Journal on Group Video Tutorial

Journal on Group Video Tutorial

The production of Group's Tutorial was hardest of the hard for the fact that, firstly each of the members was not very sure of either it was a group or an individual activity. Colleagues from different places posted different understanding in VLE forum. I was totally blind until the Tutor's clarification made on VLE. Secondly, my group members being working in distant places, it made difficult to contact through mail as well as through phones. Thirdly, even if the group had planned a lesson, we were not sure of how to go about. And lots minors, made it so complicated to have the video Tutorial produced it into a final video.

Working with the Camtesia software was the most difficult part of the activity. Firstly the downloading part, that too long time to get it downloaded with very poor net coverage. Then being working for the first time with this software none of us did not know how to go about it. There was much interaction made through various modes among the members. Some said, it should be a full capture of the teacher teaching a lesson in the class. Some shared that it should be only the voice capture with the movements of hand/curser across the content. There were lots of discussions made finally decided to prepare for three topics; water cycle, teaching poem and a lesson on percent in mathematics. The groups having posted and shared one's suggestion and views on each video have decided that, the lesson on percent fulfils the requirements of the project. And hence, all worked hard in compilation of the video. The first video we have published and uploaded by Ten Gyaltshen was found a whole capture of the lesson on poem. We feel that, that was not as per the instruction of the activity. Therefore it may be treated as cancelled.

Coming to the uploading part, firstly it took lots of time to join the clips into one piece using Camtesia software and secondly in the presence of very poor net coverage, it has really delayed our submission. However, being made calls and talked with Tutor, the group is very thankful for the Tutor for creating another space on VLE to upload our Tutorial a later than its actual due dates. Despite spending our days and nights in making the upload, finally it got uploaded.

Infect, this project was really an enriching one as it is found useful for teachers to implement it in the class. We, particularly me really loved doing it and if this is practiced in real classroom teaching, it would prevent monotony in our teaching styles. This would even arises the children's interest in learning things more quickly as they are digital natives and likes learning things through ICT. This will even help teachers. In absence of one, any teacher can use the produced video Tutorial in the class.   

 

Journal on VLE forum

Journal on VLE forum

It was very interesting to note that so many so discussions were made through VLE forum. The discussion topic ranges from simple clarification to large sharing of one understands on the different topics. All of us could see what ones have written. But the most important part of it was that, some of the participants have the more number of respondents and some were dying for the respondent. Whatever may be the topic some went alone but some for simple post got many respondents.

Thus, I wrote, was it the one's popularity during RS or the close relationship that really determines the number of the respondents. During the survey questionnaire, some even personally requested to make the respond. To this end I don't feel the importance awarding the fraction of marks for the number on respondents that one has. It will lead to bias result only.

Overall the VLE forum was useful and it kept the participants engaged online and was found as a medium through which we share the information and doubts with friends. 

 

Journal on the first carry back home assignment

Journal on the first carry back home assignment

The first carry back home assignment was on the collection of important educational websites aligned with brief summary of it and its implication in real classroom teaching. For me, it has really kept me engage in browsing internet. I had to refer the books related to ICT like ICT teacher Training Course Pack provided by the Chephen Rigphel Project and class XII Chiphen Rigphel syllabus.

From there, I came to know that there are lots of websites from where the teacher can browse for right information and extra knowledge to impart to our learners. It is important that the teacher should keep the educational website on the tip of the tongue. As we have discussed in the digital natives students and digital immigrants teachers, we should always try to move with pace of the learners or else we should be bit advanced in gaining the information. And I am sure without the knowledge of educational website; we do not know what to browse, how to browse and where to browse from?

On the contrary to this, I also feel that without the access to strong net facilities, this idea remains dormant. In the long, the learnt skills may tend to delete totally. In absence of net facility, it may be difficult to walk with the words.

Now talking about the 21st century skill, it is high time to well equip the school across the countries with complete net facilities. If it is done, then there is no doubt that 21st century skill bears the fruits. But it is us who should shine the light on the 21st century skills. 

In an open VLE forum, friends shared a lot on impossibility of ICT lesson in class. But my reply was that, applying ICT in classroom teaching does not only mean having laptops and real computers monitors in front of teacher and students. We are doing a lot that involves ICT in classroom teachings. It only matters how one takes it.

 

Journal on creating group quiz

Journal on creating Group Quiz

Creating quiz using the wonder share software was another story. Although the software was successfully downloaded and got installed in the personal laptop, creating quiz was difficult. I really got confused on how to use it.

We were worried of what the topic for the quiz would be. Some said this and other said the different. I have suggested having a quiz planed on Wangchuk's dynasty which also would be dedicated to our 4th king's completing of 60th years. I have typed the questions on this but it wasn't successful as expected. Thus we had to change and worked on different topic. Having made an extensive discussion w have come up with the one uploaded by Lunten from Baling PS.

This activity was also found useful because it is the teachers who regularly need to work with children and providing such quizzes on different topic will help children learn things in more creative way. Children become aware of the types of the test items involved in quiz and hence prepare them to face varieties of questions as was used in the quiz. But, it totally remains in the hands of the teacher whether it is to be practiced in school or not. For my part, I assure that I will always try it in my class to make the class livelier. 

       

Journal on preparing Survey Questionnaire (RS Activity)

It was during the RS classes that we were given a time to prepare a survey questionnaire on any of the topic using an online Google doc. It was found very interesting and it really kept us busy in net during RS school. I have chosen a survey to find out what constitutes the more school dropout rates in my community. In the process of doing it, I have learnt on how to do online survey and on different ways of setting the test items. The work was left incomplete during RS and it became the carry back home task.

Reaching back to my workplace, I started to resume for the same work where I got little nervous may be because of long gap in between. Nevertheless, after making clarification with Tutor and friends, I could pave the way to success. That wasn't the end story. Even after that, I was worried that if my survey questionnaire is viewed by tutor or not. That is why I had to make a call to Tutor to confirm it. I was finally relieved, when the Tutor has informed that it has reached to him.

This activity has its utmost importance in carrying out the action research as the educational blueprint has demanded every teacher to have one action research carried out. I hope this will shade light to carrying out the action research.

 

Journal on Survey questionnaire

Journal on preparing Survey Questionnaire (RS Activity)

It was during the RS classes that we were given a time to prepare a survey questionnaire on any of the topic using an online Google doc. It was found very interesting and it really kept us busy in net during RS school. I have chosen a survey to find out what constitutes the more school dropout rates in my community. In the process of doing it, I have learnt on how to do online survey and on different ways of setting the test items. The work was left incomplete during RS and it became the carry back home task.

Reaching back to my workplace, I started to resume for the same work where I got little nervous may be because of long gap in between. Nevertheless, after making clarification with Tutor and friends, I could pave the way to success. That wasn't the end story. Even after that, I was worried that if my survey questionnaire is viewed by tutor or not. That is why I had to make a call to Tutor to confirm it. I was finally relieved, when the Tutor has informed that it has reached to him.

This activity has its utmost importance in carrying out the action research as the educational blueprint has demanded every teacher to have one action research carried out. I hope this will shade light to carrying out the action research.

 

end 418 MS word activity Journal

edn 418 MS word activity Journal

From the very day I saw the question on MS word activity on VLE; I felt that it was the assignment given for the pre service students for being not given the space to upload it. I thought that question mistakenly got uploaded in our VLEs. But after interaction made with my friends I came to know that it was really ours.

I have scanned the questions but all appeared simple to me. I thought it would take only few days to complete it and I left it undone for many days. It was on 21^st September that I sat to start the activity. The first question was found easy for we have been working on similar activities many times in the past. Getting deeper down to the next question, although it seems to appear easy, it wasn’t the way I expected. The drawing of triangle with arrow head crossed horizontally was really tough for me. How much ever I tried, the solution was different. Thinking that I would get late, I asked my friends to tell how it should be done. At first they had also struggled a lot. But having done much discussion, finally I could make out the diagram exactly the same, I believe.

 Coming to the birth day card and sport certificates, I took lots of time to complete it. The ideas learnt during Chephen Rigphel project have really helped me in this activity. We were taught those things during Chephen Rigphel project workshop. I have also asked my friend lop Kinley to share his experiences on making the merit certificates for sport players. Through this, I am sure I got a lot of experiences in production of invitation card and sport certificates.

Using mail merge was another where I referred the Chephen Rigphel Guide book where mail merging process is shown step by step. When I referred that book, I remembered I had also learnt this during the above mention workshop. It explained me that, to keep the learnt IT skills alive, we should keep in touch with the skills learnt. It was found that it has a tremendous benefit while preparing invitation cards where we don’t have to write for every individual address. The names of the recipients get printed automatically with the same content.

The alignment part and the insertion of pictures were not tough for me. Compared to others, it was found easiest part of the MS word activity. The biggest challenged was the preparing the front cover of the news letter. In the beginning I thought that, I would prepare a letter heading. But I was not sure that if it was the letter heading. I clarified with my friend who said it should be front page of the news letter rather than letter heading. I asked him how I should do. But he was generous enough to explain me the whole process of doing it. I have tried for many times and finally I could make out the one that was submitted.

 To this end, I firstly thank the tutor for providing such activity which has really awaken me in MS word skills. Had tutor not given this activity, I would have not learnt the things that I had, from this activity. And also I thank my friend Kinley for providing guidance in the production of the activity as a complete one.

Thanks!!!     

 

edn 418 online Journal part 1

Overview of the Module

On the first day of the RS classes on ICT module, the tutor welcomed the participants and outlined the brief objectives of the module. Then the participants were asked to think and write what they need to know in the module. Few friends have shared the things that we teachers need to know in ICT lesson. Things included were, how to browse pictures from net, how to download, use of ICT in daily classroom teaching and lots more.

Given the brief explanation on the importance of ICT in current teaching learning situation, the mode of assessment were also made clear to the learners. It comprises of one minor assignment worth of 20%, one major assignment which is further broken down into 10% during RS and 10% online, 10% on the usage of VLE. And the final one was the group project work which is worth 40% that made up the total of 100%. Then the tutor talked on the Digital native versus digital immigrants as jotted below.

 

Digital Native versus Digital Immigrants

The digital native as of my understanding are those children who were born after the introduction of many social technologies such as use net and bulletin board system came online as equipments in the teaching learning processes. The children born after 1980 are the digital native. They have access to network digital technologies and they all have the skills to use those technologies. They have the high capacity of learning things through internet. They are the technology user under the age of 30 years who was born in the digital world. They have spent their entire life surrounded by and using computers, video games, digital music players, video cams, cell phones, all other toys and tools of the digital age as stated by M Spranky, 2003. The digital natives are used to receive information very fast. 

The digital immigrants are those who are not born in digital world. They were born much before the massive use of digital gadgets. But they have some time at the later part of their lives to have access to digital technologies. Brook-young see digital immigrants as the technology user, usually over the age of thirty, who are not born in the digital world. The digital immigrants can be seen in such things as turning to the internet for information second rather than first, reading a manual for a programme rather than assuming that the programme itself will teach us how to use it. According to long digital immigrants can never become natives.

As per the research made, it was found out that the digital native receives information quickly from different sources where as immigrants can be controlled to limited sources of information. They use pictures; sound and video to get the information but immigrant are most popular with the text for information. Digital natives go for multitask and always have parallel learning process and the immigrants cans focus on the single task only. More interaction is the given emphasis by the natives and the immigrants opts for free and undisturbed environment. The learning by the native seems more fun and relevant as compared to that of immigrants which is mostly of linear and sequential process of learning.  

In the education process now is that, our digital immigrants use outdated language to teach children which makes children difficult to learn the new language. They are struggling to teach the population that speaks totally new language. The students get frustrated to learn in absence of internet access in the present school situation. In the follow up study conducted by Lanhert, Madden and Hitlin in 2005, they have found out that teenage internet user has increased by 24%. The children of today come up with lots of technology related experiences and expectation than the teacher use to have in the past. Battro and Denham stated, ‘the creation of digital habit depends on the development of the mind-set. Such a development cannot be improvised or imposed from outside.’ It is our duty to make a habit of living with digital technology to have student’s trust on us.Coburn, 2004 states, we need to take charge of the change by being proactive looking to the available technologies and applying sound pedagogical principles to their application. The teacher therefore is placed a position in which they are being forced to change, in order to remain competent, employable and professional. And we are also told to develop our teaching styles to meet the needs of the digital native’s students.