Common practices seen islandwide will be teachers showing the students the lessons in powerpoint presentations format, engaging them in E-learning days with various subjects testing and learning on a level to level practice (using Litespeed, http://www.litespeed.com.sg/), and also to have them coming up with group presentations of their own understanding of the lessons taught in lessons using powerpoint presentations as well.
Recently, I have personal sharings from teachers who have take on a level higher to connect the students effectively with online lessons or "soft" lessons.
One of which is this Math teacher sharing with us that he will encourage the students to go to this online math learning platform called ACE-Learning (http://www.ace-learning.com.sg:16080/sys/index.html) and his feedback from students were great as there are online games and tutorials that really capture their attention to go and interact and learn (or relearn) the math topics teachers have went through in class. The end product was students requesting the school for continuation of subscription of that online learning platform, so they can not only revise their math curriculum but also they can learn the lessons in a entirely different platform from the now old school way of powerpoint slides and teachers' talking format of teaching.
The next example is this teacher who surprised us, not because we think it's innovative but because we are amazed that students are actually effectively learning from his introduction of youtube videos in his lesson plans. This teacher will actively source for interesting and informative videos that actually supplements and aids him in his course of teaching his various social studies topics. It is not a surprise or a big breakthrough that teachers use youtube videos to teach, since Youtube has been actively participating in netizens and young kids' online community since nearly half a decade ago. Should the students be bored with his lessons even with the inclusion of youtube videos as aids, it would not come as a surprise to any of us. What is truly amazing is that students at the end of the lessons, their takeaways are always knowledge transmitted/ conveyed to them through the video sharing session and what the teacher's teachings are like reinforcement of their contextual knowledge.
Last but not least, my colleague delivered us the most updated software and technology incorporated ICT-sharing for her music lessons. She showed us that in her lessons, she will encourage her upper secondary students who will major in 'O' levels Music (Piano) to invest in an iPad, which proves to be a much better tool/ music score booklet. Musicians (or young musicians) can save time and risk lesser rhythm being lost in the counting of beats by just using one magic finger to slide a page of the music scores instead of fumbling over flipping real pages of music score booklet or, engaging a helper to change the music score page. She also installed this Macintosh Music Notation/ Music Score Composing Software called Sibelius v6.2 (http://www.sibelius.com/home/index_flash.html) on her Mac laptop and she will use the programme to help students reproduce their compositions into real music scores and real music midis that can be played in various soft formats on the computers or music playing devices like Mp3s or iTouch. She shares that as a musician herself, she is enjoying the software and what it can do to help her in her music composing process, and wish that by sharing with her students, students are able to be exposed to what other new possibilities they can tap on to work with their music and be much more creative using their music flair.
Having exposed to the various interesting and innovative ICT integration in the different curriculum studies, I personally feel that I am very much inspired by their examples to too, engage the students on a brand new level to spark new flames of passion for Art and also seed values into them using a platform where I know I can reach them more comfortable and definitely effectively.
But of course, I know that Art is a subject that needs to constantly be taught like the old masters' ways so students can have a more raw and first hand experience with Art skills and history. There is no contradictions here should we acknowledge that Art can too advance on another level connecting to the kids, in terms of inching in their comfort zones and gradually integrating to be part of their life and have they slowly breathe the air of Art in them, have their eyes open to the surroundings that constitute to Art and also introduce them the flexibility and open-mindedness of Modern Art. All to be done in introduction of Art using connectivity with them behind the rectangular box.
With this, I feel that the possibilities are limitless. I can explore and execute if I want. The thing is, I really do want.
I want to learn about more online resources I can tap on to teach my kids more effectively and more interestingly how Art can be, even on ONLINE platform!
I have learned how to use a wiki site on pbworks.com and how to do an online mind map using mind meister. These are new Web 2.0 online tools I have learned other than other online connectivity sources I have already been exposed to.
Thanks for the information!
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned iPad. Do you think that is has the potential to be a powerful and meaningful tool for your CS area?
To address your question: Wikis are designed to be open, not closed like Blackboard. You share only what you want to share openly or what you negotiate socially.
That said, it is possible to block from pages from public view or editing. The bottom line is this: The technology is neutral; it is how we use it that gives the value.