Special Topic: History of Educational Technology

Rosalie G. Alegarbes    BSEd General Science4      MW 3:00-5:00pm

Special Topic: History of Educational Technology   

Content

            There is no written evidence which can tell us exactly who has coined the phrase educational technology. Different educationists, scientists and philosophers at different time intervals have put forwarded different definitions of Educational Technology. Educational technology is a multifaceted and integrated process involving people, procedure, ideas, devices, and organization, where technology from different fields of science is borrowed as per the need and requirement of education for implementing, evaluating, and managing solutions to those problems involved in all aspects of human learning.

            Educational technology, broadly speaking, has passed through five stages.
The first stage of educational technology is coupled with the use of aids like charts, maps, symbols, models, specimens and concrete materials. The term educational technology was used as synonyms to audio-visual aids. The second stage of educational technology is associated with the 'electronic revolution' with the introduction and establishment of sophisticated hardware and software. Use of various audio-visual aids like projector, magic lanterns, tape-recorder, radio and television brought a revolutionary change in the educational scenario. The third stage of educational technology is linked with the development of mass media which in turn led to 'communication revolution' for instructional purposes. Computer-assisted Instruction (CAI) used for education since 1950s also became popular during this era. The fourth stage of educational technology is discernible by the individualized process of instruction. The invention of programmed learning and programmed instruction provided a new dimension to educational technology. A system of self-learning based on self-instructional materials and teaching machines emerged. The latest concept of educational technology is influenced by the concept of system engineering or system approach which focuses on language laboratories, teaching machines, programmed instruction, multimedia technologies and the use of the computer in instruction. According to it, educational technology is a systematic way of designing, carrying out and evaluating the total process of teaching and learning in terms of specific objectives based on research.

Experience

            The innovation of educational technology, as what I have been observed shows that as the time pass there is a change and as it change there is improvement. In the past generations, teachers use charts and maps to an aid to instruction. Teaching how to add and to subtract is being represented by pictures like apples, mangoes, pencil, etc. In my elementary years, I cannot remember my teachers bringing computers in our classroom.  The teachers as well as the students depend much on printed books. Learning experiences given, if there are, are still more on the books—letting us answers the questions that are found at the end of a story or a poem or letting us answer the unit check-ups at the last part of the unit. I could only remember when there is a start of computer integration in the teaching and learning process is during my high school years, but not really rampant. Even making a write ups, assignments and projects are written on a paper, that why we are trying to write it clean and legibly. I could also still remembers when is the first time that our teacher use a PowerPoint in presenting her topic—it is during our fourth years in high school.   That year is really the start of computer integration in teaching because that is the start where I learn how to use computers because of our computer subject.

     

Reflection                                                         

        This topic talks about how educational technology has evolve from a simple charts, maps, models and etc. to a more advanced--- programmed instruction,  multimedia technologies and the use of computers in instruction. This only shows that there’s no room on being stock on the past. From a simple form of aid in instruction which is more on printed materials to a much high-tech one. Past, teachers used to be the only source of information but as the time pass by, students can also contribute to every ones learning. From a simple book to electronic books and from a traditional library to electronic library also shows the progress of educational technology. That is why, traditional teachers need to adopt to these development because as being mention in the past lesson, learners tend to lose their interest in learning because most of them are digital learners which requires digital instruction. That is the also reason why a teacher must bridge the gap between his/her learners and change their ways not just to instruction but also in terms of evaluation.

Application

            Change is the only constant in this world, and if there is change there must be improvements. This only shows that as a future teacher, it is a must to adopt to what is new to cater the interest of the students. The integration of computer in instruction is a great help in achieving the aim of developing basic digital skill and higher thinking skills. There are still advancements that wait in the future, so as a teacher, we must be ready to embrace the new ways in the teaching and learning process. But as for now, it is our role to integrate what is in today. 

Lesson 9: Computers as Information and Communication Technology

Rosalie G. Alegarbes   BSEd General Science4    MW 3:00-5:00pm

Lesson 9: Computers as Information and Communication Technology

Content

            The first revolution in education is the invention of the printing press, the second one is the introduction of libraries and the third one is the invention of computer.   Through computer technology, educators saw the amplification of learning along computer literacy. Soon computer-assisted instruction (CAI) was introduced using the principle of individualized learning through a positive climate that includes realism and appeal with the drill exercises that uses color, music and animation. Instructional media consist of audio-visual aids that served to enhance and enrich the teaching and learning process. While educational communication media comprise the media of communication to audiences including learners using the print, film, radio, television or satellite means of communication. The following are programs normally installed on a personal computer: Microsoft office, PowerPoint, excel, internet explorer, yahoo or google, adobe reader, MSN, windows media player, cyberlink power and game house.

Experience

            Everyone would still be amazed how a single computer can hold a lot of programs which are really helpful and useful not just in school matters but also in different industries. I could still remember how traditional instruction is being done by my past teachers, and now we are already in the digital instruction where the advent of technology is being used in the educative process.

I could also still remember how my teacher would let one of my classmates write the lesson on the board and let everyone of us copy it on our notebooks. I could still imagine myself when I was in grade 3 pointing a stick on a manila paper and let my classmates read on what was written there.  I could still recall how we memorize what’s inside the book because our teacher will have an exam and it needs mastery of the topic. But today, the advancement of technology helps us students to think that learning is fun, getting the information that we needed is really accessible and doing things is much easier. By just a single click, then everything is thereJ. Technology did really influence the educative process. In the past, we depend on what the teacher would dictate to us, they are our only source of information  but these days, teachers will just give instruction on what we should do, then facilitate and it’s for us how are we going to solve or find solution on the given problem or task.

Reflection

            Computers are really a great product of technology. It makes our work even easier, accessible and convenient. Just a single computer, it can do a lot of things. One of the programs being installed here is the Microsoft excel which is really helpful in computing the grades of the students. It enhances the teaching and learning process because a teacher can use a program installed in it to enrich the learnings of the students. Computers would really be a help for the teachers as well as to the students to communicate each other. The invention and the advent of computer made the way to digital instruction. The aim of changing the ways of evaluation, acquiring basic digital skills as well as developing the higher thinking skills is the result of the arrival of the computers. The need to adopt to new world is the result of computers. This shows that computers are really influential.

Application

            The innovation of these computers is inevitable. That is why past lessons are emphasizing on the need for the teachers to adopt to what is new--- in terms of instruction as well in evaluation. The combination of instructional media and educational communication media can be found in a computer. So, as a future teacher, I can use this one as a help in achieving my goals in instruction. I can us computer as an instructional media by making my lesson more interactive with the use of computer applications or programs. By letting my students see a video, it will help enhance their knowledge more on that topic. Through the use of computer, my students can acquire information by surfing on the net--- by this, me as a teacher will not just the source of information. A computer is also an educational communication media in sense that I can still communicate my students even outside the classroom with the use of facebook, gmail, edmodo and etc. Furthermore, computer as an Information and Communication Technology reflects the skills of the teacher on how a teacher will facilitate the learning process and help the development of their basic digital skills as well as their higher thinking skills.

Lesson 8: Higher Thinking Skills through IT-Based Projects

Rosalie G. Alegarbes   BSEd General Science4     MW 3:00-5:00pm

Lesson 8: Higher Thinking Skills through IT-Based Projects

Content

            This lesson will discuss the four types of IT-based projects which can effectively be used in order to engage students in activities of a higher plane of thinking. These projects will represent constructivist projects which contains the key elements of a constructivist approach to instruction. On the other hand, students will be the one to demonstrate the higher thinking skills and creativity through such activities like searching for information, organizing and synthesizing ideas, creating presentations, etc. So, here are the IT-based projects which will help develop higher thinking skills and creativity of the students. Resource-based projects­-- in here, teacher steps out of the traditional role and the let the students find their own facts and information. The central principle of this is to make the students go beyond the textbook and curriculum materials. Students’ are encouraged to the modern extension of library, the internet. Inquiry-based or discovery approach is given importance in which students, individually or cooperatively work to relate gathered information to the real world. The webquest which is an inquiry oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by the learners are drawn from the web serves as an internet approach to support this kind of IT-based project. Simple creations--- students will be assigned to create their software materials to supplement the need for relevant and effective materials. In developing software, creativity as an outcome should not be equated with ingenuity for higher intelligence. So to develop creativity, here are the 5 key tasks to be recommended: define the task, brainstorm, judge the ideas, act and adopt flexibility. Next is the guided hypermedia project--- which serves as an instructive tool, such as the production by the students of PowerPoint presentation, then as a communication tool, such as when students do a multimedia presentation. Then the last one is the web-based project--- students can be made to access to create and post webpages on given topic.    

Experience

            After developing basic digital skills, higher thinking skills will follow. Developing higher thinking skills is a challenge, not just for the students but also for the teachers. Since we are emphasizing the impacts of the advancement of technology and the change of evaluation, IT-based projects can be used to develop such skills. In these IT-based projects, the teacher is focusing on the student-centered approach. As what we are experiencing nowadays, teachers are focusing on giving activities on which students are in control. Examples of resource-based projects are the laboratory activities which uses inquiry or discovery approach. In here, we collaborate in the group to find solutions or answer in a certain activity. Sometimes, our teacher will give as an assignment which requires answer from the internet. Information being studied is more on downloaded PDFs, while teachers act as the facilitator of the learning experiences given. Most of the time, we are required to report a certain topic in which PowerPoint is a must. This means that studying and mastering the report is not the only work of the student, we are also required to make our own PowerPoint presentation and in making this, our creativity will really enhance.

Reflection

            The use of IT-based projects in developing higher thinking skills of the students is very effective. In here, students will develop their social skills, creativity, evaluative minds, etc. a teacher will step out as a traditional source of information, and instead they act as the facilitator which indicates the student centered approach. In order to equip the students with the skills needed to face the digital world, basic skills ae not enough. In addition, in these IT-based projects, gathering information and finding solutions to a problem with the use of information technology cater the interests of most of the students. Through IT-based projects, the aim of the teacher to change their ways of evaluation will also be fulfilled.

Application

            It is really a challenge for every future teacher to help develop the higher thinking skills of the students. Technology has the great effect in the educative process that is why it is a must for us to learn the appropriate use of these technologies in the teaching and learning process. Since the main goal of the school to produce graduates that will function effectively in the future, as a teacher, it is our work to help them be equipped not just by knowledge but also skill by giving them activities requiring the use information technology since we are now on the digital world. 

Lesson 7: Evaluation of Technology Learning

Rosalie G. Alegarbes   BSEd General Science4    MW 3:00-5:00pm

Lesson 7: Evaluation of Technology Learning

Content

The standard student evaluation of learning must change. Assessment needs to conform, not to the literacy of the past century but the new literacy of the 21^st century. This literacy uses digital tools in preparing the students to face high-tech world. So, teachers must adopt to the new mindset of both instruction and evaluation. Evaluation must be geared to assessment of essential knowledge and skills (as discussed in lesson 6) so that learners can function effectively, productively and creatively in the new world. So, the mass amateurization changes the evaluation approach. The term implies the mass reach of students’ outputs. This will entail inculcating adeptness among students over media along publishing, visual creation, audio-video recording, internet website postings and multimedia productions.

Experience

As the advancement to digital instruction, we can observe there is also the improvement to the evaluation of the students learning. Since students are now called as digital learners, assessment on their learnings conform in their ways of learning too. That is why teachers are using technology to cater the new trend in the teaching and learning process. Since teachers give emphasis on these 6 process skills, evaluation must jibe on how to develop these skills. Nowadays, we can see that are giving activities were the result is a tangible outputs. As what we have experienced, we were given learning experiences like role playing, demonstrating, inventing, making and etc. Where there is an application on what was learned. Most of the time, evaluating the learnings has an application of technology.

Reflection

Since we are now on the digital world and the focus of each school not just here in the Philippines but also around the world is to produce graduates who are competent, responsible and knowledgeable; assessing students through paper and pencil test is not enough. I am not saying that this kind of assessment is not effective; past generations have been using this kind of assessment but still they did produced competent individuals. But since we are more advance today, it is a must for the school and for the teachers as well to adopt to the advancement because if they will not.... they will left behind. Students will then tend to lose their interest in learning. That is why assessment must change and must improve.

Application

Evaluation is one of the important steps in the teaching and learning process. A teacher cannot do evaluation without assessing the students of course. As a future teacher, I must adopt to the new trend of evaluating my students. Since measuring the student’s learning through standardized paper and pencil test is inadequate, I must also use evaluation which will assess and help develop their basic process skills. For an instance, I cannot assess the skills in transferring the bacteria aseptically by my students through letting them take a multiple exam test or an essay test; so I must let them perform it.

Through the use and appropriate application of technology wherein students can create, solve, evaluate their ideas and etc., my ways of evaluating my students has improved. All the more, the learning activities given with the aid of technology will help them function effectively in the future. In addition, outputs of the students can be evaluated through the use of rubrics-- where set of criteria are there. So that evaluating will be objective, and also students will know what to do have a good grade because they already know what are the criteria.