Educational Websites for Kids, Teachers and those handling Children's Ministry

http://www.wondrousworksheets.com/
- Over 800 educational worksheets for children covering a wide variety of topics including math, science, grammar, comprehension, handwriting, spelling, and fun and games.
Category: K-12

http://www.agendaweb.org/- Hundreds of free exercises to learn English online: grammar, verbs, vocabulary, listening, songs, and videos, phonetics, movies, grammar worksheets, flashcards, dictionary and more.

http://www.teacherhelp.org/
- A resource site for teachers and children's ministry. You'll find free lessons, crafts, coloring, holidays, puppets, bulletin boards, and printable banners.

http://www.wordfreegames.com/- A free online word games for kids to play like Babel Tower Builder, Tom and Jerry in Cat Crossing and many more.

Lesson 15: Understanding Hypermedia

Hypermedia is nothing but multimedia, but this time packaged as an educational computer software where information is presented and student activities are integrated in a virtual learning environment. Most educational IT applications are hypermedia and these include:

• Tutorial software packages
• Knowledge webpages
• Simulation instructional games
• Learning project management, and others

The presentation of information-learning activities in hypermedia is said to be sequenced in a non-linear manner, meaning that the learner may follow his path of activities thus providing an environment of learner autonomy and thinking skills.

Characteristics of hypermedia applications:

1. Learner control- the learner makes his own decisions on the path, flow of events of instruction.

2. Learner wide range of navigation routes- the learner has a wide range of navigation routes such as by working on concepts he is already familiar with. He may even follow a linear or logical path, even if the previous activity is half-completed. He may explore other sections opting to return or complete the previous activity.

3. Variety of media- Hypermedia includes more than one media (text, graphics, audio, animation and video clip) but does not necessarily use all types of media in one presentation. Since only virtual learning activity takes place, it is important from the standpoint of the teacher to optimize the learning process by identifying the characteristics of media application, as well as the advantages and limitations of such an application.

REFLECTION:

          Hypermedia provides personalized learning activities as it helps those slow and poor learners. It gives activities suited to your learning objectives and needs. It presents variety of media that will really cater those fast and slow learners. Whereas in a traditional teaching methods, the teacher would take extra time, attention and effort to help the students who are slow in understanding the lessons. With that it gives teacher a hard time to develop new strategies and objectives for both fast and slow learners. So, it is really beneficial for the teacher to use hypermedia. It is also then possible for a teacher to let his students search, explore and discover in a traditional classroom. But with that, you need to provide the student an event to apply the learning, resources and materials as well as much time since the teacher has to take into consideration each one especially the slow learners.

        Hypermedia is really helpful for both the learner and the teacher but traditional learning does not mean no improvement on the student. It is still the best way for a nation which is not more particular or do not find it a need with using computers and information technology in boosting their economic status. Let us remember, computers have limitations and disadvantages too!

Lesson 14: The Software as an Educational Resource

When people think about computers, they imagine the computer machine with monitor screen, keyboard, and “the box” or CPU which contains the electronic parts and circuits. It is more difficult to realize, however, that the computer hardware can hardly be useful without the program or system that tells what the computer machine should do. This is also called the software.

2 types of software:

1. Systems software- this is the operating system that is found or bundled inside all computer machines.

2. Applications software- this contains the system that commands the particular task or solves a particular problem.

Microsoft Windows

This is also referred to as program. Microsoft Windows or Windows for short is an operating environment between the user and the computer operating system. Also called a shell, it is a layer that creates the way the computer should work. Windows uses a colourful graphics interface (called GUI- “gooee”) that can be seen on the computer screen or monitor whenever the computer is turned on.

Instructional Software

This can be visited on the internet or can be bought from software shops or dealers. The teacher through his school should decide on the best computer-based instructional (CBI) materials for the school resource collection. But beware since CBIs need much improvement, while web-based educational resources are either extremely good or what is complete garbage.

REFLECTION

The computer has paved the way for learning in a new light. It has given human race a lot of advantages from the time it has been invented.  Now the computer has been used widely and optimally in educational settings. Most of the educational materials used by the teachers nowadays are web-based softwares. It is attractive with colourful graphics, sounds and videos; so catching that you really want to download it.

The sense of patriotism among us has slowly faded away because of computer. Children and young adults do not find it fun to play traditional games like tumbang preso, luksong-tinik and etc. Most of us are fond of playing online games like Farmville, cityville and more or download games from the internet like Plants vs. Zombies. But in so much of these, it has really change lives of people and gives us the realization that man is really ingenious and resourceful.