A summary of what I got out of e-learning week.
I have a deeper appreciation for the power of lesson planning now. Previously, based on my own educational journey and contract teaching experience, my idea of e-learning was: upload Powerpoint slides and online quiz, then sit back and check the access rate and scores. This is in sharp contrast to what I have learned from attempting the activities and reading what my other classmates have written in their assessments. I would say that e-learning should not be disjointed from the usual lessons and its usefulness can be harnessed by aligning post e-learning lessons to what was covered in e-learning week. Planning how the online lesson would be executed is also crucial to minimize any problems that could arise.
I realize that sometimes the default ICT tools used by schools may not be the right tools for the job. Different activities calls for different tools and finding the right ones and learning how to harness its affordances goes a long way in making e-learning much more meaningful and fun.
Another aspect of teaching which should not be forgotten is the involvement of parents in their child's learning. This is especially when the learning involves the use of the Internet, which can bring with it a different set of risks and problems. Involving parents in educating their child is safer, brings intangible benefits to the child and bonds them closer together.
In conclusion, I feel that I can make my online lessons much more effective now and a lot more fun for my students and not forgetting, me.
So... what are the "default ICT tools used by schools" and why aren't they riht for the job?
ReplyDeleteHi Adam,
ReplyDeleteI do not really think there are any default ICT tools used by schools? Isn't ICT supposed to come into play insofar as it enhances and aids learning? I understand that there are default learning approaches, such as case-based learning/ project-based learning, resource-based learning etc but no default ICT tools as you mentioned.
If I am not wrong, different schools have a differently mentality to ICT and therefore incorporate ICT differently. Schools that really support the use of ICT and have the available technology (i.e.: all students have laptops)are able to incorporate activities such as e-learning week.
On the other hand, schools who do not support such ways of learning (i.e.: not all students are able to afford laptops or not all classrooms have computers) will then be less suited for incorporating ICT during lesson time.
Jin Xun
Hi Dr Tan,
ReplyDeleteI had the LMS of schools in mind when I was talking about the default ICT tools. I had a chance to use that system as a means to instruct, upload learning resources and track learning of my students during CT. I didn't feel that my students got much out of it and that made me question the usefulness of e-learning rather than questioning the usefulness of the tools.
Hi Jin Xun,
ReplyDeleteI was writing based on my own tiny slice of experience in one school only and I felt ICT could be implemented better there.
I understood default tool as the learning management system employed by a school.