The History of Technology in Education

Today's classrooms no longer resemble the classrooms that we may remember as children. Chalk has been replaced with a stylus pen. With a touch of the screen, you can change what color you want your stylus pen to write in on the board. Textbooks have been replaced with e-readers and parent-teacher conferences can be conducted via video conferencing. Technology serves different purposes within the classroom. Technology can be used as a research tool for class projects, and to enhance lessons. Technology can also be used as a communication device for students that have limited verbal abilities. This lesson will focus on the evolution of technology within the classroom - how we've moved from the chalkboard to personal devices.

My experience in this lesson is that, we are asked to draw our future classroom. Among the groups who presented, it was in this group that really caught my attention. It was so good and really funny yet so informative. I was able to witness my classmates wanted on how they picture out the future classroom.

            As a reflection, since there is already an evolution of technology in learning, I must use it properly and give the best that I can in delivering my lectures on my students in the future. Traditional way of teaching can still be use but we need to use the modern way of teaching where the teacher is no longer the center of attention or shall I say the teacher should only guide the students and won’t spoon feed them too much.

            In application to this, I will give my lectures in accordance to the trends today where the use of projector is being encourage to the teachers in order to deliver the lesson well in class. We are very blessed that our technology nowadays is already improving so, in order to inspire the students more, I will use the available resources to give a satisfying learnings to my students.

Lesson 9: Computers as Information and Communication Technology

It was said in this lesson that the computer is recognized as the third revolution in education. Computer technology in education has matured to transform into an educative information and communication technology or ICT in education. In my own perspective, this lesson show us how important the computer is as a form of communication and making it as one of a tool in getting information. This Microsoft office, the power point, excel, internet explorer, yahoo etc. without a computer or any gadget that could fit in to these application then communication and information gathering will not occur.

            On our activity, as a sort of my experience we are asked to rank the top 5 most usable applications that could help us and the teachers. Our first was the Google, where we can search and get the information that we needed. Next on our rank is the power point presentation because this can be an alternative in giving our lecture to the class so, instead of using the blackboard we can use the ppt as a means of our presentation. The 3^rd in rank was the Excel, this is very helpful especially on the teachers if they are going to compute their student’s grades. The next application is the video maker where we can capture some memories and make it alive. Lastly is we have the MS Word where we can have our copy pasting and printed materials to be done. Our activity was also fun I heard something from my classmates and I was able to value some applications which I just neglected before.

            My reflection on this lesson is that, the computers must be handle with care. Eventhough it is just a mere of a tool we need to use it properly. We can’t just be like in the other country where students can just bring their own laptops during discussion, here in the Philippines, most of the schools simply use computers provided by the government, other officials or any private sectors. If we use these resources recklessly, it is hard for the teachers to let the students visualize what does it means with computers and how does it looks like. It is a challenge for me as a future teacher to use the computer properly and remind my students of its importance.

            In application, I will try to demonstrate all the things which I reflected on this lesson. Remind my students that the application on the computer must be executed properly because programs or applications like that is not really perfected well. 

Lesson 8: Higher Thinking Skills Through IT-Based Projects

Reflective study became the student’s pleasurable and most profitable activity. This lesson talks about the 4 types of IT based projects and how we could attain a Higher Thinking skills. By the use of the 4 types of IT based projects we can introduce to the students the principle of higher thinking skills. These projects represents constructivist projects, containing the key elements of a constructivist approach to instruction. In this lesson also the traditional learning model was being compared on the resource-based learning model.

            The activity was full of fun and learnings. I was able to know the difference more on traditional and resource-based learning model. Where in the traditional the teacher is an expert and information provider while in resource-based model the teacher is a guide and facilitator. To make it short between the comparison of the two, the teacher learning model is a teacher centered learning while in the resource-based learning model the center of the learning are the students where they are expected to explore and learn by their own through the help of a teacher.

            As a reflection, I couldn’t just stick on what I believe on the traditional learning model, as a teacher in the future, I must also use some sort of discovery approach where I could lead the students well and they could be able to browse the net and create a good quality output out of the activity.

            In application, I will make my students go beyond the textbook and curriculum materials. I’ll just be guiding them on what to do and give them a little hint on how to do it, so that they could have time to think well on what they are going to do. By that I can assure that my students would remember what are the things being discuss inside the classroom.

Lesson 7: Evaluation of Technology Learning

In this lesson, it is said that students are expected to be not only cognitive, but also flexible, analytical and creative. As a future teacher we must adopt a new mindset both for instruction and evaluation. The learners must not only learn how to read but also they must be engage in the process of writing, reports, essays, articles, stories, power point presentations, video scripts, drama skits etc. Assessment also must focus on 4 D’s (define, design, do, debrief) this will empower the student’s higher level theoretical and practical thinking.

            Through the activity that we had, I was able to learn many things. The activity was good because we all contributed to the ideas that were going to present in class. My classmates just told enough info. On how to evaluate the technology learner.

            As a sort of reflection, I must expose my students to this various skills. On evaluating my students especially in the future I must be careful enough and evaluate them according to their multi-intelligences. This lesson and the previous lesson had this similarities, the only difference is that it talks on evaluating the technologically aware students. It is our task to give a good quality of education to the students in the future.

            Same with what I mentioned on the previous lesson, I will try my best to apply all the learnings that I learned here in this lesson. Apply it the skills that I had learned so that the students can also use it in their everyday life. We have already the access on computers and so through the internet we can use varieties of techniques and skills to develop so that the student won’t get easily bored.