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.

Lesson 13: Cooperative Learning with the Computer

Cooperative or collaborative learning is learning by small groups of students who work together in a common learning task. It is often also called group learning but to be truly cooperative learning, 5 elements are needed:
1. common goal
2. interdependence
3. interaction
4. individual accountability
5. social skills

Cooperative Learning and the Computer
Researchers have made studies on the learning interaction between the student and the computer. The studies have great value since it has been a long standing fear that the computer may foster student learning in isolation that hinders the development of the student's social skills.
Now this mythical fear has been contradicted by the studies which show that when students work with computers in groups

Lesson 12: Information Technology in Support of Student-Centered Learning

         The idea of student-centered learning is not a recent idea. In fact, as early as the 20^th century, educational educators such as John Dewey argued for highly active and individualized pedagogical methods which place the student at the center of the teaching-learning process.

The Traditional Classroom

It may be observed that classrooms are usually arranged with neat columns and rows of student chairs or desks, while the teacher stands in front of the classroom or sits behind his table. This situation is necessitated by the need to maintain classroom discipline, also allows the teacher to control classroom activities through lecture presentation and teacher-led discussions.

Noticeably, however, after spending so many minutes in lesson presentation and class management, students can get restless and fidgety. Often enough, the teacher has to also manage misbehaviour in class as students start to talk among themselves or simply stare away in lack of attention.

The SCL Classroom

          John Dewey has described traditional learning as a process in which the teacher pours information to student learners, much like pouring water from a jug into cups. This is based on the long accepted belief that the teacher must perform his role of teaching so that learning can occur. This learning approach is generally known as direct instruction, and it has worked well for obtaining many kinds of learning outcomes. The problem with it is that the approach in learning, however, is the fact that the world’s societies have began to change. It may not be felt strongly to countries in which on countries who depends mostly their economy to factory workers. Traditional and direct instruction is very useful in these countries.

          In contrast, industrialized societies we find knowledge-based economies in which workers depend on information that can be accessed through information and communication technologies (ICTs). Desiring to gain effectiveness, efficiency and economy in administration, schools in these developed economies have also adopted the support of ICTs. Their students have now become active not passive learners, demonstrating independence and self-awareness in the learning process.

REFLECTION

          SCL environment is very useful especially if a nation wants to progress and develop. There are some schools here in the Philippines who already adopted the SCL environment in instruction. Others object from it since they think that and SCL can be noisy and unwieldy.

          As we all know, in the traditional classroom, a teacher can discipline and manage his/her students. The teacher in that has always the first and final say in the lesson. But the difference is that in the traditional classroom, a student can sometimes feel intimidated and bored since it is always the voice of the teacher who echoes most of the time and leads the discussion. While in a SCL environment, it gives students the venue to interact with each other, be motivated as everyone can participate and enjoy. It can be as noisy as it is, but it gives the students independence and self-awareness. It does not mean that in a SCL, the teacher can no longer do classroom management. The teacher still is the one more knowledgeable than his/her students, but he do not anymore act as the teacher who do talking most of the times, but he/she is now a facilitator, open to ideas, problems and resolutions from his/her students. I believe that SCL is fun, memorable and healthy just like training or a workshop.

Lesson 11: The Computer as the Teacher’s Tool

          Constructivism was introduced by Jean Piaget (1981) and Bruner (1990). They gave stress to knowledge discovery of new meaning/concepts/principles in the learning process. Various strategies have been suggested to foster knowledge discovery, among these, is making students engaged in gathering unorganized information from which they can induce ideas and principles. Students are also asked to apply discovered knowledge to new situations, a process for making their knowledge applicable to real life situations.

          While knowledge is constructed by the individual learner in constructivism, knowledge can also be socially constructed. Social Constructivism is the effort to show that the construction of knowledge is governed by social, historical and cultural contexts. In effect, this is to say that the learner who interprets knowledge has a predetermined point of view according to the social perspectives of the community or society he lives in.

          The psychologist Vygotsky stressed that learning is affected by social influences. He suggested the interactive process in learning. A more capable adult (teacher or parent) can aid or complement what the learner sees in a given tasks or project. In addition, John Dewey sees language as medium for social coordination and adaptation. For Dewey, human learning is really human languaging that occurs when students socially share, build and agree upon meanings and knowledge.

The Computer’s Capabilities

Informative Tool

The computer can provide vast amounts of information in various forms, such as text, graphics, sound, and video. Even multimedia encyclopedias are today available on the internet.

Communication Tool

The computer has been used in communication as evident by social networking sites as to facebook, twitter and friendster. We can even chat/talk friends and families anywhere in the globe through yahoo messenger or the one in facebook or view them through the webcam. We can send messages and information through the internet in just seconds or minutes.

Constructive Tool

The computer itself can be used for manipulating information, visualizing one’s understanding, and building new knowledge. The Microsoft Word computer program itself is a desktop publishing software that allows users to organize and present their ideas in attractive formats.

Co-constructive Tool

          Students can use constructive tools to work cooperatively and construct a shared understanding of new knowledge. One way of co-construction is the use of the electronic whiteboard where students may post notices to a shared document/whiteboard. Students may also co-edit the same document from their homes.

Situating Tool

          By means of virtual reality (RS) extension systems, the computer can create 3-D images on display to give the user the feeling that are situated in a virtual environment. A flight simulation program is an example of a situating tool which places the user in simulated flying environment.

REFLECTION

          The computer has provided as different uses, gives us advantages and convenience. The trend nowadays is information technology which makes use the computer in all its applications. Computers have been already used in schools to provide and facilitate students’ learning. It is obvious that even the youngest generation knew about it and how it is being used. Student’s make their assignments, create projects, and do researches with the use of computer. It really seemed that our present civilization is dependent on computers. It is in anyway advantageous if used wisely and purposely.

          Japan, China, Korea and other countries already made used of the use of computer as a teacher; programmed to teach and be objective. Others also can study anywhere in the world without going to schools and be seated inside a classroom. One can already facilitate his own learning through the computer. It can provide vast information, provides easier communication and facilitates constructivism among minds of learners.

LESSON 10: The Computer as a Tutor

The computer is one of the wonders of human ingenuity, even in its original design in the 1950s to carry out complicated mathematical and logical operations. With the invention of the microcomputer (now also commonly referred to PCs or personal computers), the PC has become the tool for programmed instruction.

          Educators saw much use of the PC. It has become affordable to small business, industries and homes. They saw its potential for individualization in learning, especially as individualized learning is a problem since teachers usually with a class of forty or more learners. They therefore devised strategies to use the computer to break the barriers to individualized instruction.

Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI)

          The computer can be a tutor in effect relieving the teacher of many activities in his personal role as a classroom tutor. It should be made clear, however, that the computer cannot totally replace the teacher since the teacher shall continue to play major roles of information deliverer and learning environment controller. Even with the available computer and CAI software, the teacher must:

·         Insure that the students have the needed knowledge and skills for any computer activity.

·         Decide the appropriate learning objectives

·         Plan the sequential and structured activities to achieve objectives.

·         Evaluate the students’ achievement by ways of tests of the specific expected outcomes.

Today, educators accept the fact that the computer has indeed succeeded in providing an individualized learning environment so difficult for a teacher handling whole class. This is so, since the computer is able to allow individual students to learn at their own pace, motivate learning through a challenging virtual learning environment, and assist students through information needed during the learning process.

REFLECTION

          There has been a fear that someday in the future teachers will be replaced with CAI because as an assessment it is much better if we will used the computer to assist as in our learning for it is consistent and objective. Yes, it is partly true and also partly wrong because we all know that there are roles that teachers have to do that CAI cannot. A computer cannot assess and insure if the students have the needed knowledge and skills for it does not have any will and intellect, a teacher can decide the appropriate learning objectives while computers do not, a teachers can plan any structured activities to achieve objectives suited to the needs of its students and a teacher can evaluate the student’s achievements by ways of tests of the expected outcomes. With CAI, we can only expect lower level learning skills and what is only programmed in the computer will be the only thing a student will learn unlike with a teacher, we can learn more from him/her as we can freely asks questions or can interact with different experiences in life.

          Maybe CAI can be used on some areas of a student’s learning but it can’t represent in behalf of the teacher in all aspects. Drill and practice software materials can be useful if we want excellence in the use of the computer. But to make it a teacher, it can’t never be. Teachers are still the best and suited way for a student to learn more, computers can only assist.