those using their hands and so on. 

The approach can be introduced to our schools , but this can be done through creating a awareness, introducing some key areas which are with in the schools reach. because one of the hurdle which is  common to some school can be the finances.

Do you believe that they really are able to cover their syllabus requirements?     

It is possible, their structure, materials, and the way they plan for their students can not let them down. and students like what they are learning  which make the work of the teacher easy 

The school is called High Tech High – what is the role of technology in this school?

It is the role of technology, Vocational learning and it is a project based learning which develop learners  both technical and academic skills. the school is rich in technical curriculum.

Do you think the use of technology is making the students "stupid" (as Nicholas Carr would have us believe)?  

Technology can not make students stupid.It is like the principal of computing called" GIGO"which is Garbage In Garbage Out, so it depends the way some one uses technology. when you look at the way they use their technology, they do it in a possible way which help students to gain a lot.  

CCTI  INFOGRAFIC

2.5.4 Reflect of Creativity Task

Creativity is a processes of having a original ideas that are valued. In lesson 2.5.3 Apply we were given a task to develop an Infografic. (Infografic is a representation of information in a graphical design to make data easily at a glance). this was my first time to use this tool. I choose to use the Pictochart getting it from the link which was provided by the tutor. I may be a lier to say that it was difficult to design an infografic, the only word which i can use is that i had some enjoyable challenges which made me to have a sleepless night interacting with the technology tools and resources. I enjoyed more the flexibility and many options which the pictochart had.Its interface is user friendly that even some one who is not familiar with it can use it.  

I felt happy after successfully coming up with such a wonderful creation. I came to realize that technology is full of amazing resources. and am proud that i choose to be part of this course and am hopping to get more.

I felt relived after  handing in in my assignment, it was not easy because i had to spend some days working on that work but never the less, i completed it, uploaded and even reflected my work to the members. Its a pressure being part of you may God bless you all.     

    

2.4.4 Reflect

The Importance of experience in my own learning and teaching 

 First and fore most we have to know the term "experience". the term experience has varieties of definition. 

Experience can be defined as a practical contact with. It can also be defined a source of reference, or an event or occurrence. 

The importance of experience is a key to transmission of knowledge . It is unique, individual and a field of knowledge acquired over months or years. through experience a teacher can guide demonstrate and monitor the learners growth and the ability of understanding 

Am a traditionalist in my educational practice, but i would like to adopt more progressive approaches, because learning is not some thing that happen out of the book. traditional learning deny learners an opportunity of multiple choices of resources. it has a static way of providing information, yet learning is ever changing and it should be experiential with students having freedom of exploitation, working comfortably and happy. 

It can be possible to change the face of traditional learning but there are some hurdles which hinders the progressive approach. first and fore most the structure of education promotes more the traditional learning in such a way that the syllabus which we follow is ever static and rigid. It `do not give teachers room to adjustment, nor do it give the learners. 

In addition to that, the school administrators play a big roll in placing roadblocks which ends up disorganizing the progress of modern learning. one thing which they do. is to create policies which forces teachers to ever feed students with in formation with out giving them room for their own reading and research.

They also have a policy of testing which dose not fit in this century. they put a lot of pressure to learners in such a way that they promise to punish who ever ends up failing. So the learners study with pressure and some end up adopting cultures of coping.

The streaming of learners is also not good for the progressive learning. the streaming is done in such a way that the week learners are put in the some stream. so this means that they are not treating the the same. They end up feeling as if that they are isolated and even their performance can not improve. 

Last but not the least, the time table is too congested. the learners don't normally get time for their own work. since they start studying at 8am to 4:40pm they get 2 hours for resting and supper  and after they go for preps at 8pm which ends at 10pm and remember they have to week up at 5am for morning preps, this totally leads to learners getting fed up of learning.    

            

These can be put into order first of all to creating awareness by sharing what we have acquired with fellow teachers and even the administrators. 

Creating open debates with the students involving issues which can expose the traditional learning. Because learners prefer modern than the traditional.

Lastly to also involve our associations for teachers to start advocating for a change in our teaching syllabus and culture. this body has the voice which reach directly to the government.

 

 Feelings about teaching

Teaching is the best thing i have ever experienced in my life. ever since i started this profession, it has been accompanied with many challenges. I have tought many students some are now doctors, minsters, teachers and other different jobs and professions, 

Ever since i started the CCTI course i realize that i was missing some thing in my life. this course brought me closer to the life of using technology and its resources. initially i used to teach with special weapons of text books. those were ever my references.

   

At this stage i feel well equipped with the necessary materials and resources as compared with to the past when i used to have a big drawer with a lot of text books. right now every thing on this world is digitized, thing are done online . when you sit on the PC, you can explore the whole world getting news, researching, communicating collaborating, learning, shopping, and etc.That is one thing which is amazing with technology.

when i compare the ordinarily teaching with this new which integrates technology, you find that the ordinarily teaching was totally not broad best. It was supported with very few resources compared to the multiple resources and perspective of the new . When you look at constructivism which is based on observation and scientific study. this theory advocates for the people to construct their own understanding of the world through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences.  

This course has challenged my understanding due to its endless exploration of resources and materials. to be honest, every lesson you cover has its challenges.This course teaches more of experimenting, real world problem solving, hands on teaching and etc. So it makes me feel that i have been cheating on my students not giving them enough support and relevant resources and knowledge. I was not helping them to gain understanding on their own a part from feeding the with information which can not be help full.

In future when i have totally acquired all the need full, i hope to be part of that team which will fight to change this out dated system of education. 

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