Reflection on Module 8_ Assignment one

As I reflected on this assignment and the feedback I received from my assessor I must  admit that it has helped me to evaluate myself better in the way I present my work. I especially liked the way he used the checklist to be objective and subjective. In so doing, I realized as a teacher that I  too have to applied myself to be objective and subjective to my students when assessing them and giving feedback on their performances. 

In the assignment I used lots of arguments to support my reasons. However, some of them were for low density lab instead of high density lab. This has caused me to think about my research skills and how thorough I view them. Therefore, in future I plan to be more thorough and effective in my search for information. In this way I will be more successful in my result.

Module 8 Activity 5 Reflection on (The learning Lab)

Upon reflection of this activity I have gained some valuable information on the use of white boards.  I have learnt that interactive white boards are like conventional whiteboards which can even help technophobic teachers to deliver their lessons with just a touch of the screen. This in itself lends to better presentation of lesson delivery and easier access to information right at your fingertip. Although I have no experience using interactive white boards, I have learnt through research and discussions from the group’s activity that interactive white boards help in broadening the use of e-learning because they rapidly demonstrate the potential of alternative modes of delivery. They make it easy for teachers to enhance presentation content by easily integrating a wide range of material into a lesson, such as a picture from the internet, a graph from a spreadsheet or text from a Microsoft Word file, in addition to student and teacher annotations on these objects. Interactive white boards allow teachers to create easily and rapidly customized learning objects from a range of existing content and to adapt it to the needs of the class in real time. They also allow learners to absorb information more easily and help learners to participate in group discussions by freeing them from note-taking. Learners are also given the opportunity to work collaboratively around a shared task or work area using interactive white board as their learning tool. However, with technology there can be problems encountered. One of the problems that can arise is the surface getting damaged resulting in necessitating expensive replacement. Also, if multiple data entry is allowed, inputs can get jumbled, resulting in on-screen gibberish. If remote access is allowed, some users may be tempted to send disruptive comments or drawings to the screen.

After looking at the pros and cons of interactive white boards, it is my belief that interactive white boards have more positives than negatives.  Hence, if the school has to embark on installation of an interactive white board to enhance its development, I would be among the first to receive training on its use. 

Module 8: Reflection on Activity 4 (One Computer Classrooms)

In this activity I was selected to work with three other members from my group to complete our posting to the wiki web page. We were all asked to work together on different aspects of it. Hence, I did my research and contacted another colleague to make sure we were on target. I then posted my version to the wiki webpage.

On completion of this activity I have learnt that sometimes working together can have positive outcome and at times negative outcome, especially if group members do not work collaboratively to achieve the given tasks. This exercise has definitely impacted on me as a student doing this course and as a teacher. It helped me to see that as teachers we must set the pace for our students to follow and it is very important that when working together we must all do our part to ensure that complete success is carried out. 

Module 8: Reflection on Activity 3 (Learning Labs)

While working on this activity, I have reflected on earlier periods in life where the uses of ICT in schools were not present in the teaching learning process. Today, the integrations of Learning Labs in schools have made it possible for teachers and students in the Caribbean to be on par with other developing countries.  These labs have helped tremendously in developing our learners’ competencies and helped them to access information readily at their own convenience.

In completing the activity on learning labs I have learnt a great deal of valuable information through various researches and from discussions held by my colleagues.  Some points stood out most from these researches and discussions by addressing the pros and cons of learning labs. These pros and cons will help aid the development of the teaching learning process.

Pros:

• Each student has a machine to work with which help in his/her learning process.
• Learning labs allow for differentiating instructions which give a variety of options to help students successfully reach targeted standards.
• They serve diverse academic interest and are not focused on specific topics or areas of study.
•  Students are given the opportunity to work collaboratively on given tasks.

Although there are several benefits from learning labs problems can also derive which may include:
Cons:

•  Lack of supervision (not enough teachers to monitor students.)
• Students visiting inappropriate websites.
• Limited access as a shared resource.(The learning lab may not be available because it is often shared by other classes.)
• They generally do not lend themselves to rearrangement which can be frustrating for teachers and students.
•  It portrays that technology is removed from the classroom which sends the message that technology is separated from what students is learning in the classroom and may hinder the learning process.  

Module 8: Reflection on Activity 2 (Classroom Management with ICT Integration

The activity on classroom management with ICT integration has caused me to reflect on several things. I reflected on earlier experiences I had when I first started integrating ICT into my lessons. I must state that at the beginning I encountered few problems with classroom management where students were doing their own things like surfing unsafe sites, having their own conversations in class on different matters beside the lesson, and chatting with friends online. After those experiences, I have learnt to plan more effectively to ensure that my students were actively involved and learning took place among all my students. I also ensured that all rules and regulation were followed and equipments were made readily available for my lesson delivery. In so doing, I turned my classroom into a teaching, learning environment where students interacted well with my approaches in using technology.

Therefore, I must state that classroom management with ICT integration must be well planned and executed in order for learning to take place among students.