Entering this course, I've looked forward to learning new things about "integrating technology into education", as the course's title says! Actually, things seem to be going to be so :) !!!
In an incresingly technology-dependent world, it's actually something I aim at: really mastering new ideas that would help make my teaching practices more fruitful.
So far, we have been introduced to many ideas.
February 25- March 6
During the first two weeks we focused on the idea of using technology in classrooms.
-We discussed the concept of "instructional technology". During our class discussion, I suggested the following defenition, "As the name suggests, it the technology used in instruction as a tool to facilitate and improve the qualityof instruction, and consequently learning".
-We also discussed the use of some devices (computers (laptos, hand helds..), LCDs, USBs, TVs, tape recorders, overhead projectors..) in classrooms andhow eficiently they are/can be used.
-Later we went over the "characterisics of the 21st century students". Wemainly noticed that they are more independent, knowledeable, overwhelmed with technology, more curious, more resources are available for them, and want more autonomy and to have hands on their learning.
These qualities necessitate that we teachers reconsider our practices and understand how to properly imvestigate technology properly in our practices.
-In addition, we designed our own business cards, which you could see on this link:
http://amalfarhat1.wix.com/educ560#!gallery
-We have also attended a conference, at LAU-Beirut, on integrating techhnology into eduction. (This is further discussed on the Activities' page.)
March 11- March 20
-We were introduced to telecollaborative communities. Actually, this is something I've never experienced myself. I've heard about the idea of sharing the learning experiences with other classrooms abroad, but didn't know it was this way. The community we joined was the iearn; this is the link: http://www.iearn.org/
-We have been working also on designing our blogs.
Sincerely, an amazing experience. It is like having a wide space of your own, to express your thoughts, feelings, and insights. At the same time, you get to interact with others, engaging in discussions and exploring more new ideas about your interests.
I really enjoyed this experience!
-This week, we were also asked to attend a webinar and report it's ideas to the class. (More details about this activity are on the Activites' page.)
-Today, March 20, we were introduced to our great project: designing a poster. In fact it is a new idea, not what we ususally call "poster'.
Rather, in this project, we are to present a full study we have previously conducted. It should be in a formal format, as these posters have to be frmally formatted. They have to be perfectly structured to interest our audience and achieve its purpose: provide the idea with perfect conciseness and meaningfulness.
I have chosen the action research I conducted in the Teaching Practices Course last semester. I really liked it; I actually 'lived' it! It was about the effect of cooperative learning on motivation and achievement.
Hoping I'll succeed in my task! I'm really excited, and you can notice how much the topic means to me from the special page I gave for cooperative learning on my blog!!
March 27 - April 3
During this period, we worked on editing our posters fully. We had to proceed with a different task, but there was no connection for ths week, so we worked on editing our posters.
April 8 - April 15
This week we worked on the webquests. These are some kind of online projects that wew prepare for a certain unit in a specific textbook, and we are to work in pairs.
I am working with Maria Zaarour, and we chose a unit on technology from a grade 12 English Textbook. We gathered most of the material we need, and we are going to upload them on our webquest next week hopefully.
April 22 - April 24
This week we continued editing our webquests to be finalized and submitted within 10 days.
Besides, we started preparing for our final "big" project. We actually started brainstorming some concepts that we have to beware of in preparing the instructional unit we are to design. We are going to work in pairs. I am going to work with Maria.
Each pair was given a concept to prepare a minipresentation about: we are working on "Differentiated instruction".
I am really interested to start working on the unit, meeting all these criteria or concepts. Hoping it will be the best possible!
In an incresingly technology-dependent world, it's actually something I aim at: really mastering new ideas that would help make my teaching practices more fruitful.
So far, we have been introduced to many ideas.
February 25- March 6
During the first two weeks we focused on the idea of using technology in classrooms.
-We discussed the concept of "instructional technology". During our class discussion, I suggested the following defenition, "As the name suggests, it the technology used in instruction as a tool to facilitate and improve the qualityof instruction, and consequently learning".
-We also discussed the use of some devices (computers (laptos, hand helds..), LCDs, USBs, TVs, tape recorders, overhead projectors..) in classrooms andhow eficiently they are/can be used.
-Later we went over the "characterisics of the 21st century students". Wemainly noticed that they are more independent, knowledeable, overwhelmed with technology, more curious, more resources are available for them, and want more autonomy and to have hands on their learning.
These qualities necessitate that we teachers reconsider our practices and understand how to properly imvestigate technology properly in our practices.
-In addition, we designed our own business cards, which you could see on this link:
http://amalfarhat1.wix.com/educ560#!gallery
-We have also attended a conference, at LAU-Beirut, on integrating techhnology into eduction. (This is further discussed on the Activities' page.)
March 11- March 20
-We were introduced to telecollaborative communities. Actually, this is something I've never experienced myself. I've heard about the idea of sharing the learning experiences with other classrooms abroad, but didn't know it was this way. The community we joined was the iearn; this is the link: http://www.iearn.org/
-We have been working also on designing our blogs.
Sincerely, an amazing experience. It is like having a wide space of your own, to express your thoughts, feelings, and insights. At the same time, you get to interact with others, engaging in discussions and exploring more new ideas about your interests.
I really enjoyed this experience!
-This week, we were also asked to attend a webinar and report it's ideas to the class. (More details about this activity are on the Activites' page.)
-Today, March 20, we were introduced to our great project: designing a poster. In fact it is a new idea, not what we ususally call "poster'.
Rather, in this project, we are to present a full study we have previously conducted. It should be in a formal format, as these posters have to be frmally formatted. They have to be perfectly structured to interest our audience and achieve its purpose: provide the idea with perfect conciseness and meaningfulness.
I have chosen the action research I conducted in the Teaching Practices Course last semester. I really liked it; I actually 'lived' it! It was about the effect of cooperative learning on motivation and achievement.
Hoping I'll succeed in my task! I'm really excited, and you can notice how much the topic means to me from the special page I gave for cooperative learning on my blog!!
March 27 - April 3
During this period, we worked on editing our posters fully. We had to proceed with a different task, but there was no connection for ths week, so we worked on editing our posters.
April 8 - April 15
This week we worked on the webquests. These are some kind of online projects that wew prepare for a certain unit in a specific textbook, and we are to work in pairs.
I am working with Maria Zaarour, and we chose a unit on technology from a grade 12 English Textbook. We gathered most of the material we need, and we are going to upload them on our webquest next week hopefully.
April 22 - April 24
This week we continued editing our webquests to be finalized and submitted within 10 days.
Besides, we started preparing for our final "big" project. We actually started brainstorming some concepts that we have to beware of in preparing the instructional unit we are to design. We are going to work in pairs. I am going to work with Maria.
Each pair was given a concept to prepare a minipresentation about: we are working on "Differentiated instruction".
I am really interested to start working on the unit, meeting all these criteria or concepts. Hoping it will be the best possible!
Hanaa, I think that you did a great work so far , by introducing the whole material. I think we can return back to your page in case we miss any session.
ReplyDelete;)
DeleteHello Hanaa
ReplyDeleteIt is a good work to summarize what we do during the all weeks. Your page can be used as a reference when wee need to refresh our memory or check we the teacher do if we miss some lectures
;) hheheheheehee
DeleteThanks girls!!
ReplyDeleteIt is shocking ''in a good kind of way'' a bit when you fist see this page, it is so informative!
ReplyDeleteWell girls, the point is that I would like to give a kind of a summary, as well as a reflection on what we did so far in this course...
ReplyDeleteHehehehe
:)