LESSON 11:

♥ The Computer as the 

Teacher's Tool ♥

Constructivism – was introduced by Piaget (1981) and Bruner (1990). They gave stress to the knowledge discovery of new meanings/concepts/principles in the learning process. Various strategies have been suggested to foster knowledge discovery, among these, is making students engaged in the gathering unorganized information from which they can induce ideas and principles. Students are also asked to apply discovered knowledge to new situations, a process for making their knowledge applicable to real life situations.

            While knowledge is constructed by the individual learner in constructivism, knowledge can also be socially constructed. Social Constructivism- this is an effort to show that the construction of knowledge is governed by social, historical and cultural contexts. In effect, this is to say that the learner who interprets knowledge has a predetermined point of view according to the social perspective of the community or society he lives in.

            The psychologist Vygotsky stressed that the learning is affected by social influences. He therefore suggested the interactive process in learning. The more capable adult (teacher or parent) or classmate can aid or compliment what the learner sees in a given class project. In addition, Dewey sees language as a medium for social coordination and adaptation. For Dewey human learning is really human languaging that occurs when students socially share, build and agree upon meaning and knowledge.

  

Learning framework	Constructivism	Social Constructivism
Assumption	Knowledge is a constructed by the individual	Knowledge is constructed within a social context
Definition of learning	Students build their own learning	Students build knowledge influenced by the social context
Learning Strategies	Gather unorganized information to create new concept/principle	Exchange and share form ideas, stimulates thinking
General Orientation	Personal discovery of knowledge	Students discuss and discover meanings
Example	8*5 – 8 + 8 + 8 + 8 + 8	Two alternative job offers Option 1 – 8 hrs./day for 6 days/week

The Computer’s Capabilities

          Given its present-day speed, flexibility and sophistication, the computer can provide access to information, foster creative social knowledge-building, and enhance the communication of the achieved project package. Without the computer, today’s learners may still be assuming the tedious tasks of low-level information gathering, building and new knowledge packaging. But this is not so, since the modern computer can help teacher-and-students to focus on more high level cognitive tasks.

            Based on the two learning theories, the teacher can employ the computer as a/an:

●      An information tool

●      A communication tool

●      A constructive tool

●      As co- constructive tool

●      A situating tool

Informative tool. The computer can provide vast amounts of information in various forms, such as texts, graphics, sound, and video. Even multimedia encyclopedias are today available on the Internet.

            The internet itself provides an enormous database from which user can access global information resources that includes the latest news, weather forecasts, airline schedule, sports development, entertainment news and features, as well as educational information directly useful to learners. The internet on education can be sourced for kids of educational resources on the internet.

            Along the constructivist point of view, it is not enough for learners to download relevant information using the computer as an information tool. Students can use gathered information for compositions or presentation projects as may be assigned by the teacher. Given the fact that the internet can serve as a channel for global communication, the computer can very well be the key tool for video teleconferencing sessions.

Communicative tools. The communicative tools are systems which enable easy communication between the teacher and the students or among students beyond the physical barrier either by space, time or both) of the classroom. Examples of communicative tools include e-mail, electronic bulletin boards, chat, teleconferencing and electronic white boards. Communicative tools can be divided into two sub-categories, Synchronous and Asynchronous. Synchronous Communicative tools include chat, electronic white boards or video conferencing), on the one hand, enable real-time communication. Asynchronous Communicative tools include e-mail and electronic bulletin boards), on the other hand, are messaging systems in which the exchange of information between people is not live but is somehow delayed.

Constructive tool. The computer itself can be used for manipulating information, visualizing one’s understanding, and building new knowledge. TheMicrosoft Word program itself is desktop publishing software that allows organizing and presenting their ideas in attractive formats.

           

Co-constructive tools. Students can use constructive tools to work cooperatively and construct a shared understanding of new knowledge. One way of co-construction is the use of the electronic white boards where students may post notices to a shared document/whiteboard. Students may also co-edit the same document from their homes.

Situating tool. By means of virtual reality (RS) extension systems, the computer can create 3-D images on display to give the user the feeling that are situated in a virtual environment. A flight simulation program is an example of situating tool which places the user in a simulated flying environment.

            Multi-User Domains or Dungeons (MUDs), MUD Object-oriented (MOOs), and Multi-User shared hallucination (MUSHs) are examples of situating systems. MUDs and MOOs are mainly text-based virtual reality environments on the internet. When users log on to a MOO environment, they may interact with the virtual reality (such as by writing on a notice board) through simple text-based commands. A school-to-school or classroom-to-classroom environment is possible whereby the user can choose to walk around the campus, talk with other users who are logged to the same site.

            To caution users, the computer as a situating tool is news and still undergoing further research and development.

LESSON 10:

♥ Computer as a Tutor ♥

The Teacher must be:

     ●    ensure that students have the knowledge and skills for any computer activity.

     ●    decide the appropriate learning objectives

     ●    plan the sequential and structured activities to achieve objectives.

     ●    evaluate the students’ achievement by ways of tests the specific expected outcomes.

The students in CAI play their own roles as learners as they:

      

      ●    receive information.

      ●    Understand instructions 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:

      ●    Acts 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.

CAI Integrated with Lesson

CAI computer learning should not stop with the drill and practices activities of student. In effect, CAI works best in reinforcing learning through repetitive exercises such that students can practice basic skills or knowledge in various subject areas. Common type of drill and practice programs includes vocabulary building, math facts, and basic science, and history or geography facts. In these programs, the computer presents a question or problem. Immediate feedback is given to0 the end of the exercise, the student get a summary of his overall performance.

The question arises: when and how can teachers integrate drill and practice programs with their lesson? The following suggestions can be made:

●   Use drill and practice programs for basic skills and knowledge that require rapid

      or automatic response by the students.

●   Ensure that drill and practice activities conform to the lesson plan/curriculum.

●   Limit drill and practice to 20 30 minutes to avoid boredom

●   Use drill and practice to assist students with particular weakness in basic skills

In integrating computer programs in instruction, use tutorial software associated with cognitive learning. While practice exercise or learning-by doing is still the heart of each tutorial, the tutorial software should be able to:

●    Teach new content/new information to student (in as much as CAI provides practices on old or already learned content).

●    Provide comprehensive information on concepts in addition to practice exercises.

●    Can be effectively used for remediation, reviewing or enrichment

●    Allow the teacher to introduce follow-up questions to stimulate students learning.

●    Permit group activity for cooperative learning

Simulation Program

Simulation software materials are another kind of software that is constructivist in nature. This simulation software:

●    Teaches strategies and rules applied to real life problems/situations.

●    Asks students to make decision on model or scenarios.

●   Allows students to manipulate elements of a model and get the experience of the effects of their decisions.

     

An examples of such software is SimCity in which student are allowed to artificially manage a city given an imaginary city environment. Decision-making involves such factor as budget, crime, education, transportation, energy resources, waste disposal business/industries available. (Note: software may not be available in local computer shops. Still concept-learning is helpful)

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 introduce adventure activities for geography history and science. The 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 practices exercises and allow students to learn and improve on their problem solving ability. Since problem cannot be solve simply by memorizing facts, 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

Multimedia Encyclopedia can be store a huge database with text, images, animation, audio, and video.  Student can access any desire information, search each vast contents, and even download/ print relevant portions of the data for their composition or presentation. An example is 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. Example is are just grandma and me animated story book which offer surprises for the young learner’s curiosity.

LESSON 9:

♥ Computers as Information and

Communication Technology ♥

In the Educational Technology Course 1 the role of the computer is education was well discussed. It was pointed out that that the advent of that computer is recognized as the third revolution in education. The first was the invention of the printing press; the second, the introduction of libraries; and the third, the invention of the computer, especially so with advert of the microcomputer in 1975. Thus emerged computer technology in education.

Through computer technology, educators saw the amplification of learning along computer literacy. Much like reading, the modern student can now interact with computer messages; even respond to questions or to computer commands. Again like writing, the learner can form messages using computer language or program

Soon computer-assisted instructed (CAI) was introduced using the principle of individualized learning through a positive climate that includes realism and appeal with drill exercises that uses color, music and animation. The novelty of CAI has not waned to this day especially in the basic education level as this is 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 21^st 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 of communication to audiences including learners using the print, film, radio 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 21^st century, however, such a distinction merged 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.

●   Cyber Power – DVD player

●   Windows media player – editing film/video.

●   Gatehouse – video games.