Benefits of Classroom Blogs

Now and as blogs are used as an educational tool, it is useful to share with all educators the benefits of using these easily created blogs in classrooms.
To begin with, blogs can be used to present students’ work. This will motivate the students and keep the parents updated with their children’s work.
Class blogs can serve as a mode of communication between the teacher and students. Teachers can use them to post notes and homework assignments. Once the homework is done it can be immediately checked by the teacher who posts a comment giving the student an immediate chance to improve his work and giving other students the chance to learn from the mistakes of others. Moreover teachers can share teaching materials which saves their time.
Class blogs give the opportunity for students to conduct long discussions outside the classroom. With a blog, every person has an equal opportunity to share his thoughts and opinions.
Blogs also allow students to gain more experience in using computers, software and other technologies that are becoming a necessity and a prerequisite for being accepted in reputable universities.

On the other hand, students must be well trained how to use blogs and what to post on them. The availability of computers and internet access might be a problem. However, as an educator I strongly encourage using classroom blogs.

Student Centered Learning

Student-centered learning is the learning that places the student in the center of the learning process. In student-centered learning, students actively construct their learning at their own pace and using their own ways. With this style of learning students develop their social skills,thinking skills and meta-cognitive skills.By the end of this course I am looking forward to using ICT tools to make student centered learning my goal.I strongly believe that the challenges brought about to us by globalization dictate the fact of using student centered learning to prepare students for succeeding in their careers.We will face problems such as the inavailability of resources ,facilities and others but we should try our best.
This video gives evidence of the relationship between information processing and student centered learning.

Why a webquest?

A question that I asked myself at the beginning of the course,"What is a webquest and what are its benefits?"After today's class I strongly believe that webquests are extremely useful for my students.
Webquests motivate the students and strengthen their abilities to work in groups.Moreover students will be exposed to a vast range of information from different real resources.In addition to that webquests encourage critical thinking and technology integration.
What David Thornburg, a futurist and technology specialist, said dragged my attention.It emphasises the benefits of using webquests in teaching.The posted link explains Thronburg's point of view.

I added links to webquests that I will be using in teaching Biology and a link that helps you create your on webquest.

ICT as a Tutor

I was satisfied today and by the end of this lesson for I have strengthened my knowledge of using ICT as a tutor.From a personal experience I know the importance of drilling in teaching and this now became easier with ICT.Tutorials can help students with different learning abilities and can motivate them. Moreover, introducing games to lessons will break the daily routine and the students and teacher will enjoy their time.In addition to the above mentioned ICT programs,simulations are extremely useful in experiencing real life situatons without any risk and in applying sciences and knowing the outcomes in a virtual way.

For me and as a science teacher I found that simulations and tutorials are a necessity and games introduced to a lesson will increase the competition levels and hence the students' performance.

I hope that the links I added will be useful to all those in the Science field.

Adding games to blog pages

It was a nice idea to add games to the blog .Just follow the steps below and you can add any game:
1.Find the game by browsing or searching.This site is a good choice.
2.Click on the game you want.
3. Click down the 'embed' image to pull down the code and copy.
4.On your blog page,click on 'Edit Html', paste the code and publish the post.

Thes are the steps that I took to add the game below:

Softwares and Teaching

As a student I left the class many times with a vague idea about topics explained by certain teachers. They are those who do not plan well for the lesson. In my opinion, a well planned lesson is the organized one. It is the lesson where the concepts are represented in a logical coherent way. Presenting concepts in a clear way needs certain processes like concept mapping.

I am quite familiar with this process and in today’s ICT class I was very happy to be introduced to a software “Inspiration Software” which makes creating efficient concept maps an easy procedure. In addition it helps you create other diagrams. Below is a simple concept map I created in class and from which I can access websites.

Teachers are nowadays lucky to have such softwares which make their jobs easier.

This link will help you know more about this software and even download a free trial.

In addition to the link this video gives a clear example how this software can help and an example is given on how it is used in explaining Maths concepts.

Reforming the Educational System

Student centered learning and Inquiry based learning are terms that we get across when we attend workshops or training courses in the educational field.These topics were the key words in today's class.

As a teacher or actually a classical teacher who used to teach in a traditional way,I found it very difficult to shift from being the source of information and the decision maker to a facilitator and an advisor only.It took me quite a while to accept the fact that I have to change my teaching style to keep up with the challenge brought to me by the reformed educational system in the institution that I was a member in.

Fortunately, it ended up that what was a burden on my shoulders evolved to become a joy in my life. With time I discovered that these new methods of teaching are the best for me as teacher and a parent and for my students.

The advantages of these methods overweigh the disadvantges .I really hope that the educational systems all over the world will shift to these styles.

This is a broad topic that I would reflect on later.

For those who are unfamiliar with these learning styles check this page that gives a clear idea about Inquiry learning .

Blogs

Blog was the word that I heard, said and typed most today.Previously I had an idea about blogs and trekked into a couple but I had no clue how to create a blog.I learnt that others can comment on what is on the blog .What dragged my attention most was the benefits of using blogs as an educator.

As educators we all the time long to have parents aware of what is happening with their kids in school.Posting all the students' activities and work on the blog or even videos will solve our problem.Moreover we have a lot of information to share with our colleagues and most of the time we don't have the chance to do that, so blogs again are the solution.

To me now and after I learnt about blogs and what I have seen in a video played in today's lecture I think the advantages of using blogs overweigh the disadvantages.As a teacher and a parent I will recommend and encourage using blogs.

Give it a try and create your blog now.

Computers and Education

"Amazing" is the word that came to my mind when I discovered how practical and useful creating blogs is .Sharing ideas,thoughts and feelings which was hard or impossible years ago is easily achievable now by pressing some keys.

Being that simple and interesting, I would like to share with others my daily experience with my lecturer and classmates during the ICT course that made me more acquainted with blogs.

My first day in class was interesting and useful at the same time.The importance of computers in the educational process was reinforced and presented in a clear and organised way that shows the multi-role that a computer plays as a tool,a tutor or a tutee.In my career as a teacher I always considered the computer as a tool and a tutor and I encouraged my students to benefit from this fact in different ways as logging on to different tutorial sites .
Another way was using simulations to explain certain concepts in my subject field"Biology".
Frankly speaking I haven't used computers as tutees with my students because it is a hard task to a certain extent but I will try my best to do this in the near future.
On the other hand I learned more about PowerPoint program specifically how to use the Hyperlink function which I didn't master before.








These were few of the ideas that I thought about after yesterday's class and the rest will be posted later tonight.