PURPOSE OF THE BLOG
Welcome to my site!!
This is my blog ever on a blog and it feels somewhat exciting.
I have created this blog as a part of my University assignment as it formed a key component of one of my assessments for a unit titled 'Effective Teaching and Professional Practice', part of the Masters of Teaching qualification that I am currently enrolled in and it was a bit hard to start it without having any prior knowledge of how to do it. But now as I am confident in operating it, I feel that this blog is an excellent way to develop professionally and to interact with other colleagues, classmates, and school teachers. I have given the link to my cooperating teacher and she is fairly interested in reading how I feel about my practicum visits. This blog is to record my experience and thoughts about my teaching experience as a student teacher. I have tried to build separate pages so that everyone can access them with ease. I have recorded my experiences and so far my days have been great! I have also put a few posts about my observations in practicum, my readings, general observations about education and teaching and other stuff that could be helpful for teachers. It gives me a chance to become reflective and innovative teacher by developing a blog like this as I can demonstrate and display my professional knowledge, practice and my capabilities and skills as a teacher.
Here is a video from you-tube that shows ICT integration in lessons and which is well designed by the teacher. This video depicts both good and bad aspects of interactive white boards.
Main Barriers in ICT Classroom
- crowded classrooms
- inadequate number of ICT-related courses
- lack of computers and other presentation equipment in classrooms
- lack of computer laboratories for use in free time
- lack of technology plans
- lack of motivation of the teacher educators concerning the use of ICTs in their classes
- lack of motivation of the prospective teachers concerning the use of ICTs in their courses and their future classes
- lack of good role models for prospective teachers
Possible Enablers in ICT Classroom
- having at least one computer in every classroom
- offering more ICT-related courses for teachers
- enhancing the motivation of the teacher educators and prospective teachers in regard to using ICTs in their classes
- being role models, as teacher educators, for prospective teachers by demonstrating how to use ICTs effectively in teaching
Almost every teacher who has a smart board or interactive white board (IWB) in the classroom feels that the board has changed his teaching and student learning. Teachers found that this technological tool changes how students gain knowledge of material they are learning. Students are more focused, involved, and participate more when smart boards are being used as it involves sound, pictures and graphics.
The primary advantage of smart boards or IWBs is their ability to integrate computer-based programs into any lesson. With these boards, teachers can present information via power point presentation with built in links to websites, videos, and podcasts in a lesson. Smart boards or IWBs appeal to visual and kinesthetic learners because of their interactive presentations. Verbal and auditory learners develop a better understanding of materials during large group interactive lessons. The ability for students to touch the screen and interact with the material being taught encourages their physical participation in lessons.
Unfortunately, I am the one who does not have any white board in the classroom or I have not seen any lesson using a whiteboard in the class. There are only 3 computers in my class, one of which does not work. I have onle seen students using their computers when Mrs. Adrienne give them Preferred Activity Time (PAT). This is the free time given to the students when they have finished doing their activity. During this time, students can do what they are interested in (Jones, 2005). On my Day 4 weekly visits, the students finished writing their draft on IRON MAN and after they edited it thoroughly, Mrs. Adrienne asked them to publish their narrative using computers. This is the only lesson that I have seen so far using computers and I wonder why is it like this. I have created a power point presentation for my year 5 that I didn't get any chance to do because of the cross-country.
MY class that has 3 computers
An excellent resource of IWB activities
http://www.kenttrustweb.org.uk/kentict/kentict_home.cfm
The main ICT resource that I created for my students is attached on my home page. Please visit my home page once again to see the powerpoint presentation regarding biodiversity. Thank you for your time.
The main ICT resource that I created for my students is attached on my home page. Please visit my home page once again to see the powerpoint presentation regarding biodiversity. Thank you for your time.
