ENHANCED SCHOOL EXPERIENCE:
PREPARATORY TASK FOR ICT FOR MEANINGFUL LEARNING
Enhanced School Experience: Classroom Observations of ICT Use |
(I) Specific Observations |
School Name: |
Class: |
Profile of the class: (For e.g., the students’ academic abilities, stream and other characteristics) The students are in Sec 3E1, the first class of the Express Stream (after banding). They are diligent and eager to learn. There are no disciplinary problems and the teacher need not spend time maintaining order in the classroom. The students are very attentive, well-behaved and cooperative with the teacher. |
Subject: |
What ICT tools are used in the lesson? The teacher uses Cover-it-live, a live blogging site, to engage students in their discussion of an argumentative essay topic, “Are gay marriages acceptable?” |
Describe how ICT is used for teaching and learning in the lesson. Students key in their responses to the questions posted by their instructor. As a result, the instructor is able to get instant feedback on how the students are performing, as well as to comment on students’ answers swiftly and spontaneously. Students are able to keep themselves updated on the constant and steady flow of information posted by their teacher. In addition, this method puts the teacher in a position where she is able to engage in an effective dialogue with her students instead of allowing her to monopolise the entire interaction between her and her students. This enables the teacher to learn more about her students’ thoughts and opinions while her students enjoy the process of actively participating in the discussion. |
(I) General Observation:
How do teachers in the school feel about the use of ICT for teaching and learning? (For this question, you may want to speak to the HOD/ICT and other teachers you know in the school.)
Most teachers in New Town Sec School are conservative about the use of ICT in classroom teaching as they are used to the traditional whiteboard-and-marker approach, as well as the employment of the visualiser in the classroom. They feel that ICT has to be utilised purposefully and support the learning objectives. However, some teachers acknowledged that the use of Google Docs and discussion forums, for instance, would help to promote self-directed and collaborative learning as students learn to work as a team by performing a task together. This enables class bonding and develops social skills in students. These are also effective synchronous tools to engage the students and stimulate their interest in the subjects as it gives them equal opportunities to participate in class discussions. It also encourages quieter students to voice their opinions and share their ideas with their classmates. The vice-principal expressed the view that even though teachers should be equipped with ready IT skills to meet challenges in the 21st century classroom, the ultimate goal of applying ICT to the classroom setting should be to enhance teaching, as well as the students’ learning experience. Hence, ICT should act as a complement, and not as a substitute, to traditional pedagogical methods. ICT should be the means to achieving success and obtaining desired outcomes and results in the classroom. Instead of completely taking over the teacher’s role as the chief facilitator of classroom learning, ICT should play a supporting and auxiliary role. The teacher should be able to manage and manipulate ICT to suit the needs of their students and not to use it just for the sake of using it. One Geography teacher I spoke to told me about his initial scepticism and apprehension about conducting his lessons in the computer labs as there are only 2 IT labs in the school, and there might be occasions when students claim that they fail to log in or that they have forgotten their passwords to their school accounts. This would contribute to the delay of class time. Also, there are worries that students might be easily distracted by social-networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter while navigating the World Wide Web. If the students are unable to exercise discipline and self-control while having lessons in the computer labs, it would be hard for the teacher to sustain the momentum. However, his use of online games proves to be successful in capturing students’ attention as it serves as a stimulus for them to understand the topics better. In order to educate his students on the dangers posed by natural disasters such as floods, tsunamis, earthquakes and hurricanes, he makes them play the Stop Disasters Game, a simulation game devised by the UN/ISDR. Students feel motivated and determined to perform well as they compete to outshine one another in their scores. Some of his students were so fascinated by it that they took the initiative to find out more about the prevention and mitigation measures to such natural hazards on their own. He also makes his students post their comments, as well as write about their prior knowledge about a certain topic via Linoit, a website that allows users to post online stickies. As a result, he is better able to adapt and cater to their learning needs. Students could access Linoit from their home, in the classroom or any other places. This makes it an easy, efficient and convenient tool for the students to interact with their teacher.
During one of the Professional Development meetings that were held every Wednesday, an English language teacher shared with us her practice of giving students assignments that require them to use podcasts to record themselves speaking so as to hone their confidence in oral and communication skills. She sees podcasting as a useful means to boost her students' oral prowess as they are able to listen to their voices over and over again, as well as to assess and reflect on their mistakes so as to improve upon their previous performances. Hence, to her, the use of podcasts carries the potential to serve as a constructive tool as it furnishes students with opportunities to polish up their spoken English.
During one of the Professional Development meetings that were held every Wednesday, an English language teacher shared with us her practice of giving students assignments that require them to use podcasts to record themselves speaking so as to hone their confidence in oral and communication skills. She sees podcasting as a useful means to boost her students' oral prowess as they are able to listen to their voices over and over again, as well as to assess and reflect on their mistakes so as to improve upon their previous performances. Hence, to her, the use of podcasts carries the potential to serve as a constructive tool as it furnishes students with opportunities to polish up their spoken English.
Another teacher told me that simply having the necessary IT support and infrastructure is inadequate as sufficient time and effort should be invested in the training of teaching personnel so that they possess the know-how and confidence to utilise the software and apply it for classroom teaching. She feels that teachers should also lend a personalised touch to the use of ICT in classroom teaching. Students should also be taught to distinguish between facts and opinions while conducting research online. They should not accept and take ideas that are offered to them at face value without analysing and interpreting them. Over-reliance on online research could also discourage students from thinking critically and independently, as well as brainstorming for creative solutions to problems.
Some of the older teachers in the school, especially those teaching Mother Tongue, are not very open and comfortable with the use of ICT in their teaching as they feel that it does not necessarily aid the students in their understanding of the key concepts that have been taught. The more adventurous teachers, on the other hand, feel that IT resources in the school are limited, obsolete and inadequate to support ICT learning. As of now, the school has yet to try Live Class, a function in AsknLearn that allows teachers to broadcast live e-lectures for students to access from anywhere in the world even as they are aware that it has worked wonders for students in other schools.
Some of the older teachers in the school, especially those teaching Mother Tongue, are not very open and comfortable with the use of ICT in their teaching as they feel that it does not necessarily aid the students in their understanding of the key concepts that have been taught. The more adventurous teachers, on the other hand, feel that IT resources in the school are limited, obsolete and inadequate to support ICT learning. As of now, the school has yet to try Live Class, a function in AsknLearn that allows teachers to broadcast live e-lectures for students to access from anywhere in the world even as they are aware that it has worked wonders for students in other schools.
