Lessons learnt:
This week, I learnt how to make a proper lesson plan. I think SIOs are useful in reminding us of what we should achieve at the end of lesson. However we have to also be mindful of some setbacks in class and modify the plan according to the current needs.

Application:
For the lesson plan formulated this week, my group has successfully applied the concepts of SDL and CL. I like the lesson plan because it allows students to first apply the knowledge and skills they have individually, and subsequently share it with their peers. Individual work is critical for students to self-assess their strengths and weaknesses (e.g. weak in interpreting political cartoons but better with speeches). After discovering their strengths and weaknesses, students improve by practicing and also learning from others who are better (students can find out during CL who these people are)

The lesson plan also incorporated the use of ICT (mindmeister) in lesson. Mindmaps are extremely useful in History as chunks of information can be streamlined into smaller digestible parts. Having a more compact map to study is definitely less intimidating than browsing through a whole chapter.

Questions:
I would love to know how extensive is the use of ICT in classes today. So far I have only seen ppts and viewing of youtube vids in class. I would not consider those integrating the use of ICT in lessons. The sch I was at for ESE did not have wireless internet access, and there were no PCs in class. Making students travel to the Comp labs will take time (oh yes, we were once like too, taking our own sweet time getting to classes!), eating into our lesson time, and also the next lesson.
How do we overcome lack of resources? I would like to use ICT in lessons, but I reckon it will take up probably the whole week, and also require students to have internet access at home (to finish up loose ends and prepare for the next lesson).
This will sound very pessimistic but, how possible is this in mainstream schools in Singapore? Are we making lofty plans which we have to shelve once we start teaching?