E Learning day

Scenario 1

Activity B

In this activity, you are to read Scenario 1 carefully and then propose pre-emptive/intervention strategies that can help Mrs. Xing solve her classroom management issues. Post this your group blog and invite others to respond. In addition, critique the strategies posted by your peers and suggest other refinements if necessary. You are encouraged to substantiate your viewpoints by citing papers and articles you have read.

Here is what i have to say.

Among a list of inhibitors hindering teachers from using ICT effectively are teaching experiences with ICT and onsite support for teachers and students. Taken from Goliath Business News - http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5392563/Managing-teachers-barriers-to-ICT.html

The general assumption is that once hardware and software are readily available in schools, ICT integration will automatically follow. Miss Xing has no professional experience in ICT. She has problems managing her students as some of them are computer literate and some are not. She should thoroughly plan her lessons before conducting them. Yes, she did some self-directed learning by getting the help of others about ICT and browsing samples of what others did, but it was not enough. Ms Xing should have observed an ICT class to get a feel of the lesson proper. Reflecting on how the observation went would have boosted her confidence on how to conduct her own ICT lessons. Ms Xing should also brief her class before the session about computer etiquette, class cooperation and the lesson flow to allow them to know what is expected.

Ms Xing should also get the help of a qualified ICT instructor to help her in the lesson. For the fast learners, the instructor would be able to guide them along while Ms Xing would tend to the slower ones. With this cooperative effort, the lesson would be able to go on smoothly.

Finally, as a beginning teacher, Ms Xing should be open to feedback, be it negative or positive as these would only serve to help her in future. She should use level meetings to collaborate with other more senior teachers to come up with ideas on how to improve ICT lessons.

A teacher's vision of the use of technology to improve his/her existing classroom practices will eventually determine the extent and effectiveness of ICT integration in the classroom. Roblyer (1993)

Thanks for reading what I have to say. Suggestions? Comments?

Conclusion

Learning through blogs is a good way of incorporating ICT into the curriculum. Blogs are interactive and if there is something to be added a simple click of the mouse will do it. With the internet so vast, it’s easy to be lost at sea while surfing for the information that we need. But I am learning by sieving – important points are saved or bookmarked for further readings.

As for point 2, I will have to read everyone’s entry to be able to answer it.

Everyone has comments which are geared towards the goal of using technology to help students understand better. Planning is always easier than doing it. The majority of students will want to use ICT and learn from it but as always, a few will always be there to abuse the freedom given to them. But it is a head start. When China cars were first introduced to the Singaporean Market, everyone thought they were leaky tin cans, including me. The number of people turning to China cars is slowly increasing now. It will take time, but surely as the sun will set and the night will come, ICT will slowly find its way into the everyday lives of educators and learners alike.