Lesson 12: Information technology in support of Student-Centered Learning

The idea of students centered learning is not a recent idea. In fact, as early as the 20^th century, educational educators such as John Dewey argued for a highly active and individualized pedagogical methods which place the students at the center of the teaching-learning process.

It may be observe that after spending so many minutes in lesson presentation and class management, students can get restless and fidgety. Often enough, the teacher has to misbehavior in class as students starts to talk among themselves or simply stare away in lack of attention. To prevent this situation, teachers often make students take time to work individually on worksheets can help the situation.

The Traditional Classroom

  It may be observed that classroom are usually arranged with neat columns and rows of student chairs, while the teacher stands in front 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 discussion.

         The SCL Classroom

         In industrialize societies we find knowledge-based economies in which workers depend on information that can be accessed through information and communication technologies (ICT's). Desiring to gain effectiveness, efficiency and economy in administration and instruction, schools in these developed economies have also adopted the support of ICT's. Their students have now become active not passive learners, who can interact with other learners, demonstrating independence and self-awareness in the learning process.

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

Experience

Well, I’m sure that most students had experience doing some research in the internet and preparing presentation in the Powerpoint to be presented in class and by doing such things students creativity and knowledge in the topic is tested and because they are the one doing this, the level of retention is high compared to the lecture method being used in the class.

 Reflection

In actual classroom setting, to be able to get the interest of the students, it is very important to make the class an interactive one and teacher must vary hi/her own teaching strategies to avoid boredom. Now, because technology is already integrated in teaching those passive learners will become an active learners and this is done by doing activities wherein students will be the one who are going to create their own outputs.

Application

Most school nowadays have their own computer room and lesson about the computer is already part of the instructions. But because of the demands of the society students nowadays are computer literate and they are somewhat more advance compared to the older generations. Moreover, because of the presence of the computer, learning ca be made easy because students can freely research in advance and search the net for more additional information.

Reference:


Lucido, P. I. (2012). Educational Technology 2. LORIMAR PUBLISHING INC.

Lesson 11: The Computer as a the teachers tool

Constructivism was introduced by Piaget ( 1981 ) and Bruner ( 1990 ). They give 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 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 Vygotsky 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 language that occurs when students socially share, build and agree upon meanings and knowledge.

Experience

In instruction using instructional tools are necessary in teaching because these will aid the teacher in teaching the class well in order for the students to really grasp the concept of what the topic is all about. Well, nowadays because students are more visual learners and they will learn best if they would be able to see the microscopic concept instead of just oral explanation that’s why most of the teachers are using computer/laptops by projecting images on screen for the benefits of the students. Also, some of the teacher are using film showing as part of their instruction to help students in their learning.

Reflection

Without integrating computer in instruction maybe we are still using the “BITAYMAX” which is stressful for the teacher’s part. But because of computer assisted instruction, and using computer as part of the instruction, it will be very convenient for the teacher to teach because aside from simulation, images can be seen in order for the students to grasp the topic well if they are visual spatial learner.

Application

Because of using computer as the teacher’s tool, learning is easy and class is not boring because student’s interests are already taken into consideration. Thus, there will be an active participation between the teacher and the students. One important application of these is by using an LCD television in class discussion wherein students can freely see the movements of the atoms in a microscopic scale.

Reference:


Lucido, P. I. (2012). Educational Technology 2. LORIMAR PUBLISHING INC.

Lesson 10: The Computer as a Tutor

The computer is one of the wonders of human ingenuity, even in its original design in the 1950’s to carry out complicated mathematical and logical operations. With the invention of the microcomputer 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 break the barriers to individualized instructions.

Computer-assisted Instruction

          The computer can be a tutor in effect relieving the 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 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 the students have the needed knowledge and skills for any computer activity.
• Decide the appropriate learning objective.
• Plan the sequence and structured activities to achieve objectives.
• Evaluate the student’s achievement by ways of test the specific expected outcomes.

          CAI computer learning should not stop with the drill and practice activities of students. In effect, CIA works best in reinforcement learning through repetitive exercise such that students can practice basic skills or knowledge in various subject area.

Experience

Most schools nowadays whether in a public or a private high school are utilizing computer in instruction. This is to aid the students in learning.

Reflection

Because we are now in the technological era, using computer in our day to day living is inevitable especially in the classroom setting wherein technology is already integrated in learning. This is done by using computer as a tool in learning such as doing research and all. But students must remember that too much exposure in the computer will degenerate their social skills and health. Thus, they must limit themselves in using computer and they must also remember that computer cannot totally replace the teacher.

Application

In a real life situation, students now are more advance when it comes to the technology and because everything can be found in just a blink of an eye some students are not listening to the discussion the teacher discussed, instead they will just search the net about the it and whenever the teacher gives an assignment, students will just research the answer in the internet without knowing how to solve the given assignment. Well, this are just the things that are usually happening in our world today and as a teacher it is very important to monitor the students output and make sure that they will not just copy and paste the answer in the internet. 

Reference:

Lucido, P. I. (2012). Educational Technology 2. LORIMAR PUBLISHING INC.