Reflection Week 8

Web 2.0: Good for Education?

Information Technology has somehow became something common and widely used. As a result, the use of materials containing information in the form of hard copies such as books and newspaper are reduced. People nowadays could do all sort of things such as listen to music, watch movies, chatting, and even share our personal life online anytime and anywhere comfortably.

Web 2.0 is defined as AJAX (Asynchronous Javascript and XML). The name may changes with time, but for now we use the shorthand “Web 2.0”.

The positive trends for higher education with the use of Web 2.0 include having more interaction between the ones with knowledge and learners to occur online rather than in a typical classroom. Besides that, learning time does not have to be fixed as we can continue learning during a course of study or even when the course is over. Using Web 2.0 enables us to have more active learning opportunities. The traditional type of learning strategies on fundamental perception of learning has shifted from a content delivery to a guided learning process. In addition, there will be more recognition and scaffolding on a student’s knowledge. It has become an independent learning process. Thus, students owned their own collection of evidence online.

However, the negative trends of Web 2.0 will be, online materials always consist of a deluge of unfiltered information. The transience of knowledge as opinion-producers gains currency more quickly day by day. Furthermore, it will create a large gap between upper-echelon institutions that are able to adapt to Web 2.0 trends and the rest of higher education. Things become worst when K-12 schools may be even less able to adapt to it. This is because they have less exposure to technology access. At the same time, K-12 schools cannot open gates for broad-scale interaction on the Web. Moreover, the education enterprise is merely reactive to industry developments. They must instead lead and find opportunities for positive change.

“Leading” and “positive change” do not mean merely adopting technology initiatives but to improve and excel in it. On the other hand, it means students should not just sit and listen but gather evidence of their learning under the guidance of an expert.

           
Xin Txin

Reflection Week 7

Besides using these accounts as our e-mail addresses, the most important part of it is to share information online. With these agents, people are able to stay connected even though they are away from each other at different parts of the world. Files can be shared and discussion can also be held. These functions are commonly known as electronic group discussion. This benefits me from getting information and files as my guideline to complete my task. In addition, it is also convenient to all especially to spread news among members. With only one e-mail sent, every member will receive it. Documents can be attached too.

Yahoo! is not the only place where you can create groups. Facebook, now a popular social network, enables it members to form groups too. It more or less carries the same function. However, Facebook differs from yahoo group in various ways. Yahoo! groups are meant for files in the form of documents, powerpoint or pdf but Facebook is more to instant messages and less on sharing of documents.

Nowadays, it has become a necessity for us to be tech savvy. At least, it is a must for us to know about the basics of Yahoo! and Google account in order to keep in touch with things that happen around us. Via internet is the fastest way to get news updated. To cope with the pace of the society, there is no other way but to learn their way of life.

Xin Txin

Reflection Week 6

Nowadays, among the most popular Web 2.0 is Facebook. Hence, it is a must for us to learn the use of facebook account. Facebook is a social network which is now popular among people to interact online for personal use or work.

1. Go to Facebook homepage: http://www.facebook.com/ which appears to be like the one shown above. 
2. Sign up by filling in all the details required.
3. Follow the procedure step by step to complete your personal profile. 
4. Finally, verify your account through your e-mail address.

To get an official URL of your facebook profile, go to Account: Account Info >Username and enter a desired URL of yours. Instructions are clearly shown everywhere in facebook especially for those who are new. You can search for friends by entering their profile name or e-mail address and add them to your friends list as well. Besides that, to put together people of the same interest, you can always create a group, where all the members can be linked together and share the same piece of information. In other words, it is like a shared profile. Start exploring from today!


Xin Txin

Reflection Week 5

This week I am going to explore more about Gmail. In order to register for an official Google account, you'll have to sign up for Gmail.

1. Go to Google.
2. Click on "Gmail".
3. Select "Create an account" and you'll see a page as shown above.
4. Fill up all the details required.
5. After your Gmail is successfully created, verify your account through your alternate e-mail address or your mobile number.

To complete your e-mail, create a signature by going to Gmail: Setting >Signature. Start enjoying Gmail and other Google services!


Xin Txin

Reflection Week 4

This week I am going to explore more about Web 2.0. In just few weeks time, I gained a lot of new knowledge about Yahoo! account, Google account, Facebook and Blog as well. Before this, I have none of the above accounts since I am using hotmail as my only personal e-mail. Hence, by grabbing this opportunity, I get to know the process of registering for an official Yahoo! account, Google account, Facebook and Blog.

Below are the steps to create an official Yahoo! account:

1. Go to Yahoo!'s homepage: http://www.yahoo.com/ which is shown as above.
2. Click on "Sign Up" to create a new account.
3. For Yahoo! Registration, fill up all the details required.
4. After your Yahoo! account is successfully created, verify your account through your alternate e-mail address.

An official e-mail must include signature. Hence, create your signature by going to Yahoo!: Mail Option >Signature. By having a Yahoo! account, you can enjoy free e-mail, Yahoo! Groups where people from different part of the world can get together to share and discuss on a certain topic, and other Yahoo! services.


Xin Txin

Reflection Week 3

          Through perfect teamwork, our group has successfully created our video for a lesson presentation. We selected a topic on POETRY RECITAL. To create an authentic video clip, we used Window Movie Maker, where we edited the flow of pictures and to match our background music with our video presentation. Before we put them together in one piece, pictures are edited in combined using Paint while the background music for the clip is cut and recombined using Audacity. 


          However, I believe that we can do much better on it. We should be able to produce something nicer, more attractive and for effective teaching. The reason for us to learn to create a video is for teaching aid purposes. Lesson presented with video can grab the students' attention as it is more interesting due to animated pictures and appropriate background music. With increasing interest, students' memory can be boost and effective learning can take place as well. 

XinTxin

Reflection Week 2

          Okay, so now we have come to the second week of lecture, we mainly studied about the ASSURE model. ASSURE model is an acronym which stands for:

          A - Analyze Learners
                By analysing the learners, we study our learners identity, including their characters
                and competencies. In our case, it would be their language proficiency.

          S - State Objective
                The objective of learning must be specific by stating terms of what student will be able to do   
                under certain conditions.

          S - Select Methods, Media and Materials
                To plan a lesson, we have to select an appropriate method with suitable format. Hence, by using
                available materials, teachers can come out with their lesson plan by creating or modifying
                suitable lessons with activitites.

          U - Utilise Media and Materials
                 Before carrying out the lesson, teachers should be fully prepared by previewing the flow of 
                 their lesson with working teaching  aids.

          R - Require Learner Participation
                 Teachers have to ensure that their students actively engage in the lesson. By doing that,
                 learners are allow to practice, providing learning feedbacks to the teachers.

          E - Evaluate and Revise
                 At the end of the lesson, teachers have to reflect on the lesson, doing self-evaluate and revise
                 the weaknesses for further improvements.

          Why are we learning the ASSURE model? For our lecture next week, we are going to teach a lesson in video form. In a group of five, we have to plan a lesson before hand by referring to the ASSURE model. Our targeted students will form 2 students on topic of our own preference.

XinTxin