Computer Use 774:
Bloggers S: Blog post – 16 October
A Personal Learning Network for the future:
A personal learning network as described by Wever (2016) is a map where you are at the centre. It is different places and people you connect with, to receive advice, ask questions, get ideas from, to receive guidance from and to help you when you face a problem or situation. “But now with the Internet, you also have access to more resources online. Your PLN then also becomes a resource” (Wever, 2016).
Personal:
Personal Learning Networks are about making connections and building personal contacts with educators, school administrators, universities, and professionals around the world. It is a way to create a resource on which you as the teacher can rely on and draw from.
Learning:
A PLN is about sharing ideas and resources, partnership, and education. In a PLN, learning, ideas and expertise are shared in different ways; using different media and tools.
Network:
The PLN is a global learning network, enabling people access to share diverse, global perspectives on teaching strategies, educational related issues, and technologies.
Why should you build a PLN?
Dryden's and Vos' (2005) book on learning networks said: "For the first time in history, we know now how to store virtually all humanity's most important information and make it available, almost instantly, in almost any form, to almost anyone on earth. We also know how to do that in great new ways so that people can interact with it, and learn from it."
There is a huge cultural shift among young people. Children and adults prefer social media to TV. Joe Dale said, “When we go through websites all the information comes back to us, so we need to organise our PLN”.
By integrating PLN learning strategies into our pedagogical approaches, teachers can create interactive spaces for their students. Further resources are shared, pooled and evaluated in a variety of spaces to which the development of the students and educators can only benefit.
How can a PLN assist you as the teacher?
A PLN can assist you to locate classroom resources and develop lesson ideas, find solutions for the challenges you face in the classroom and locate research and news for lessons. You can also learn from experts and colleagues, build your own digital literacy skills and learn how to integrate these skills in the classroom and establish collaborations to conduct research or set up professional development opportunities.
Some recommended sites:
www.tweetdeck.com to organise your PLN.
http://paper.li/MFLTimes a newspaper updated daily with a selection of articles, blog posts, videos and photos.
http://www.boxoftricks.net/on tried and tested Internet tools for classrooms.
You can also find tools and tutorials for digital storytelling on http://mfl-digitalstories.wikispaces.com/Tools+and+Tutorials
4 Fantastic and Free Professional Learning Networks for Teachers http://bit.ly/2yE8436
Showing posts with label Pedagogy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pedagogy. Show all posts
Monday, 16 October 2017
Wednesday, 10 May 2017
Group O: Revisiting blog topics F through J
Computer Use 774:
Bloggers O: Blog post – 10 May
Upon considering blog posts F through J, there appears to be a consensus that digital pedagogies, although challenging, are the future of teaching and learning. However, one of the primary challenges of implementing these structures successfully is the necessity for teachers to receive proper training based on their subject fields.
Digital pedagogies have often been criticised for poor implementation, as the effects are often disruptive for both learner and teacher development. It is therefore vital that digital pedagogies are implemented only if it enhances the learning environment and facilitates critical engagement with knowledge.
Learners can greatly benefit from effective digital pedagogies, although they require training to successfully engage with such pedagogies. Technologically “advanced” learners need to be taught how to distinguish between the reliable and unreliable information that is available online. By the incorporation of digital pedagogies and technology in the classroom, learners can be provided with the information needed via the aforementioned skill.
Likewise, when integrating ICT in a schooling context, it is important to note that its application would differ within every subject. Each subject has specific needs and requirements with regards to the integration of electronic media, as well as how the subject-specific content is presented. Some subjects require more visual aids, whilst others are more focused on auditory features. One of the challenges that is obstructing the integration of ICT in schools is the lack of software development aimed towards subject-specific content.
While electronic media may be future, one must ask if this future is sustainable within the South African context. The main issue when integrating such strategies is that not all learners will have the resources to benefit from this type of learning. As this country's situation stands currently, the educational system cannot afford to fund a third of the government schools. ICT learning requires multiple resources, including electricity, online programmes, and the training of both the teachers and the learners, thus the majority of schools will be unable to fund such learning.
To recapitulate, the use of digital pedagogies in combination with ICT should ideally train the learners to utilise independent learning in the long run. It is important that every learner, based on subject and school context, is able to access what electronic media can offer, despite its swift changes. Consequently, teachers must be able to adapt their lessons as is necessary, hence the training of digital pedagogies in the classroom context must be extended to teachers, which may prove problematic within the South African context.
Bloggers O: Blog post – 10 May
Digital pedagogies have often been criticised for poor implementation, as the effects are often disruptive for both learner and teacher development. It is therefore vital that digital pedagogies are implemented only if it enhances the learning environment and facilitates critical engagement with knowledge.
Learners can greatly benefit from effective digital pedagogies, although they require training to successfully engage with such pedagogies. Technologically “advanced” learners need to be taught how to distinguish between the reliable and unreliable information that is available online. By the incorporation of digital pedagogies and technology in the classroom, learners can be provided with the information needed via the aforementioned skill.
Likewise, when integrating ICT in a schooling context, it is important to note that its application would differ within every subject. Each subject has specific needs and requirements with regards to the integration of electronic media, as well as how the subject-specific content is presented. Some subjects require more visual aids, whilst others are more focused on auditory features. One of the challenges that is obstructing the integration of ICT in schools is the lack of software development aimed towards subject-specific content.
While electronic media may be future, one must ask if this future is sustainable within the South African context. The main issue when integrating such strategies is that not all learners will have the resources to benefit from this type of learning. As this country's situation stands currently, the educational system cannot afford to fund a third of the government schools. ICT learning requires multiple resources, including electricity, online programmes, and the training of both the teachers and the learners, thus the majority of schools will be unable to fund such learning.
To recapitulate, the use of digital pedagogies in combination with ICT should ideally train the learners to utilise independent learning in the long run. It is important that every learner, based on subject and school context, is able to access what electronic media can offer, despite its swift changes. Consequently, teachers must be able to adapt their lessons as is necessary, hence the training of digital pedagogies in the classroom context must be extended to teachers, which may prove problematic within the South African context.
Group N: Revisiting blog topics F through J
Computer Use 774:
Bloggers N: Blog post – 10 May
Bloggers N: Blog post – 10 May
ICT integration in an Edu. Context
The topic discussed in blogger's F post looks at the effectiveness of implementation and integration of Internet, Communications and Technology (ICT) in the classrooms. The post highlights the problems prevalent in the integration process; the necessary steps for better teacher training, and lastly; how ICT implementation equips learners for their future success. Making use of ICT can be a useful tool for learning, however; according to Krause 2010, there is a disconnection between teachers and technology. Thus, it is important for the teacher to gain the relevant and appropriate ICT knowledge and skills in order to integrate it into teaching and learning.
Digital Pedagogy
Since Blog G discusses how digital pedagogy can change/enhance the experience of teaching, (Stommel, 2013) one could infer that teachers should not only use technology to make their job easier, but to use it as a tool to make lessons more interactive by encouraging learner participation. Digital pedagogy is not as difficult as people make it seem. For it to function well, it will essentially require educators and learners to work together towards a common goal (Stommel, 2013).
Blended Learning
With reference to Blog H, blended learning can be an efficient approach in keeping the learners attention in the classroom. This is done by integrating technology, however; not all learners have the same learning styles. For example, some may rely on a teacher to enhance their conceptual skills first before they are able to grasp the use of technology in the classroom.
Guidelines for ICT integration with NCS subjects in Grades 10-12
According to Blog I's research though, we are becoming more technologically dependent. By using technology in the classroom, we allow interactive learning to take place and are preparing learners for the real world. The blog discusses how the integration of ICT can be beneficial in different subjects. Every subject has its own software needed for successful teaching and learning to take place, however; the content should suit the outcomes of the curriculum.
What does the future of learning look like?
In Blog J they discuss the future of learning by looking at statements such as the topic question, and “how do we align new educational models with the support to help it succeed?” They answer these questions by looking at the work of Sugate Mitra who uses SOLE or Self Organized Learning Environments. Mitra believes that by focusing on the interests of the child, it will optimise their learning. Ideally, teachers should not only embrace the use of technology to enhance their pedagogies in the classroom, but they should focus on a learner centred approach - where learners should be encouraged to improve their learning and be successful after school.
In Blog J they discuss the future of learning by looking at statements such as the topic question, and “how do we align new educational models with the support to help it succeed?” They answer these questions by looking at the work of Sugate Mitra who uses SOLE or Self Organized Learning Environments. Mitra believes that by focusing on the interests of the child, it will optimise their learning. Ideally, teachers should not only embrace the use of technology to enhance their pedagogies in the classroom, but they should focus on a learner centred approach - where learners should be encouraged to improve their learning and be successful after school.
Wednesday, 3 May 2017
Groups L&M: Revisiting blog topics A through E
Computer Use 774:
Bloggers L&M: Combined Blog Post
The overarching result of the research done so far within this course is that although ICTs have the potential to be powerful and diverse teaching and learning aides, the complexity of integrating it into the school system should not be underestimated. That being said, the increasingly vital skills of digital and technological literacy, coupled with the growing prevalence of technological resources and access points, the active integration of ICTs within the classroom will no longer be a recommendation, but a necessity.
Bloggers L&M: Combined Blog Post
Humanity is moving into a largely ICTs-driven era (Information Communication Technology), and as huge advances in this sector are made, education is necessarily reshaped under its influence. The classroom, both within the South African and the global context, have been irrevocably changed. Throughout the Digital Pedagogies course and the preceding blog articles, aspects of this change have been explored - both for the possibilities it presents, as well as the challenges it faces within the South African context. The effort of this piece will be to synthesize what has been discussed so far into a cohesive analysis of the potential for the implementation of digital pedagogies within our current education environment.
New roles/duties of teachers: Rapid advances have been made within the realm of ICTs, a fact which has influenced how we live our daily lives. The radical availability of information and communication through the rising technological interface necessitates a proficiency in digital and media literacy, which involve the skills necessary to participate, and use technologies ethically and responsibly. Within this context, the teacher now has the new duty of guiding learners through the necessary skills to use ICT effectively and safely.
Effective pedagogy & lesson planning: The recognition of the learner as a complex individual and the active engagement of the learner’s context-informed subjectivity is a large element of inclusive practice within the classroom, and therefore needs to be a foundational element that informs our pedagogies. The effective pedagogy is one that takes the learner and their learning process into consideration when teaching – actively involved learners are able to engage with and learn from the taught content. Incorporating ICTs as part of your lesson plan and your pedagogy creates an ideal platform to actively engage with increasingly technology-oriented learners inside and outside of the classroom, and it makes their learning experience more flexible, mobile and accessible. This is not a hard and fast rule, however – for some learners, the incorporation of technology can be disruptive. Counteracting this is part of the reason for the need for effective lesson planning. Lesson planning helps teachers achieve their role in the classroom, which is to help learners apply the concepts which they are taught. It also helps teachers to manage their classroom better and keep learners focused throughout the lesson.
ICTs as a teaching & learning aid: ICTs are increasingly regarded as a valuable teaching aid which can contribute to making lessons and difficult content more interesting and accessible. Its values have been list as, among others, providing access to information, helping engage learners with the content, acting as a communicative equaliser (through anonymous and standardised posting and access), and making sharing and working together easier when face-to-face working time is no longer required. It can help with lesson planning, logistics management, and serve as stimuli to help learners visualise, organise and apply concepts. The current generation of learners is increasingly technologically-oriented, having been surrounded by technology in most spheres of life. They are a generation that wants to see, do and experience, instead of just being passive listeners. The integration of ICTs within the classroom and learning environment allows for increasingly engaging and personalised learning, thus having learners accept more responsibility for their learning and allow them to be agents of their own knowledge.
The Use of Social Media: Social media is seen as one of the most effective tools for communication amongst learners. For this reason it can be seen as a potentially valuable resource that could make the classroom more engaging, relevant and culturally diverse. The interactive and communicative nature of social media allows learners to form natural communities where questions can be asked and answered within a communal digital space. This adds a social aspect to the learning taking place, an aspect that researchers are increasingly lauding as contributing to effective learning. Through this medium, learners’ interests and lived realities are brought closer to the teaching space, and vice versa – this naturally and positively disrupts learners’ study experience. The use of social media is also a potential contributor enabling teachers establish a channel of open communication with their learners, thus creating space for comfortable interactions where learners are able to voice concerns and potential challenges to their learning.
Challenges to the implementation of ICTs: However ideal the integration of ICTs as teaching/learning aides may be, there are certain considerations that must be made, specifically within the South African context that results in successful integration not always being possible. One of these considerations in South Africa is the large lack of access to ICTs sources – the lingering inequalities within South African society that result in a large population of working class citizens without the monetary means to access to ICT devices. Schools that service this population are also largely unable to facilitate ICTs integration as it requires a substantial capital output to obtain the required hardware. Another consideration linked to the lack of access is the level of exposure and training teachers have received toward the effect use of ICTs. Many teachers have not had this exposure and training, resulting in an ineffective use of the technology that could be a hindrance to the learners’ appreciation and understanding of ICTs as a resource.
Wednesday, 19 April 2017
What does the future of learning look like? [Bloggers J: Mitra (2010) and Senser (2012)]
Computer Use 774:
Bloggers J: Blog Post
What does the future of learning look like?
Around the world, there is a common problem where education models are not adapted to the new demands of the world; therefore, learners are ill prepared for their futures. Coupled with this, teachers do not want to go to troubled areas where they are needed most. This situation is creating inefficiencies in the human capital continuum leaving us with the question, “what does the future of learning look like?” and “how do we align new educational models with the support to help it succeed?” Sugate Mitra offers us an explanation through his experiments with Self Organised Learning Environments, or SOLE for short. Mitra says, “If children have interest, then education happens”.
Modern schooling captures the notion of learners making sense of modern technology and holds multiple benefits for learning. The work of Sugata Mitra regarding new experiments in self-teaching demonstrates this idea of learners learning in groups or individually in a Self-Organised Learning Environment. Without any interference from the outside world, this environment developed results in groups of children learning to navigate the Internet and achieving educational objectives on their own.
Applicative educational pedagogies necessitates critical thinking skills from both the teacher and learner alike. The integrative design is not about replication, but selection and integration to form the foundation of a new model of learning. It revolves around addressing all aspects at once, rather than in isolation. Achieving this will accelerate learning and movement towards the learner’s goals. The education system thus teaches children how to learn to face challenges in society.
Future learning models and pedagogies should aim to suit the needs of each learner, and be learner centred, cost-effective, and technologically viable. Ryan Senser (2012) stipulates an integrated design of learning that will allow students to move forward in any direction they wish to go. By selecting the pieces we already have and integrating them, we can create a new model of education where children can be encouraged and equipped to become lifelong learners and graduate on to college or the working world. These learners will be ready for the challenges and opportunities that await them.
The future is something we have to work towards every day – we have to pick up the tools and work on the future that we want. For education, the utopia is a model where accelerated learning takes place in the direction that is in the best interest of the child.
Tuesday, 28 March 2017
Digital Pedagogy [Bloggers H: Stommel (2014), UCF (2017), and Hypothes.is]
Computer Use 774
Bloggers H: Blog Post - 29 March 2017
Critical pedagogy is an approach to teaching and learning that fosters agency and empowerment in learners. Therefore, critical digital pedagogy is the addition of technology into this approach. Additionally, technology opens a new educational space across the world to come together and discuss the content. However, “Far too much work in educational technology starts with tools, when what we need to start with is humans.” (Stommel, 2014).
When focussing on Critical Digital Pedagogy we must ask: “How can we build platforms that support learning across age, race, culture, gender, ability, geography?”. Consequently, critical digital pedagogy needs to start by allowing equality in learning across these groups that ultimately empower them. (Stommel, 2014)
An example of integrating technology in the classroom is blended learning (UCF, 2017). This entails reducing the teacher centred approach while incorporating technology. The learners can complete digital tasks anytime and anywhere thereby reducing the contact time the teacher required to relay content. However, critical pedagogy still needs to be incorporated to promote equality among the learners. This can be achieved by making full use of the reduced class time to focus on enhancing the learner’s literary and conceptual skills. Thus, the teacher can focus on the developing the learner's skills and abilities to increase their ZPD . Additionally, an example of ‘blended teaching’ is through an efficient concept called ‘e-exams’. ‘E-exams’ remove the process of the learner physically writing the exam, and the teacher marking it, as the system marks the exam seconds after the learner has finished typing and submitted it (UFC, 2017).
To enhance the learner’s literacy and conceptual skill you can make use of Hypothes.is. The fact that Hypothes.is can be used to hold learners accountable for having done the reading of an article or context being discussed in class, could help learners with their annotation and reading skills which leads to granular feedback and improving literacy skills. Hypothes.is allows you to reach out to other learner’s notes. This will build a platform supporting learning across all races, culture, gender and abilities, which links with the use of digital pedagogy. Consequently, minimising inequality and empowering learners across all pedagogical capabilities.
Before the use of technology is incorporated, one must first assess the learner’s literacy and critical thinking abilities. Therefore, critical digital pedagogy is a discipline that merely incorporates technology into the classroom but does not allow it to run the classroom.
Critical pedagogy is an approach to teaching and learning that fosters agency and empowerment in learners. Therefore, critical digital pedagogy is the addition of technology into this approach. Additionally, technology opens a new educational space across the world to come together and discuss the content. However, “Far too much work in educational technology starts with tools, when what we need to start with is humans.” (Stommel, 2014).
When focussing on Critical Digital Pedagogy we must ask: “How can we build platforms that support learning across age, race, culture, gender, ability, geography?”. Consequently, critical digital pedagogy needs to start by allowing equality in learning across these groups that ultimately empower them. (Stommel, 2014)
An example of integrating technology in the classroom is blended learning (UCF, 2017). This entails reducing the teacher centred approach while incorporating technology. The learners can complete digital tasks anytime and anywhere thereby reducing the contact time the teacher required to relay content. However, critical pedagogy still needs to be incorporated to promote equality among the learners. This can be achieved by making full use of the reduced class time to focus on enhancing the learner’s literary and conceptual skills. Thus, the teacher can focus on the developing the learner's skills and abilities to increase their ZPD . Additionally, an example of ‘blended teaching’ is through an efficient concept called ‘e-exams’. ‘E-exams’ remove the process of the learner physically writing the exam, and the teacher marking it, as the system marks the exam seconds after the learner has finished typing and submitted it (UFC, 2017).
To enhance the learner’s literacy and conceptual skill you can make use of Hypothes.is. The fact that Hypothes.is can be used to hold learners accountable for having done the reading of an article or context being discussed in class, could help learners with their annotation and reading skills which leads to granular feedback and improving literacy skills. Hypothes.is allows you to reach out to other learner’s notes. This will build a platform supporting learning across all races, culture, gender and abilities, which links with the use of digital pedagogy. Consequently, minimising inequality and empowering learners across all pedagogical capabilities.
Before the use of technology is incorporated, one must first assess the learner’s literacy and critical thinking abilities. Therefore, critical digital pedagogy is a discipline that merely incorporates technology into the classroom but does not allow it to run the classroom.
Wednesday, 22 March 2017
Digital Pedagogy [Bloggers G: Morris (2013), Stommel (2013), and Hamilton (2014)]
Computer Use 774
Bloggers G: Blog Post - 22 March 2017
Morris (2013) looks at teachers who incorporate technology into the
classroom and how this does not automatically make them digital pedagogue. One
can look at the invention of the Learning Management System (LMS) as an example
thereof. According to Morris (2013), LMS was unsuccessful due to its
prematurity. In other words, it did not push the capability of the internet nor
did it motivate innovation within the classroom. LMS was thus a dull teaching
method which could not match the vastness of the internet. Digital pedagogues
should reach beyond the limitations of the LMS (Learning Management system),
because to them teaching begins with inquiry, not authority or expertise.
According to Hamilton (2014), educational standards can limit the aims
of a critical pedagogy. This means that educational standards can often dominate
teaching circumstances. The reason being that a critical pedagogy exists for
helping students question and challenge these standards. Standards, on the
other hand, would limit them to do so. Hamilton (2014) states that there are
three degrees to developing a richer notion of access that should be taken into
consideration; access, which includes functional access (ability to use),
experiential access (ability to use in personal context), and lastly critical
access (ability to choose to use). These can all be considered limitations of
digital pedagogy.
Practice makes perfect, right? Well, to become an expert at digital
pedagogy one needs plenty of practice, patience, and experimentation. Digital
pedagogy is not a path through the woods, instead, it is a compass which
requires people working together towards a common goal for it to function well
(Stommel, 2013). Generally, teachers will want to embrace digital pedagogy as a
tool in their belt of teaching models. Nevertheless, it may not be as easy as
reading up on the subject and inserting the techniques into the classroom. It
seems that the process of becoming a digital pedagogue will be similar to the
process of learners learning from a digital pedagogue.
Tuesday, 7 March 2017
Effective Pedagogy [Bloggers E: Foley (2014) & Wills (2015)]
Computer Use 774
Bloggers E: Blog Post - 8 March 2017
Effective pedagogy refers to the idea that the learner as a whole (personal, social and behavioral standings) are taken into consideration when teaching takes place. Thus, the teacher uses strategic teaching methods so that the learner does not feel threatened, but creates a healthy and positive environment in the classroom.
Although teachers mostly focus on progressive academic outcomes, they also serve as a support system to learners outside the academic environment, which ensures the emotional well-being of the learner. Teachers should be available and accessible on an open communication basis so that student concerns and worries can be heard. They should also show empathy and understanding for learners’ current circumstances and provide them with the tools with which to facilitate a positive outcome. When a learner feels that he/she is in a safe emotional environment, it stimulates the learners will and desire to succeed academically.
Teaching, and therefore learning, can be enhanced by developing teaching methods which are stimulating and absorbing. By understanding how a student learns, effective teaching practices can be developed and implemented in the classroom.
Key elements of teaching practices, which are known to increase the academic performance of learners, include: consistency, communication, and structure within the classroom. It is also vitally important for learners to be actively engaged and involved in the classroom environment, as this allows ample opportunity for the students to respond and fully engage with the topics.
An educator should be well aware of the educational and household influences learners seem to operate best in, and then to find an equilibrium between the two for optimal learning. Relating what the learner knows and what the educator wishes to achieve in the classroom is an excellent manner for cohesion of life skills and learning the curriculum content to take place. Learners tend to learn new concepts and habits by practically including themselves in classroom activities. This eventually
allows them to visualise certain images and ideas, which support their learning. In Willis (2015), this idea was constructively displayed.
With regard to the blog posted by Abby Wills, one can assume that as a teacher, one should be more trusting with the potential of the students; to allow the students to take more responsibility with regard to the classroom’s environment. She mentions/suggests how one should allow creativity and imagination of the students to also be an aspect of the calmness and mindfulness created within the learning environment. In order for mindful teaching to take place, one also needs to be fearlessly honest with what is working within the classroom and what is not.
Bloggers E: Blog Post - 8 March 2017
Effective pedagogy refers to the idea that the learner as a whole (personal, social and behavioral standings) are taken into consideration when teaching takes place. Thus, the teacher uses strategic teaching methods so that the learner does not feel threatened, but creates a healthy and positive environment in the classroom.
Although teachers mostly focus on progressive academic outcomes, they also serve as a support system to learners outside the academic environment, which ensures the emotional well-being of the learner. Teachers should be available and accessible on an open communication basis so that student concerns and worries can be heard. They should also show empathy and understanding for learners’ current circumstances and provide them with the tools with which to facilitate a positive outcome. When a learner feels that he/she is in a safe emotional environment, it stimulates the learners will and desire to succeed academically.
Teaching, and therefore learning, can be enhanced by developing teaching methods which are stimulating and absorbing. By understanding how a student learns, effective teaching practices can be developed and implemented in the classroom.
Key elements of teaching practices, which are known to increase the academic performance of learners, include: consistency, communication, and structure within the classroom. It is also vitally important for learners to be actively engaged and involved in the classroom environment, as this allows ample opportunity for the students to respond and fully engage with the topics.
An educator should be well aware of the educational and household influences learners seem to operate best in, and then to find an equilibrium between the two for optimal learning. Relating what the learner knows and what the educator wishes to achieve in the classroom is an excellent manner for cohesion of life skills and learning the curriculum content to take place. Learners tend to learn new concepts and habits by practically including themselves in classroom activities. This eventually
allows them to visualise certain images and ideas, which support their learning. In Willis (2015), this idea was constructively displayed.
With regard to the blog posted by Abby Wills, one can assume that as a teacher, one should be more trusting with the potential of the students; to allow the students to take more responsibility with regard to the classroom’s environment. She mentions/suggests how one should allow creativity and imagination of the students to also be an aspect of the calmness and mindfulness created within the learning environment. In order for mindful teaching to take place, one also needs to be fearlessly honest with what is working within the classroom and what is not.
Tuesday, 7 February 2017
Group A: Unwin (2005), Tufekci (2014), and Fullan (2014)
Computer Use 774
Bloggers A: Blog Post - 8 February 2017
Unwin[1] advocates the value of ICTs (information and communication technologies) in confronting obstacles in the education system in African schools and states that it is vital to implement ICTs by using “print media, audio, video, computers and the Internet” in their curriculum. In a South African context where resources and efficient teachers are often lacking, especially in rural settings, this is a difficult goal to achieve. Unwin does offer some solutions to the various challenges of using ICT in an African context but does not address the issue of raising the extensive resources needed for ICT implementation.
Unwin evidently shows that ICT is an advancement for the education system in Africa. For the implementation of ICT to be successful, teacher training is of vital importance. Unwin discusses possible solutions to better equip teachers to educate in all regions and implement a system such as ICT, which allows for a more blended learning system. Increasing internet access and computer laboratories in Africa allows for unlimited access to information that will further help their education processes.
“Social media has helped move us to a world in which people are no longer passive” says Tufekci in her piece responding to the apparent ignorance perpetrated globally by leading newsrooms regarding “misunderstandings” over the ways in which social media works engage. She continues, “because that's how the medium works”, albeit in reference to journalistic practices. Using social media as a platform through which educators could encourage active participation and critical engagement in the classroom promotes equity and inclusivity on a platform that has already been wholly embraced by an educator’s target audience.
With technology in this modern day, social media platforms has made it easier to share with the world. Tufekci gives her opinion on social media, and states that it indeed helps us to progress to a world where people aren’t “passive, silent subjects of journalists”. In teaching any given subject, communication is an important platform. Learners and/or students must be able to communicate freely with their teacher/lecturer, whether it be by means of social media or direct contact.
Technology has the ability to provide students with information anytime, anywhere. In his video, Michael Fullen[2] discusses the role that technology can play in deepening the quality of learning. Fullen concludes that technology plays a part in making learning “irresistibly engaging” and allows students access to problem solving at all hours. One approach that Fullen suggests for integrating technology in the classroom is the “flipped classroom” where students can access a recorded version of the lesson at home and can reflect or do the “homework” in class. Teachers are activators of and students partners in learning.
____________________
[1] Unwin, T. (2005). Towards a framework for the use of ICT in teacher training in Africa. Open Learning, 20(2), 113–129. doi:10.1080/02680510500094124
[2] How Technology is Changing the Conversation (2014, January 20). Michael Fullan: Technology, the new pedagogy and flipped teaching Retrieved from https://youtu.be/GCvwtiOH0co
Bloggers A: Blog Post - 8 February 2017
Unwin[1] advocates the value of ICTs (information and communication technologies) in confronting obstacles in the education system in African schools and states that it is vital to implement ICTs by using “print media, audio, video, computers and the Internet” in their curriculum. In a South African context where resources and efficient teachers are often lacking, especially in rural settings, this is a difficult goal to achieve. Unwin does offer some solutions to the various challenges of using ICT in an African context but does not address the issue of raising the extensive resources needed for ICT implementation.
Unwin evidently shows that ICT is an advancement for the education system in Africa. For the implementation of ICT to be successful, teacher training is of vital importance. Unwin discusses possible solutions to better equip teachers to educate in all regions and implement a system such as ICT, which allows for a more blended learning system. Increasing internet access and computer laboratories in Africa allows for unlimited access to information that will further help their education processes.
“Social media has helped move us to a world in which people are no longer passive” says Tufekci in her piece responding to the apparent ignorance perpetrated globally by leading newsrooms regarding “misunderstandings” over the ways in which social media works engage. She continues, “because that's how the medium works”, albeit in reference to journalistic practices. Using social media as a platform through which educators could encourage active participation and critical engagement in the classroom promotes equity and inclusivity on a platform that has already been wholly embraced by an educator’s target audience.
With technology in this modern day, social media platforms has made it easier to share with the world. Tufekci gives her opinion on social media, and states that it indeed helps us to progress to a world where people aren’t “passive, silent subjects of journalists”. In teaching any given subject, communication is an important platform. Learners and/or students must be able to communicate freely with their teacher/lecturer, whether it be by means of social media or direct contact.
Technology has the ability to provide students with information anytime, anywhere. In his video, Michael Fullen[2] discusses the role that technology can play in deepening the quality of learning. Fullen concludes that technology plays a part in making learning “irresistibly engaging” and allows students access to problem solving at all hours. One approach that Fullen suggests for integrating technology in the classroom is the “flipped classroom” where students can access a recorded version of the lesson at home and can reflect or do the “homework” in class. Teachers are activators of and students partners in learning.
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[1] Unwin, T. (2005). Towards a framework for the use of ICT in teacher training in Africa. Open Learning, 20(2), 113–129. doi:10.1080/02680510500094124
[2] How Technology is Changing the Conversation (2014, January 20). Michael Fullan: Technology, the new pedagogy and flipped teaching Retrieved from https://youtu.be/GCvwtiOH0co
Using ICT vs Integration: What's the difference?
You might be looking at the Computer Use (Ed) module, wondering what all the fuss is about. Fear not, I initially wondered about it too!
To my mind, the affordances of technology had always seemed obvious: Tech allows us to do cooler things than before, duh! (Then again, I remember the 80s, and I've always been a bit of a SciFi geek... so there's that.)
But it isn't all as simple as that. Not only can Information and Communication Technology (ICT) be incredibly helpful – it can also be incredibly frustrating, or even scary. This ambiguous potential seems amplified when it comes to the business of teaching and learning. Some teachers/learners love ICTs, while others loathe it. The problem is, however, that we often have to fend for ourselves when it comes to adopting technology for learning and teaching – whether we have a choice in the matter or not. How do we do this, and why?
Both these questions are important to consider if we are to benefit from ICT in education. "Why" is, in my opinion, the first question we need to consider before we can get to the "How". I am not going to give you an answer though – as I want you to reflect on this and come up with some suggestions (you're welcome to use the comments section below).
Why do you think ICT is/isn't important in your teaching practice?
Maybe looking at some of the "How" ideas can help us reverse-engineer the issue:
One of the more common hiccups I've encountered in teaching practice relates to misconceptions about getting technology into the classroom. What exactly does it mean? Aren't we trying to get technology out of the classroom? Can't we just teach the way we always have? And that's the point, really... I'm sure you've been in classrooms (or lecture halls) where the facilitators are quite chuffed with themselves for "using technology to teach", mainly by translating their handouts and notes into a PowerPoint presentation. Some advancement on this approach might be a facilitator using clickers (once) to demonstrate polling. While these instances are indeed examples of using technology in the classroom, they are not exactly shining examples of integration.
What is the difference between using and integrating technology in our educational practices? The following chart, by Aditi Rao (2013), highlights some important distinctions that might help us think about the matter:
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| Source: https://teachbytes.com/2013/03/29/whats-the-difference-between-using-technology-and-technology-integration/ |
How do you see it?
FWMK
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