INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS (IWB)

I did not have any clue or any experience about the IWB before starting my BECH programme. During my journey of education I learned a lot of new versatile digital tools that can help increase students’ achievements in all levels. 

As a future educator I want to encourage all the teachers to make use of resources like IWB or other forms of ICTs in their activities to make it more rich and interactive.

IWB allows teachers and students to interact with the content projected from the computer screen onto the whiteboard. Virtually anything that can be done in a computer can be done on the large screen of the IWB.

Functions of IWB

Using interactive applications on IWB

IWB are educational tools that increase levels of interaction, communication, collaboration and engagement in learning and teaching situations (Northcote, 2010). I believe IWB is a digital tool that helps students to manipulate with text by using their fingers and pens, making learning more active, kinaesthetic, and engaging. The whole class can be engaged in interactions; and lessons can be saved and played later for students who need more time. IWB can be used in all levels of learning including Preschools and higher education.

Below YouTube video explains how to use the IWB and its function that can be used for educational purpose. I believe IWB is a great technology, in fact the best educational resources for integrating ICTs in early year setting.

I found some interesting games and activities which is suitable for preschoolers to explore specific topics using IWB through the websites:

1) PBS KIDS Whiteboard Resources

2) 10 excellent ways to use an interactive whiteboard in your music classroom

3) The best, free interactive whiteboard resources 

Reference:

Northcote., (2010). Interactive whiteboards: Interactive or just whiteboard? Journal of Education Technology 4, 494-510.

Oxford University Press ELT. (2014, march19). An Introduction to Interactive Whiteboards [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIHg3F3C56I

Midnight music. (2014). 10 excellent ways to use an interactive whiteboard in your music classroom. Retrieved March 9, 2014, fromhttp://www.midnightmusic.com.au/2011/02/10-excellent-ways-to-use-an-interactive-whiteboard-in-your-music-classroom/

WHAT IS "ICT AND PEDAGOGY", DO YOU KNOW?

ICT – What is it?

ICT (information and communications technology - or technologies) is an umbrella term that includes any communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various services and applications associated with them, such as videoconferencing and distance learning. ICTs are often spoken of in a particular context, such as ICTs in education, health care, or libraries.

What is Pedagogy? 

Pedagogy is the way we teach, the strategies behind our teaching and the focus of our teaching. Pedagogy is also about learning; one cannot teach without being a learner. Understanding what is involved in the process of being a learner is part of pedagogy.

Today, this understanding is more important than ever. Educators need to encourage learners (including ourselves) to be creative, adaptable and innovative to fulfil this future. According to Thibault (2000) visual aids are key tools in learning and development since they help increase a student's interest in a subject. They help break the mundane cycle in certain settings, such as in classrooms. Visual aids also tend to be more interactive, helping an audience become more engaged in their own learning.

In one of my colleagues blog I found that the blogger Sanna posted a link to a YouTube on versatile tablet and her reflection. As I read the post and watched the video I felt truly inspired by it. Visit Sanna's blog here Sanna Ahmed's Blog

It reminded me of my childhood education. We never get any opportunities to explore and play with tablets, computers or any ICT tool in our education setting. But today with the aid of these ICT tools children can learn things in different ways. Children focus their attention and interest to the lessons when ICT is incorporated. Due to this factor I strongly believe it is important for educators to be ICT literate and is capable of using ICTs smartly in classroom to maximise student’s learning. 

Watch the YouTube video and follow the link below for better understanding of ICT and  how it help in our education today. 

ICT and pedagogy: A review of the research literature

Reference:

Rouse, M. (2005). What is ict. Retrieved March 15, 2014,

from http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/ICT-information-and-communications-technology-or-technologies

CONCEPT MAP

Week 2 of EDC3100, my journey starts with developing a mind map of what I thought of ICTs and how I could bring it to my classroom.

Click to enlarge

I have broken the map into the categories what, why, when, how and who. This is a very beneficial resource that took me the whole week to develop. Also it is great way to organise new information and brainstorming topics. Now my plan is to research into what I want implement my classroom activities.

Reading Kathleen blog post “ICT - a Teaching Transforming” I found one particular post discussing about Smart Board or Interactive White Board (IWB), which I would like to see in the classrooms of today. Follow the link to read about this post

ICT - A Teaching Transformation

This post is very interesting she wrote her experience about smart board and how important if for our classrooms today.

Experiencing a Smart Board

Yes as we know it is a very great ICT tool used today.

From my understanding and my friends saying smart board or IWB is a new instructional technology, which is used in many schools as a replacement for traditional chalkboards. Many of the educators see Interactive whiteboard (IWB) as a versatile digital tool that can help increasing student’s achievement in all levels. I will find out it and write more about on my new blog posts. Please stay with touch.

If you would like to know more about the importance of mind map or the concept of it in teaching please feel free to go through the following link.

Concept Map in teaching

BENEFICIAL ICT IN DIVERS CLASSROOM

Incorporating Information and communication technologies (ICT) has benefited in the process of learning (Pohio, 2009). However, the impact of ICT has also brought bad influences to children. Children are gaining access to inappropriate content for their ages. This leads to violence and aggression among children (Van Evra, 1990). Children often use computers as a communication tool and use abbreviated forms and incorrect spellings, which lead to corruption of language and the degradation in spelling among youth (Vosloo, 2009).

This is what our older generation thought.

As a future educator, I believe that the advancement of technological gadgets has brought many noticeable changes towards teaching and learning. Now learning can be taken anywhere, any place, as technology is part of our daily lives. ICT are valuable tools for developing thinking skills, and facilitate critical thinking and higher order learning (Chan, n.d.). Besides this technology helps to teach students with learning difficulties such as visually impaired students, kinesthetic or tactile learners, deaf and hearing-impaired learners and other special need children (Smart technologies, 2006). This enables students to develop higher order thinking skills increasing the ability to better present the learning material, provide clarification, using models and explanations to teach complicated concepts (Kennewell et al., 2007; H. Smith et al, 2005).

Below are very useful websites that will help us understand better the importance of ICT for our future education. Tell me what you think 

Why is ICT important for our children?

ICT for Inclusion Project Outcomes

Reference 

Chan. P., (n.d.). the role of ICT in a Constructivist Approach To the teaching of thinking Skils PDF , School of Information and Communications Technology. Nee Ann Polytechnic

Computer-Mediated Communication in Distance Education. The American Journal of Distance

Education, 9(2), 7-25.

Kennewell, S. (2001). Interactive whiteboards - yet another solution looking for a problem to

solve? Information Technology in Teacher Education, 39(Autumn), 3 – 6.

Prof. Jamieson, R. (2010). Lecture 6-Number Sense & Numeration. Retrieved

September 18th, 2010 from

http://usqstudydesk.usq.edu.au/file.php/15747/Week_6/Lecture_6_notes.pdf

FILL IN THE BLANKS

Providing a list of words to fill in the blanks is fine, or perhaps copying and pasting the text and putting your answers in bold.

The questions that p________ face as they raise ch________ from in_________ to adult are not easy to an _________. Both f______ and m________ can become concerned when health problems such as co_________ arise anytime after the e____ stage to later life. Experts recommend that young ch____ should have plenty of s________ and nutritious food for healthy growth. B___ and g____ should not share the same b______ or even be in the same r______. They may be afraid of the d_____.

The questions that parents face as they raise children from infant to adult are not easy to answer. Both female and male can become concerned when health problems such as cognition arise any time after the early stage to later life. Experts recommend that young children should have plenty of sunshine and nutritious food for healthy growth. Boys and girls should not share the same bed or even be in the same room. They may be afraid of the dark.

I found this fill in the blank is motivating and enjoyable, yet inspiring.  I loved the open-endedness activity that has no right or wrong answer, so the language involved in formulating an answer can be extensive.

Young children are still in their developmental stage where they need open ended resources for learning to take place. A teacher is a very important person in a child’s educational life. When children are having trouble with their work it is the teachers’ role to explain and deliver the information in an easy to understand manner. This does not mean giving answers directly without explanations.

It is very common for children to make mistakes during the lesson. According to Mayeshk (2011), children make mistakes unintentionally and adults should not expect them to always perform their best but, to teach them how to live with self-affirming statements. Most of us believe that children can learn from their mistakes if teacher always correct them with proper guidance.

The freedom of choice and flexibility allows children to engage the task with more concentration, high quality work and better learning outcomes (Cunneen et al., 2010). Children are able to engage in learning, actively construct knowledge and reach a higher level of learning.

Due to my past experiences I do believe that when we use ICT appropriately in the classroom children will connect their understandings way better. Nowadays we can see a lot of multimodal text and other ICT resources from our environment. Why don’t we use it for our kids...?

Find the right time and implement multimodal text for our kids. For example during their circle time or story time take farm animal story read the story and pause between the different animal characters to ask your child “What sound does the cow make?”. Also use animal pictures within the text books. Read the words, pausing on the animal picture to let the child fill in the blank by making the animal sound and then continue with the story. It is a good idea to write a few sentences on the board, leaving space in the text where the character’s name would usually go.

Below is a multimodal text for my ICT beginning. This video was created for my EDX2170 module.

Reference

Cunneen, M., Cunningham, D., Hall, K., Horgan, M., Ridgway, A. & Murphy, R. (2010). Loris malaguzzi and the reggio emilia experiences. NY: Continuum International Publishing Group

Mayesky, M. (2011). Creative activities for young children (10th ed.). Belmont: Wadsworth Cengage learning.

FINDING ICTs - "HELLO KITTY IN SPACE"

A wonderful video was shared in the first weeks forum (What ICT did you see in Hello Kitty in space?).

This video was produced by one of the 7th grader for her science project. She mounted a camera and used other ICT tools to create her very own space ship for Hello Kitty to send it to space. It was an astonishing project that grabbed the attention of older students. 

I could watch it over and over again. It opened my mind and made me think about my future projects for students. As educators we all know that children should be finding out about the uses of technology in their everyday lives, before it is implemented in the education system. They should be exposed to programmed toys and use computers to aid in their learning. Children need the opportunity to explore and play with computers just as they do with other forms of ICT, such as tape recorders. These kinds of play acts as the foundation for more structured use and applications later on.

After viewing this video I noticed that she is a very confident girl. She is very knowledgable with ICT tools like the camera for recording and tools needed to edit the video. Those who have seen the video can see her dedication and hard work in compiling this video project. It actually inspired me to do projects with my students during my practicum sessions.

Feel free to view the video clip and judge for yourself.

ABOUT ME

I am a special education teacher, and am specialised in teaching children with all kinds of disabilities. I love everything about teaching, whether children or adults. It gives me a sense of deep satisfaction to be able to pass on the knowledge that I have gained through my studies. 

The fact that ICT plays an important part in everyday life gives ample opportunity to me and other teachers alike a chance to enhance their knowledge while keeping in trend with the new developments. I believe classrooms of today are filled with potential to incorporate ICT's in teaching to enhance students' experience. It will be beneficial for both students and teachers alike, when ICT is incorporated as means of communication and sharing information.

Utilising ICT helps to increase the interest of students in the subjects being taught. It helps to break the mundane cycle in certain settings, such as in the classrooms. A more interactive session can be conducted using ICT materials, helping an audience become more engaged in their own learning. From my past experience and information gained through previous units I do believe the incorporation of ICT in education gravely enhances the learning experience.

I am very excited and keen to start this new module EDC3100 to further enhance my knowledge and learn new ways of incorporating ICT in education.  

Shafeenaz Saeed