Lesson 11: Computer as a Teacher’s Tool

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

Lesson 11: Computer as a Teacher’s Tool

Content

        Computers served to be a handy tool of most teachers, aside from that it can support both the constructivist and social constructivist approach to teaching. Constructivist was introduced by Piaget and Bruner that gives emphasis to knowledge discovery of new meaning, concepts and principles in the learning process. In here, students construct their knowledge individually. While social constructivism is an effort to show that the construction of knowledge is governed by social, historical, and cultural contexts.

      Based on the two learning theories, the teacher can employ the computer as: an information tool- the computer can provide vast amounts of information in various forms such as text, graphics, sound, and video. The internet can provide an enormous database from which user can access global information resources. So for the constructivist, it is not enough that students will just download or gather the information, instead it will be used to construct projects given by the teacher. Constructive tool- the computer can be used to manipulate information, visualize one’s understanding of new knowledge. Situating tool- computer can create 3-D images on display to give the user the feeling that are situated in a virtual environment. Examples of situating systems are Multi-User Domains or Dungeons (MUDs), MUD Object Oriented (MOOs) and Multi-User Shared Hallucination (MUSH).

Experience

        It is so amazing that just a single machine, it can perform a lot of tasks. This only shows that indeed computers are the breakthrough in technology. It also implies that computers are a great help, especially to the teachers. For the past years, teachers have been employing constructivist approach, but because of the advent of computers teachers use it to employs social constructivism.  Because of these computers, teachers as well as students can now acquire high level of knowledge. Today, most of the things we do are too dependent on computers. That is why effective teachers will not just let their students gather information in the internet rather they will let their students use this information in making another one. Just like what we are doing most of the time, we gather the basic information or do some research then after which, the information that we have acquired will be used for the real activity. Most of the time, we do our activities collaboratively. Aside from constructing we develop our social or interpersonal skills.

Reflection

        Indeed computers have been a part of everyone. It can perform a lot of work. Doing things are easier and convenient. For the teachers, computers have been a great help in achieving learning objectives. Aside from that, learning becomes more enjoyable. It is really true that computers are handy tools especially in employing constructivist and social constructivist approach to teaching. By this computers, students become more independent and confident on their works in a sense that they will not just depend on the knowledge that a teacher can give. Interpersonal skill will also be developed because most of the activities require collaboration.

Application

        As a future teacher, one of our goals is  to employ teaching approach that would cater the needs and interests of the students. Computers are already there, all we need to do is to adopt and use the things that the computer can offer us. That is why, we, future educators must be knowledgeable enough on the capabilities of a computer. Through this, we can think of activities that will go beyond gathering information.