//Patrick's ICT learning in woods\\

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

We are now venturing into the most important part of this module, which is the core, that is to design a series of lesson with the implementation of ICT tools, say wiki, facebook, weblog, podcast, Second Life and etc.

From my point of view, as the textbook indicates as well, there are few concerns or points we may take note of when designing lessons. As we are adopting appropriate tools that match the characteristics or the core of the learning subject.

While making a decision on whether which tool should be adopted, we have to consider :

pedagogical affordance-lets say if we choose weblog as the tool, basically pedagogical affordance is about possibilities for instructinoal purpose. It requires the individual to develop understanding of the weblog environment, making appropriate instructional decisions and designing learning activities for our learners.

(by the way, weblog as a learning tool can actually be used to facilitate students' individual learning and collaborative learning.)

technological affordance- when this concept applied in learning and teaching, it also refer to the possible actions of the technical features by users. The ease of use if one of the features of a weblog, and I think, which is also a vital element to accommodate our learners. Weblog can be easily set up and resources are available for sharing.

Social affordance-In the context of teaching and learning, it refers to the possibility of promoting social inteeractions among students as well as between teachers and students. The tool must be able to allow students to exchange views, to acknowledge feelings and to develop healthy friendship and etc.

last but not least, i hope this helps during your process to design your lessons! All the best and keep striving for your group project and make it a BLAST! =)

Patrick Ting ~ 9/29/2009 09:11:00 PM

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Cyberwellness issues should be implemented, esp in Singapore context, as technologies use are prevailing in singapore society, no matter in which area or sphere of occupation and working scope. As a developed city, the age of being exposed to technology such as computer, handphone, mp3, mp4 and etc starts at a very early stage. Subsequently, technological issues and concern, like cybersafety, cyberwellness and etc arise in the line with the development of technology.

Ok, Let me show u some 'couterpain' means to the issue.

Cyberwellness handbook for parents, means that parents become an important role and bear the social responsibility to guide and take good care of their children's cyberhealth.

I think this is a poster or a banner to promote the values of cyber wellness, namely

-Balanced lifestyle

-embracing the net and inspiring others

-astuteness( clear-sightedness/ keenness)

-respect and responsibility.

I guess we have to complete an individual essay with regards to that,so, hopefully this will give u a hint of what you should pen in the essay.

jia you! =)

Patrick Ting ~ 9/08/2009 05:03:00 AM

Thursday, September 3, 2009

This is the first ever e-learning session that i've gone through during my journey of tertiary education. By the way, I still consider one-year programme- PGDE as my last year of tertiary education. =)

ya, indeed, in this elearning week, we all have definitely practised collaborative learning and self-directed learning through the use of online discussion forum, which is our own group's wiki. However, for this time, my e-learning process is not conducted in a form of group, and i guess the experience will be different from individual working on e-learning process. Nevertheless, when we come to commenting, it turns into a whole-group work as it requires everyone in the group to parcipate and to comment on whatever threads they feel like to comment on. Ok, for those two questions posed to us and they are, as below:

1.
Have I achieved my learning goals? How did I make that happen? Were my learning strategies effective and efficient? Can they be improved?

From my point of view, one of my learning goals is to be an ultimately intimate 'friend' with techonologies, namely e-forums, portals, wiki and other platforms, so that I am able to grapple with information provided in the platforms, and which further helps to process my learning tasks more effectively and efficiently. Of course, prior to the embark of e-learning week, we must regularly visit relevant platforms, although we may not post any comments or ideas, at least, after usual visits, we are more get used to the cyberspace, so that we are able to navigate well.
Participation wise, I think I am always contented with what others voice out, as I think theirs sound very reasonable and if I am going to comment on them, I will only have the terms 'ya, i agree!',' exactly', 'precisely' and etc typed on the thread. Anyway, ya, I will try to prompt my mind to have my own independent and exclusive ideas and comments! =)

2.
Were the group processes supporting our group learning? Why and why not? How can I/we improve?

So far, I feel that our wiki is in a quite muted mode as there are not many happenings yet. Perhaps due to our PGDE, we have other commitments and tasks to be completed and many modules are conducted concurrently, due to the prolonged commencement of those courses. Anyway, I guess every peer is putting effort trying to complete every task ASAP and perfectly, of course including e-learning tasks. Anyway, group processes definitely do support our group learning, as groups are consisted of more than one member, if so, we are equipped with more brains to work on tasks, especially mutual-commenting, so that we are able to learn from each other, and it's a form of sharing of ideas and knowledge as well! =)
For improvement part, I guess there's no much to be mentioned here. Anyway, so far so good!

On a side note, I prefer to have my reflection typed here instead of wiki, as I find that my personal space which is my blog is much more user-friendly than wiki, as it is my personal space as mentioned. =)

jia you guys! let's work hard to get through this hectic semester! =)

-Below are my threads posted on ICT Group 15's wiki-

Indeed, the use of the internet for teaching and learning cannot and should not be avoided. As mentioned in Chapter 8 (ICT for self-directed and collaborative learning, pg136), the dilemma of using the Internet for teaching and learning is actually clear, that cyberspace can be a useful platform for students to glean academic learning, but it can also be potentially dangerous for students, for instances, cybersexual addiction, cyber-relational addiction, gaming addiction, net addiction and etc.

Perhaps, Mrs Xing did aware of the potential internet safety issues, however, some procedures or actions she had taken may just be inadequate to cope with the potential safety issues.

Firstly, Mrs Xing should not upload a powerpoint file.Instead, she should create a webpage via or under school Learning Management System, whereby there is a homepage showing instructions for the task, websites students could visit, and some questions to guide and stimulate students' thinking. For example, http://155.69.84.21/wbaml/Resource/L0251/index.htm itself is an ideal one, as it shows every detail explicity and students are not able to modify the content. If so, students dont have to download anything as they may have problem in accessing the file, apart from that, it functions as a proof for parents,so that there wont be any misunderstandings like when children caught navigating irrelevant websites says pornographic and etc and yet claimed that's what of the instructions, between teachers and parents.

On a side note, Mrs Xing should send out letters or consent forms to parents or guardians for information regarding e-learning week. In the forms, details of e-learning tasks and instructions are stated clearly as well and parents are supposed to sign on the space provided on the forms, then students are to submit their forms back to the school.

To avoid students from cutting and pasting internet information, Mrs Xing should require students to do a report or summary of what they have researched,perhaps also state the origins of resource and etc.

Here are my questions for peers to think of:

- Do you think that students need to be further evaluated on what they have learnt(on the topic-Energy)?

- Any other potential internet safety issues that Mrs Xing has to deal with?To conclude, I think e-learning can be a way to promote cybersafety and awareness of cyberdanger to students, teachers and parents or guardians.

However, students may still fail to overcome cyberdanger during e-learning day and may claim that they are merely trying to do the work that teachers have instructed, so, at least, school and teachers have to make sure that there is no misunderstanding in between schools and parents, as teachers and schools cannot wholly make sure that all students are in cybersafety as self-awareness and self-conscious also decide whether or not they are safe enough in cyberspace.

Patrick Ting ~ 9/03/2009 01:45:00 AM

Today's elearning day for QED 527 ICT.I am doing on Scenario 2 and there is a point in my mind now, which is,i think time/duration is crucial in designing e-learning. By time/duration, i mean teachers should fix the time/duration of when students should complete the learning tasks, when information provided on webpages by teachers will be retrieved and students are not able to gain access after that certain duration or period and etc, so that students can be more effectively enaged in e-learning, and they have less time to be induced or lured to be in face with cyberdanger. agree? =)

Being a teacher is not easy!Seriously,I only realized that when im here->NIE for PGDE.

'Teachers' do not only teach.Instead, they have to go beyond teaching, they have to accomplish more than just solely teaching.

In terms of curriculum, teachers are now DESIGNERS! They design for the content and activities with the pre-requisites of students' backgrounds, students' attitude of learning, students' level and etc as backdrop.

Both presenters turned up on 26 August 2009 mentioned the definination of learning objectives is a vital start-up, so that the remaining part of the curriculum embark on the correct track.

Followed by, time frame and targetted group, whereby designers have a clear mind of the duration of time required, and whether or not, the targetted group is able to accomplish the task within designated time frame, or how long they need to complete a certain task and etc.

Teaching materials. tools and contents have to be relevant or to be along the same line with learning objectives so that we could eventually hit the point and attain the goal!

Evaluation is always not the last procedure. We have to conduct ways to evaluate students if they do really absord and learn something eventually, or our effort and time gone wasted, and for students, if there is nth gained, that will be not considred as mearningful learning.

Followed by, that is self-evaluation and follow-up that teachers have to do for ownselves. We have to get feedback from students, so that we know where we have to amend, so that we make corrections, then work further for improvements!

so, being a teacher is not an easy task, really, so ALL THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!

let's JIA YOU!!!!!!!!

God bless.....

Patrick Ting ~ 9/03/2009 01:45:00 AM

Sunday, August 30, 2009

ok, credits and applause for two experts in teaching for sharing their experiences. Particularly, i was astonished and excited by Mr Koh's project!!! it's ultimately interesting and aspiring!

Mr Koh's presentation is mainly about Game-based learning (GBL), of course his project does integrate other bases of learning, like case/project-based learning.

I guess this video clip is useful and apt to give a definition of what is GBL actually about.

Apart from that, there is an example for GBL, but, for this video clip, i have no idea of what language they are speaking in so anyone would like to make a guess?

I dont understand the language at all but as the info of the clip infers that "In the city of Güssing there can be produced more energy than the city needs...
...fuel
...heat
...electricity

Güssing is self-sufficient!

Became a mayor and build your own self-sufficient city. Have a shot at the e-learning application "Renewable energie, how's it going?"

plus the title of the clip is "Game-based e-Learning on renewable energy", so I think we can somehow find out what the clip is actually about ya!

on a side note, GBL immerses students in a stimulated environment for learning.
Enjoy! =)

Patrick Ting ~ 8/30/2009 10:16:00 PM

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

From my point of view, pedagogy, indeed is the art and science of teaching. however, i think there are hidden notions or ideas to be elaborated.

As pedagogy is teaching, therefore, it relates to the function or work of a teacher/educator. Further, it encompasses the whole sphere of education.

So, prior to educating/teaching, teachers/educators need to go through preparatory training and instructions. This is a part of pedagogy.

When teaching, the concepts, strategies, ideas, means and etc adopted to convey messages and lessons are of pedagogy as well. Further, the art and science of using these concepts, notions, strategies, means and etc correctly, effectively and efficiently is also of pedagogy, in order to create a learning environment for students to have fruitful learning lessons.

perhaps this can be an example of the notion of pedagogy:

Let me quote from a webpage, pls refer to for more info:

Pedagogy contents

Pedagogy is the study of the Learning Methods and application of Educational and Training theories to create learning and training contexts and environments. The application of some learning theories to e-learning is especially highlighted in this portal Area to present the differences between face to face learning and distance learning environments.

Patrick Ting ~ 8/25/2009 03:47:00 PM

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

yes, that's the trend of ICT! The level of importance, usefulness, competence and etc are like the arrow, moving perhaps gradually or perhaps in a velocity mode, to higher and higher and even the highest stage.

As to prompt students' traits to learn in a self-directed and collaborative manner, ICT plays a vital part in doing so.

Getting schools and other learning environments to be equipped with computer devices and technologies is not a tough task, however, we have to consider, who are the learners/users?, as some devices are not really user-friendly, say some e-platforms are just too complicated to navigate and etc.so ya, in that case, the first-hand learners/users, most probably refer to teachers, have to be well-trained and well-adapted to the changing and usage in devices and technologies, so that, they are able to lend hands when their students are in need and in help when learning. This, subsequently, boosts students to head towards the goal of learning, which is, to the goal of self-directed and collaborative learning.

ya, by the way, the photo shown is grabbed from Google images. I have to acknowledge that! =)

Happy learning!

Patrick Ting ~ 8/19/2009 08:34:00 AM