Lesson 10- The Computer as a Tutor

The computer is one of the wonders of human ingenuity, even in its original design in the 1950's to carry out complicated mathematical and logical operations. With the invention of the microcomputer (now commonly referred to PCs or personal computers), the PC has become the tool for programmed instruction.Educators saw much use of the PC. It has become affordable to small business, industries and homes. They saw its potential for individualization in learning, especially as individualized learning is a problem since teachers usually with a class of forty or more learners. They therefore devised strategies to use the computer to the break the barriers to individualized instruction

Computer-assisted instruction (CAI)

The computer can be a tutor in effect relieving teacher of many activities in his personal role as classroom tutor. It should be made clear, however, that the computer cannot totally replace the teacher since the teacher shall continue to play the major roles of information deliverer and learning environment controller. Even with the available computer and CAI software, the teacher must. Insure that students have the needed knowledge and skills for any computer activity. Decide the appropriate learning objectives. Plan the sequential and structured activities to achieve objectives. Evaluate the students’ achievements by ways of tests the specific expected outcomes.

On the other hand, the student in CAI play their own roles as learners as they:

• Receive information
• Understand instruction for the computer activity
• Retain/keep in mind the information and rules for the computer activity
• Apply the knowledge and rules during the process of computer learning

During the computer activity proper in CAI the computer too plays its roles as it:

• Act as a sort of tutor (the role traditional played by the teacher)
• Provides a learning environment
• Delivers learning instruction
• Reinforces learning through drill and practice
• Provides feedback

Today, educators accept the fact that the computer has indeed succeeded in providing an individualized learning environment so difficult for a teacher handling whole classes. This is so, since the  computer able to  allow individual student to learn out their own pace, motivate learning through a challenging virtual learning environment, assist student through information needed during the learning process, evaluate student responses through immediate feedback during the learning process also give the total score to evaluate the student’s total performance.

CAI Integrated with Lesson

CAI computer learning should not stop with the drill and practice activities of students in effect, CAI work best in reinforcing learning trough repetitive exercise such that student can practice basic skills or knowledge in various subject areas. Common types of drill and practice programs include vocabulary building, math facts, and basic science, and history or geography facts. In these programs, the computer presents a question/ problem the first and the student is asked to answer the question/problem. Immediate feedback is given to the student’s answer. After the number of practice problems and at the end of the exercise, the students get a summary of his overall performance.

SIMULATION PROGRAMS

Simulation software materials are another kind of software that is constructivist in nature. This simulation software.Teacher strategies and rules applied to real-life problems/situation Ask students to make decision on models or scenarios.Allow students to manipulate elements of a model and get the experience of the effect of their decisions.An example of such software is SimCity in which students are allowed to artificially manage a city environment. Decision-making involve such factors as budget, crime, education, transportation, energy resources, waste disposal, business/ industries available.

INSTRUCTIONAL GAMES

While relating to low level learning objectives (e.g. basic spelling or math skills), instructional computer games add the elements of competition and challenge.

An example is GeoSafari which introduces adventure activities for Geography History and Science. The program can be played by up to four players to form teams. Learning outcomes can be achieved along simple memorization of information, keyboarding skills, cooperation and social interaction, etc.

PROBLEM SOLVING SOFTWARE

These are more sophisticated than the drill and practice exercises and allow students to learn and improve on their own problem solving ability. Since problems cannot be solved simply by memorizing facts, the students have to employ higher thinking skills such as logic, recognition, reflection, and strategy-making.

The Thinking Things 1 is an example of a problem solving software in which the team learners must help each other by observing comparing.

MULTIMEDIA ENCYCLOPEDIA AND ELECTRONIC BOOKS

The Multimedia Encyclopedia can score a huge database with text, images, animation, audio and video. Students can access any desired information, search it vast contents and even download/print relevant portions of the data for their composition or presentation. An example is the eyewitness children’s encyclopedia.

Electronic books provide textual information for reading supplemented by other types of multimedia information (sounds, spoken words, pictures, animation). These are useful for learning reading, spelling and word skills. Examples are Just Grandma and Me animated storybook which offer surprises for the young learner’s curiosity.

Lesson 9 - Computers as Information and Communication Technology

 Computer assisted instruction (CAI) was introduced using the principle of individualized learning through a positive climate that includes realism and appeal with drill exercise that uses color, music and animation. The novelty of CAI has not waned to this offered by computer-equipped private schools. But the evolving pace of innovation in today’s Information Age is so dynamic that within the first decade of the 21st century, computer technology in education has matured to transform into an educative information and communication technology (ICT) in education.

The Personal Computer (PC) as ICT

Until the nineties, it was still possible to distinguish between instructional media and the educational communication media.

Instructional media consist of audio-visual aids that served to enhance and enrich the teaching-learning process. Examples are the blackboard, photo, film, and video

On the other hand, educational communication media comprise the media communication to audiences including learners using the print, film radio, and television or satellite means of communication.  For example, distance learning were implemented using correspondence, radio, television or the computer satellite system. Close to the turn of the 21st century however, such a distinction merge owing to the advert of the microprocessor, also known as the personal computer (PC). This is due to the fact that the PC user at home, office and school has before him a tool for both audio-visual creations and media communication.

 

To illustrate, let’s examine the programs (capabilities) normally installed in an ordinary modern PC:

• Microsoft Office - program for composing text, graphics, photos into letters, articles, report, etc.
• Power point - for preparing lecture presentations.
• Excel - for spreadsheets and similar graphic sheets.
• Internet Explorer - access to the internet.
• Yahoo or Google - websites; e-mail, chat rooms, blog sites, news service (print/video) educational software etc.
• Adobe Reader - graphs/photo composition and editing.
• MSN - mail/chat messaging
• Windows media player - CD, VCD player, editing film/video
• Cyber Power - DVD player
• Gamehouse - video games

Lesson 8 - Higher Thinking Skills Through IT-Based Projects

Four types of IT-based projects which can effectively be used in order to engage students in activities of a higher plane of thinking. To be noted id the fact that these projects differ in the specific process and skills employed, also in the ultimate activity or platform used to communicate completed products to others. It is to be understood that these projects do not address all of the thinking skills shown previously in the Thinking Skills Framework. But these projects represent constructivist project.

 Key Elements of a constructivist approach:

• The teacher creating the learning environment.
• The teacher giving students the tool
• The teacher facilitating learning.

Now let us see four IT-based projects conducive to develop higher thinking skills and creativity among learners.

I.   RESOURCE-BASED PROJECTS

The teacher steps out of the traditional role of being an context expert and information provider, and instead lets the students find their own facts and information.

The general flows of events in resource-based projects are:

• The teacher determines the topic for the examination of class.
• The teacher presents the problem to the class.
• The students find information on the problem/questions.
• Students organize their information in response to the problem/questions.

TRADITIONAL AND RESOURCE-BASED LEARNING

Traditional learning model	Resource-based learning model
Teacher is expert and information provides	Teacher is a guide and facilitator
Textbook is key source of information	Sources are varied(print, video. Internet, etc.)
Focus on facts Information is packaged In neat parcels	Focus on learning inquiry, quest, or discovery
The product is the be-all and end-all of learning	Emphasis on process
Assessment is quantitative	Assessment is quantitative and qualitative.

II.   SIMPLE CREATIONS

In developing software, creativity as an outcome should not be equated with ingenuity or high intelligence. Creating is more consonant with planning, making, assembling, designing or building.

Three kinds of skills/abilities:

• Analyzing- distinguishing similarities and differences/ seeing the project as a problem to be solved.
• Synthesizing- making spontaneous connections among ideas, does generating interesting or new ideas.
• Promoting- selling of a new ideas to allow the public to test the ideas themselves.
•  

The five key task to develop creativity:

1. Define the task- clarify the goal of the completed project to the student.
2. Brainstorm- the students themselves will be allowed to generate their own ideas on the project. Rather than shoot down ideas, the teacher encourages ideas exchange.
3. Judge the ideas- the students themselves make an appraisal for or against any idea. Only when students are completely off check should the teacher intervene.
4. Act- the students do their work with the teacher a facilitator.
5. Adopt flexibility- the students should be allowed to shift gears and not follow an action path rigidly.

III. GUIDED HYPERMEDIA PROJECTS

The production of self-made multimedia projects can be approached into different ways:

Instructive tools- such as in the production by students of a power point presentation of a selective topic.

Constructive tools- such as when students do a multi-media presentation (with text, graphs, photos, audio narration, interviews, video clips, etc. to simulate a television news show.

IV. WEB-BASED PROJECTS

Students can be made to create and post webpages on a given topic. But creating webpages, even single webpages, may be too sophisticated and time consuming for the average student. Creativity projects as tools in the teaching learning process can be achieved with the assistance of advisers adept in the technical use of Internet resources.

Lesson 6 - Developing Basic Digital Skills

In order for teachers to better adapt of the digital world, it must be made to know to them the basic skills to develop. Of course, primarily, it should be the 3 R’s: Reading, writing, and arithmetic. There are six skills essential in equipping the students to become successful – fluency skills. These are:

Solution Fluency – This refers to the capacity of students to devise creative solution to problems, apply and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution.

Information Fluency - This refers to the (a) ability to access information not only in the internet but on other resources too; (b) ability to retrieved information; and (c) ability to evaluate and reflect on the validity and accuracy of information and be able to rewrite the information in own words.

Collaboration Fluency – This refers to the teamwork be it virtual or actual, of the learners. There is partnership among learners in learning.

Media Fluency - This refers to the ability to evaluate information from chosen media and the ability to creatively make one that can also be published.

Creativity Fluency – This refers to the ability to creatively create stuffs.

Digital Ethics – As a digital citizen, the digital learner is guided by principles that would help him/her do right decisions. Before he/she clicks, he/she thinks.

Higher Thinking Skills

Entering the new world of information and communication technology opens the way for complex and higher cognitive skills. While Bloom's Taxonomy of Thinking Skills can serve as a general framework of skills, a new era of creativity in the digital world has led to introducing a kind of framework that requires information processing, idea creation and real-world problem-solving skills. The following taxonomy may be proposed.

The above taxonomy is patterned after new scientific knowledge on how the human brain works. The right hemisphere of the brain works sequentially through a series of events like talking, reading, and writing. It is logical and good at decoding along the literal level of meaning. Individual analysis of images, events and ideas is what the left brain is good at. On the other hand, the right hemisphere of the brain takes care of synthesis, emotional expression, context within a bigger picture in order to create meaning.  Instead of parts, it sees many things at once all parts of of a geometric figure, the various elements of a situation, the understanding of meaning. For example, drawing the literal meaning is done by the left brain, while understanding the meaning or theme in a figurative literary piece is done by the right brain.

In this approach, skills are developed and the learning outcome is achieved by students themselves. The structured problem solving-process known as 4D's also exemplifies the instructional shift in digital learning:

• Define the problem
• Design the solution
• Do the work 
• Debrief on the outcome

The teacher will have to move away from the center stage of the classroom, and allow students the limelight of the teaching-learning process. This is the same as the shift from teacher-centered to student-centered learning, which is the new teaching paradigm most appropriate for learning in a digital age.

Lesson 7 - Evaluation of Technology Learning

This lesson entails about how to determine if the technology is appropriate and enhances the teaching and learning process. Evaluation is used in Ed Tech and its means considering the merits of the material used. Its strength and weaknesses as a tool for learning. It emphasizes the role of digital instructions in the modern times especially in evaluating student outputs. The student standard evaluation of learning must change. As efforts are exerted to go digital in instruction, we need to also go digital in learning. Today, students are expected to be not only cognitive, but also flexible, analytical, and creative. Students must have the six important fluencies that reflect process skills.

Teachers must adopt a new mindset both for instruction and evaluation. Evaluation must be geared to assessment of essential knowledge and skills so that learners can function effectively, productively and creatively in a new world. It must use evaluative tools that measures the new basic skills of the 21st century digital culture, namely solution fluency, information fluency, collaboration fluency, media fluency, creativity fluency and digital citizenship.

Mass amateurization

The change of evaluation approach, from the amateur creator of outputs to professional creator of outcomes and products. It gives an impression to the teachers and learners that high technologies are very essential for the learning and evaluating process.