WEEK 13: Today I Learn, Today I Question

 

This week we discuss about future education. I’m a bit late today, when I step in MK2, Monica already start her presentation. She presented the future education trend in front of us successfully. From her presentation, I have clear whole image about the future education. 

People are always looking forward to the future. As an educator, we also should looking forward to the future of education, I really can feel the challenges in us after the presentation. Our clients are digital native who are totally learn differently from how we learn. What are their needs? How do they learn best? These are questions Monica ask at the beginning of presentation and definitely are important questions we should ask ourselves.

Besides that, I think we must change our mindset, it is much more difficult than we can imagine. Malaysian Smart School Project is a vision, looks wonderful & perfect, but just like other government project, lack of effectively implementation. In my opinion, this may be because the people still not aware of that due to lacking publicity. Frankly speaking, from what I can see in my own school, I deeply felt that to become a smart school  more like a slogan, it seems still very far away. As to make this project success, government have to invest a lot of money but all the efforts will just wasted if appropriate mechanism still not implement. Therefore, educate the people before invest the money.

WEEK 12：Today I Learn, Today I Question

 

This week we explore to blended learning, which I think is quite practical to our education system today. blending involves providing the end-user with the appropriate learning delivery mode (ILT classroom, virtual classroom, web-based tutorial, CD-ROM, mentoring, team collaboration, and print) to support the learning objectives. The advantages of blended learning is quite impressive. The power of the blend is in sequencing the activities, engaging the learner in different ways, and then optimizing the combined learning effect. In a blended course, truly "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts." The design challenge is to create the most effective synergy of activities and learning style engagements. Blended Learning incorporates all the options and benefits of synchronous, asynchronous, and traditional delivery modes. It is believe will effectively engage the learning preferences of the students. But, just like other learning approaches, an instructor needs to plan carefully according so that it will really bring positive effect to the students. And I believe, the blended learning will play an important role leads our education from tradisioanl approach to e-learning in future.

We explore to Bloom Tax and Technology Integration Matrix resource. These two resource really useful in helping teacher design activity according to students technology level. I found that the TIM is really useful guide to teachers who like to integrate technology in their classroom. It gave me some inspiration how to design my lesson with some technology tools. I believe it will also help others who wish to improve their teaching instruction with technology.

 

 

      

 

WEEK 11: TODAY I LEARN, TODAY I QUESTION

 

This week, our class turn up side down by Shakieerah with her Flipped Classroom. We have “heated discussion” during her presentation. If we use positive thinking, that’s really amazing idea! Especially students won’t feel bored with the lesson. For Chinese language lessons, maybe it is good idea because teachers can maximal the use of class time to conduct some meaningful activities, provided teacher can manage this situation well and student engage fully.

On the other hand, this new idea may also cause the T&L process “upside down”. In my previous experience, this idea is too ideal, although it might useful for good students, but for lazy students, they probably will respond for the first few times because it is still “fresh” for them, but after the “enthusiasm” cooled, they will just ignore even teacher send the video to them.

And for those don’t have internet service at home, they will be left out. I have an experience. I let them watch the same video in class due to half of the class didn’t watch the video before class. As a result, more and more students give up to watch the video at home. If wants them to stay back for video watching, that’s another problem. Teacher must have a multimedia room ready for them to walk in any time. For me, frankly speaking it is not possible. What if ask them to stay after school? We have to ensure they return home safely, if not, that will be a big problem for the teacher.

Even they have internet, they would rather play games online and not learning. Then the next question will be “Will teacher be able to produce a good video which can engage them and  at the same time successfully support T&L in classroom? Frankly speaking, we are not ICT people who professional in produce high quality stuff. Additional, if the teacher have more than 9 classes from 4-5 different form have to take care? If they don’t browse the material before class? Teacher has to prepare a plan B, that will double the work.

In my opinion, this idea may be more suitable for higher education or smart school. for those schools which only have one projector/ one multimedia room share with 100 teachers, this idea is too ideal to be achieved. Therefore, to be able to implement successfully, Ministry of Education has to prepare enough funds for infrastructure and also mentally prepare the teacher. The most important thing is train them how to apply this idea before invest. if not, the technology equipment will only be another big white board in classroom.  

 

Accidently found this research paper while searching for literature review:

Using podcasts to replace lecture: Effects on student achievement

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131511000820

This study examined achievement when podcasts were used in place of lecture in the core technology course required for all students seeking teacher licensure at a large research-intensive university in the Southeastern United States. Further, it examined the listening preferences of the podcast group and the barriers to podcast use. The results revealed that there was no significant difference in the achievement of preservice teachers who experienced podcast instruction versus those who received lecture instruction. Further, there was no significant difference in their study habits. Participants preferred to use a computer and Blackboard for downloading the podcasts, which they primarily listened to at home. They tended to like the podcasts as well as the length of the podcasts and felt that they were reasonably effective for learning. They agreed that the podcasts were easy to use but disagreed that they should be used to replace lecture. Barriers to podcast use include unfamiliarity with podcasts, technical problems in accessing and downloading podcasts, and not seeing the relevance of podcasts to their learning.

So, flipped or not?