Final Thoughts

At the end of this semester, I am glad to say that I enjoy having this course, it was really interesting. I can remember when our instructor told us that we will have to do two projects a blog and a Webquest, I was afraid because both of them were new to me but within the course we saw that it was interesting and fun. This course gave us the opportunity to search and write reflections about the new topics we took. We have learned new things that might assist us in our teaching profession like Webquest, inquiry based learning and blogging.

We also share knowledge and ideas with our colleagues especially that we have to work in group for the Webquest project. I enjoy working with my group and I gain lots of skills throughout this course such as team work skills and presentation skills.

ICT as tutor

An information and communications technology (ICT) tutor assists the students learn to use technology for educational purposes by teaching him or her how use certain programs. ICT can serve learning process as a tutor in various ways and by providing the students with software like:

• Drill and practice

It  promotes the acquisition of knowledge or skill through repetitive practice. The purpose of drill and practice software is to have the learner memorize information the students can repeat the questions until they got the correct answer. The applications for drill and practice software include many areas like Memorization of math facts, grammar practice, and foreign language vocabulary practice.

http://www.quia.com/rr/33090.html

  I have chosen this website that offers drill and practice software in many areas and I have chosen this because I find it interesting and motivating to the students

Another website that I find and have many drill and practice applications with very interactive interface for different grades is the following website

http://www.ixl.com/

• Tutorial

Tutorial software is used to instruct the learner. This type of software may include some practice, but it is primarily used in a teaching capacity where students can learn with out any help. A good example of the tutorial software, the following site which contain many tutorials in the IT field like flash, Photoshop AutoCAD and other applications

http://www.tutorialguide.net/software/

• Games

Students admire playing games. So let them learn through playing. One of the most interesting websites that offers many educational games is the following websites

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/

• Simulation

Simulation is the interactive sample of a real or imaginary system designed to train since learning some times requires the student to be in specific environments like airplanes and this cannot be done directly at the beginning of the learning process. Here simulation helps a lot. The learner works as if he is in the real environment. Pilot-candidates learn in a simulated airplane

ICT as a mindtools

Mind tools are computer-based tools that have been developed to function as intellectual partners with the learner in order to engage and facilitate critical thinking and higher order learning. These tools include concept mapping, visualizations, live conversation, computer mediated conferences and other tools.

Mind mapping is one of the mind tools that can be used to draw diagrams to represents words, tasks, ideas and other items and link them to a central key word. I think that using diagrams to represent the information will make the information more clear to the learner and will assist in organizing the knowledge. Mind maps can be used for problem solving and for outlining framework design; also it can be used to structure relationship representations and enhancing work morale.

There are some of the mind mapping software that can be used to organize large amounts of information. Software packages can extend the concept of mind mapping by allowing individuals to map more than thoughts and ideas with information on their computers and the internet, like spreadsheets, documents, internet sites and images.

WebQuest

WebQuests are subset of Inquiry Based Learning, It is an inquiry oriented activity where the students mainly use the web as a resource to find information. WebQuests are designed to use learner's time well. WebQuests are used in variety of areas of education and for all grades. Teachers like us around the world are making WebQuests for their own classes as well as to share with others.

There are five essential  components of any  WebQuests:

1. Introduction : To draws the learners attention to the topic and inspires them into action.
2. Task : Drawn from the introduction and sets out the goal. It is the most important aspect of the WebQuest. There is often a Focus Question that defines the task.
3. Process : A description of the process the learners should go through in solving the problem. The process is broken up into clearly described steps.
4. Evaluation: Guidelines for how students will be assessed. It is usually in a rubric.
5. Conclusion : Summarizes the activities and relating it to real life situations.

In my point of view applying WebQuests in learning will enhance the student's motivations  and engagements and encourage high order thinking skills and since WebQuests are most likely to be group activity it allows students to take responsibilities and have relationship with other colleagues.

One of the most interesting WebQuests that I found is Computer viruses and malicious code WebQuest where the author start the introduction with a question to draw students attention about the viruses and malicious code, it is very attractive and interesting one.

http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=118818

Inquiry-based Learning



 Inquiry-based Learning (IBL) is a learning process through questions generated from interest, perspectives and experience of the students so normally teacher starts with a question to be solved. It is in my point of view a form of active learning and enjoyable since students investigations grow from their own questions.

Inquiry-based Learning has advantages and disadvantages over traditional learning, IBL enhances student's ability to solve problems not just getting the knowledge. In IBL students are active and involved in learning process and this will help to develop their problem solving skills in my point of view. I think that this strategy is an effective one because it allows pupils to take more responsibilities for their learning tasks which develop their habits of mind and allows creative thinking. Working in groups allows students to develop cooperation, organizations, creativity and build relationships with each others as will as with their teachers.

IBL encourages students to ask questions and discovers the answer which is opposites to the traditional approach but I can see IBL to be time consuming since there are many preparation and thinking so the teacher has to manage the time to cover the required material.



 

Inquiry-based Learning Cycle




Student Centered Learning

"Placing learner at the heart of the learning process and meeting their needs, is taken a progressive step in which learner-centered approaches mean that persons are able to learn what is relevant for them in ways that are appropriate" (Edwards 2001:37)

Student Centered Learning (SCL) is an educational approach that focuses on the students needs and this has many implications in the design of the curriculum and interactivity of the course.

As student SCL is very interesting and fun to me. SCL allows me to learn what I want to learn and in the way I want so I will be more motivated and committed toward learning. It will enhance my self confidence and build relationships and emotions with other colleagues that I normally cooperate with them. What does make it more flexible for me is that allowing me to study and work outside the school and have access to wide range of resources and not only the teacher. One disadvantage that I may encounter is that getting inaccurate information so I have to be careful for the resources and ask my teacher for any information that I am not sure of.

Student Centered Learning for me as a teacher has many advantages and disadvantages. One main advantage that my students will be active and engaged in the learning process and they will not complain about the material or assessments since they are involved directly in curriculum development for the course. Student Centered Learning allows me to have good relationship with my students since I will be a guide for them. On the other hand there are some disadvantages for applying SCL in the class like having students working in group leads to some unwanted noise in the class and this problem can be resolved by stating classroom rules and the consequences of breaking these rules and allowing the students to participate in the development in my point of view will give more control on the class.  

As a teacher here in Bahrain, teachers are not very much aware of SCL and how to apply it in education and this needs some efforts from ministry of education for conducting workshops in this area.

Computer as tutor, tutee and tool

These days computer has become an important contributor in the area of education and I believe that it is playing and will play an important role in learning. Computer can be used in three basic ways in schools as a tutor, tutee and tool.

In my area of specialization as a computer science teacher I have used the computer in these three ways. I have used the computer as a tool in the teaching process when I taught my students MS word and other office programs where the students use the computer as a mean to do specific things like writing a letter.

Computer can also be used as a tutor and here the computer will teach the learner and he/ she has to respond. My master thesis was about implementing such system; I have developed a computerized testing module using Visual Basic and provide it with the material and pupils have to respond to the questions.

Finally, Computer works as a tutee where the students have to learn a programming language like Visual Basic, C and other languages to build a program that will teach the subject and in my opinion in this way the students will learn more about the subject in order to write the program and I think that the gained information will be much more than the other ways.