ICT and the Learning Principles of the Primary School Curriculum.

Primary school teachers should be able to incorporate a range of teaching and learning resources into their teaching methods in order to be able to support children’s on-going realization of their individual potential and as the member of the society. Thus, the aims of the National Education Philosophy to produce individuals who are developed holistically in terms of physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual can be achieved. Technology tools are able to transform classroom learning and teaching as through the use of ICT teachers and students are offered educational tools and resources which extend their learning environment.

There are 3 approaches in using ICT in teaching and learning which are learning about ICT, learning with ICT, and learning through ICT. Learning about ICT is when both teachers and students develop skills and knowledge in using ICT to support learning. Teachers need the skills and knowledge in order to develop resources. As for students, they need the skills to enable them to understand the resources or tools that have been used by the teachers. Both teachers and students will be able to extend their learning environment with these skills. As they acquire the skills needed, they will be able to use ICT resources to support the learning. When they are able to use the ICT, therefore they are able to transform the teaching and learning in new ways as they learn through the ICT. In order to successfully use ICT tools to support the curriculum, it is necessary to learn about ICT.

The curriculum has provided a range of principles in learning which should exist in the teaching and learning in the classroom. ICT are able to support those principles by providing suitable teaching and learning activities, tools, and resources that can be used by the teachers for the students.

Based on my reading from the book, the teaching and learning strategies using ICT suggested have considered a few factors that relate to the children for example, the characteristics of the children, in terms of their age, proficiency, background, previous knowledge, their cognitive and etc. Moreover, in each strategies suggested, the support are provided to enhance children’s learning. Most important thing, ICT offers teaching and learning strategies that can help to develop children in all aspects which are intellectual, physical, emotional and spiritual development.

The Use of Interactive Whiteboards In Schools

The article on “The Use of Interactive Whiteboards in Schools” is very useful for me. It gives me the idea of the practical suggestions that give benefit to the teachers and future teacher like me. This article contains of 4 parts. The first is the technical bits. It tells about the physical part of the interactive whiteboard. We need to be familiar with the entire physical parts o the board before starting to use it. Even though it is just a small thing, we should know how it functions.

The second part of this article talks about the software that is used in the board. Here are five different types of software that can be used in IWB. IWB operating software, the support tools, the generic tools, interactive programs, and remote access. The support tools and the interactive programs are the software that most captured my interest. The support tools provide useful libraries of software tools. Besides, it included tools that are very useful to be used for the primary students. Meanwhile, the interactive programs offer interactive activities that can be used in teaching such as games. This software can be used as hands on activity to make teaching and learning more fun and interesting.
The third part gives information about the levels of interactivity. And the last part included twelve teaching techniques using the IWB which are very useful for me as future teacher. These techniques make teaching and learning process become interactive as it makes easier for teachers to prepare their resources. “Developing Tray” for instance enables teacher to use a variety techniques to reveal their resources. This is very useful as teachers can use this technique when they want deliver info separately. Another technique that I like is “Multiple Pages”. It is very interesting as teachers will not have problem about space anymore. It allows teachers to go back to the page that they have used earlier without having to write them again. Other techniques such as “Prepared Links, Boundaries, lesson Outlines, Brain Storms, Handwriting, List Sorting, Simulations, Video Shorts, Maths and Science Symbols, and Concept Maps” also very useful for the teachers.
The workshop carried out by Miss Fenny gave me knowledge about IWB and this article has increase the knowledge by giving me the idea of the teaching techniques using IWB, the software included in the IWB and etc. All the knowledge that I have gained will be very useful and will help me a lot in designing the teaching resources using the IWB for the assignment 3.

Educational Websites..for teachers and students.

In nowadays world, we are facing the globalization in education. It's true. With just a click on the mouse, we can get anything we want regarding education. Education nowadays has become modern and conquered technology. Dealing with technology enables teachers to have the latest information on education, and resources in teaching. Educational websites such as EduwebTV, CikguNet, Etems, MOE and etc can help teachers in their teaching and learning process. Teacher can ask their students to go into this websites in order to give them a wider knowledge.
Teacher can give the web address to their students in order to ensure that they surf for the right websites. This is because, some websites are not good to be logged on. Good websites as I mentioned are good to be recommended for the students.
Educational websites are useful for both teachers and students. As for teachers, they can share any new teaching methods, approaches, resources and etc with other teachers all over the world. As some people say, sharing is caring. Meanwhile, for students the learning will not just centered in the classroom but become wider with no boundaries.

The matter here is how we as teachers exploit the resources available for us and make it useful for us as well as the students.

SMARTBOARD..

Technology has become an important thing for teachers.
Teacher can use technology to make the teaching and learning become more meaningful and interactive. SMARTBOARD, an interactive whiteboard that can make students engage in learning, interact in learning. Using this interactive tool, teachers can involve their students in the learning as teachers can design many interactive activities using smartboard. This tool is very user friendly, students can write on it, drag things from it, and so on. The archive in this technology being very helpful for teachers. it provides colourful pictures, interesting videos, animations and etc that can help teachers to design teaching and learning activities which have the quality.

Before this, I don't really like this tool very much because I did not know how to handle it. But, with the latest version software from smart technologies, I think that I have to learn and be comfortable with this tool because it is very useful for teachers.

Guess I have to learn and explore more on the software so that I will be more comfortable when using it.

Video submission

The time had come when we had to submit our assignment 2. At last, I was able to finish it on time. we had to submit it in groups. all of us made it on time. Making a video that is going to be used for primary school children is not that easy. we had to consider lots of things such as the target audience for that video, their age, previous knowledge, the outcome that we want to achieve when they see the video and so on. All these things are very important because this will ensure whether the message or input from the video is delivered and children are able to gain knowledge from it.
My video in meant for the upper primary children for teaching science.

In completing this video, I used windows movie maker. It was the first time for me dealing with this software. I learnt how to import pictures, insert music, and how to add text in order to produce a 3 minutes video. It was not that easy for a new learner like me. But that didn't make me lose my motivation. With the help of my friends, I was able to complete it and I was very satisfied with my final product. I don't know how well or bad my video is but the main thing is, I satisfied with my work.

The most important thing is I learn a new skill and gain lots of new knowledge.