Situating Tool

From the discussion, I learned that situating tool is an application that helps to situate learners in an environment to experience the context and happenings. Some examples of situating tools are; simulation (flight, farming, surgery, environment, driving, History City, SimCity, play Station), Visual reality and CD-ROM.

Google Calc

The first situating tool that I have learned is ‘Graph Calc’. It is an application which is capable of plotting graphs, solving simultaneous equations, and performing other tasks with variables. I found that Graph Calc is a very interesting application where the teacher can use to teach graph concept to the children. I am motivated to use this application to teach graph concepts in the near future as using this application with children will be engaging, will make learning fun and learners can clearly understand the correlation between the graphs.

Google Map

                                               

                                                  view of Paro College of Education

Google map is another situating tool that I have learned. It is a web mapping service developed by Google. It offers satellite imagery, aerial photography, street maps, real time traffic conditions, and route planning for travelling by foot, car, bicycle and air, or public transportation. We as a teacher can use Google map to teach the concept of time, location and distance in subjects like social studies and mathematics. Using Google maps can give children real life experiences as it will take them through the 2D and 3D views of the places they wanted to learn or explore.

                                                                    PhET Simulation

I also learned about simulation as a situating tool. After learning about the PhET simulation I learned that the use of simulation to teach concept like PH scales will provide experimental learning to the children which will encourage them in higher-order learning and promotes critical thinking. If the teacher wants his/her children to understand better about the topic, teaching using simulation is one of the best ways.

Google docs and social media(Facebook group) as co-constructive tools

Goggle docs as co-constructive tool

We were divided into groups of three people and asked to prepare ICT integrated lesson plan using Google docs. Before we prepared our lesson plan, my friends and I made comments in comment forum sharing each of our views on which subject and topic to choose for our lesson plan. We supplement as well as gave feedback on each other’s ideas. After our long discussion we came up with the interesting topic where we can integrate ICT in a meaningful way.

After using Google docs to plan ICT integrated lesson in groups, I understood better about how ICT can be use as co- constructive tool and the benefits. one of the benefits of using Google docs as co-constructive tool is we (students) can lean without teaching. Because in Google docs we can discuss on particular topic in groups and learn together by sharing ideas among us.

Here is evidence of using Google docs as co-constructive tool

Social media (Face book) as co-constructive tools

I have been using social media especially face book and involved in discussion in many groups for almost eight years by now but till now I never realized that I have been using it as co-constructive tool. After learning about co-constructive tool, I knew that the comments and views that we share among friends over a post is co-construction because we had been using face book to construct something meaningful through discussion and feedback.

Our tutor created a face book group and asked us to upload our camtasia video in it. Then we were asked to give comments in each video. The feedback given by my friend on my video help me to reflect on quality of my video and to bring improvements.

Here are comments given by my friends on my video.

 

 

 

 

ICT as co-constructive tool

ICT as Co- constructive tool

What is co -constructive tools?

I understood co - constructive tools as applications that support the construction of knowledge through a shared understanding (collaboratively consolidate the ideas). Students can use constructive tools to work cooperatively and construct a shared understanding of the new knowledge. Here are co-constructive tools that we have used so far.

Google docs (docs.google.com)

 Blog

 Discussion forum on portals (pce.edu.)

Face book

I learnt that there are many importance of co- constructive tools. They are as follows;

v  Co-edit

v  Communicate database, texts & graphics

v  Enhance collaborative learning environment:

v  high-level cognitive processes – explanation, problem-finding, problem solving

v  active & intentional learning

v  identifying & developing expertise

Camtasia video tutorial

When we were given task to prepare a video tutorial using camtasia I was worried as I didn’t have good idea on using it. I have used camtasia to prepare video during my first year second semester but during that time I had opportunity to discuss with my friends unlike this time where I had to do every on my own. I had difficult time to make use of the features of camtasia however; I could overcome the obstacles after going through videos uploaded by the tutor and I also learnt from different videos from YouTube.

In order to create the video, first, I prepared eight slides presentation using power point.

Here is the presentation on a poem “My mother saw a dancing bear” that I have prepared.

To record the presentation and voice narration using camtasia I have used screen recorder. I have found out that there are two options in camtasia for recording that is “screen recorder and Adds-Ins”. I preferred to use screen recorder as it was convenient for me and I could synchronize my voice narration and the lips movement. I also learnt many other features like importing images and videos, adding transition, cutting out unwanted part from the video and removing background noise.

After exploring all the features of camtasia and coming up with the video tutorial, I realized that camtasia is one of the best Applications for the teachers to use to prepare video lesson for the students. This kind of video tutorial will help students in better understanding and it is one way to make lesson interesting and engaging. So, in the future I will make use of apps like camtasia to provide good lesson to my students.

Here is my video tutorial.

 

ICT as Constructive tool

Under the topic ICT as constructive tool, the first thing that we have learnt is Constructivism. I understood that constructivism is an approach to learning that holds that people actively construct or make their own knowledge and that reality is defined by the experiences of the learner.

Constructivist approach to learning was emphasized by Piaget and Constructivism believes in personal construction of meaning by the learner through experiences, and that meaning is influence by the interaction of pre existing knowledge and new events. Constructivist approach to teaching and learning emphasizes on students’ need to construct their own understanding.

I have gained knowledge on how ICT is linked to constructivism. The use of ICT as constructive tool generates new ways of teaching and learning through technology. This shift teacher centered to learner centered pedagogy. Because of that it decreases memorization and rote learning. Learners can even learn in absence of teacher. Moreover, technology triggers constructivist learning by helping learner to adopt, explore and practice.

What is constructive tool?

 It is applications such as Microsoft publisher, power point, word, simulations and social networking sites (face book and bogs) that help learners to manipulate information, construct own knowledge or visualize one’s understanding.

We were asked to prepare power point simulation about our village using just one slide. In order to prepare the simulation I had to explore many sources and watch videos as I had no idea of what simulation is and how to prepare. As I go through various sources I gained idea on simulation and different features of Microsoft power point. I learnt about how to make good use of animations and one interesting thing I learnt about MS power point is that it has a feature to record narration.

Here is the simulation that I have prepared using power point.

 

Using blog as a communicative tool

Blog is an online journal or information website displaying information in the reverse chronological order. It is a platform where a writer or even a group of writers share their views on an individual subject.

We used blog for reflecting our understanding on five ICT tools. This became communicative tool between the tutor and the blogger. I must say that the use of blog is very beneficial especially for reflection. As I maintain my reflection in blog on five ICT tools, I learnt that we can maintain reflection better compare to writing reflection with hands or typing thoughts in Microsoft word. Unlike Microsoft word, blog has many features where we can reflect I the form of pictures and videos. This makes us able to show clear picture of our understanding and the communication between tutor and the blogger become effective where the tutor can clearly understand our understanding on five ICT tools.

For person like me who has difficulty in communicating face to face with the tutor, expressing thoughts through blog is much better. In blog I can write down my understanding in my own way in ease. I don’t have to fear that the tutor may tell me something if my sentence structure is wrong as I can always come back to the sentences I have written and make changes to convey better messages to my tutor.

So, in future, I am hoping to make good use of platform like blog make my students express their thoughts and understanding of lesson. I know it will be difficult for lower classes to use blog like us but I will find other alternatives of ICT tools for children to express their thoughts with ease.

ICT as Communicative tool

What is communicative tool?

I understood that Communicative tools are systems that allow easy communication between teachers and students or between students outside the physical barrier classroom.

For example; students using e-mail and online chats for messaging the information.

Following are commonly used communicative tools;