Additional Topic: History of Computer

Additional Topic:

History of Computer

          In the advent of technological innovation and the birth of modern computers, we cannot deny the fact that these devices aid and lessen the burden that we carry, may it be in the school, community and home.

Generation of Computer:

     1.       Computer

    2.    Personal Computer

    3.    Microprocessors

    4.    Internet

    5.    Web links

          In my Information Technology subject, we tackled already a lot of topics about computers in including its history. A long time ago, I did not picture myself about being technologically inclined individual, but as time passed I was gradually persuaded to use products of technology like computers not just for fun but also for educational and family purposes.

          Knowing the history of computers, we can realize the gradual innovation on technology done by people in relation to time. I realized that almost everything can be improved in order for us to benefit, but for it to be accomplished we must embody patience and perseverance. Furthermore, we should also be thankful because these development of computers paved our way towards academic prosperity, it made our work much easier than it used to and it improved the quality of education we have.

          Today, we already know a lot of applications of computers and that we can use computers in many fields but let’s focus on the applications of computer in the field of education. In education, computers are used as means for instruction, computers can be of great leverage in using it to produce various types of hypermedia. Moreover, we can also use computers to manage the school; for the enrollment system and other administrative uses which will benefit the school and the people in it.

Lesson 9 Computers as Information and Communication Technology

Lesson 9

Computers as Information and Communication Technology

          The evolving pace of innovation in today’s Information Age is so dynamic that within the first decade of the 21^st century, computer technology in education has matured to transform into educative information and communication technology (ICT) in education.

          In the Educational Technology 1 the role of computer in education was well discussed. It was pointed out that the advent of the computer is recognized as the third revolution in education. Moreover, computer-assisted instruction (CAI) was introduced using the principle of individualized learning through a positive climate that includes realism and appeal with drill exercises that uses color, music and animation.

          The personal computer (PC) as ICT together with the distinction of instructional media and educational communication media. Instructional media consist of audio-visual aids that served to enhance and enrich the teaching-learning process. Examples are the blackboard, photo, film and radio. While educational communication media comprise the media of communication to audiences including learners using the print, film, radio, television or satellite means of communication. For example, distance learning was implemented using correspondence, radio, television, or the computer satellite system.

       Programs normally installed to an ordinary PC.

·       Microsoft office-program for composing text, graphics, reports, etc.

·       Powerpoint-for preparing lecture slides

·       Excel-for spreadsheets

·       Internet Explorer- access to the internet

·       Yahoo or Google-Websites

·       Adobe reader-photo editing

·       MSN-Mail/Chat

·       GameHouse-Vidoe games

          I got my personal computer when I was on second year of college but before that I already had experiences in using computers way back on high school. Since high school we were taught different skills which involves the use of computer as part of the curriculum. We have a functional computer laboratory provided with internet for us to effectively learn many things and also to train us as preparation for the future.

          Based on my experiences I can say that through computers I accomplished a lot of things may it be in school, at home or whatever educational purposes. Truly, computers as ICT paved my way towards achieving my dream of becoming a teacher and a successful individual; to make a difference and to be the difference that I wanted to be.

          Computers can function as one of the very important facilities in the teaching-and-learning process. Through the use of computers the teachers can engage students to make projects and also interact with the students if necessary.

          No matter how outstanding computers are as ICT, it can never replace the teacher as the best instructional material.

Lesson 8 Higher Thinking Skills Through IT-Based Projects

Lesson 8

Higher Thinking Skills Through IT-Based Projects

          Students’ performances also depends on the teacher’s way of handling the class. There are plenty of ways on effective classroom management for the students to acquire higher thinking skills. This is why it is very challenging for teachers to maintain students’ interest in studying while employing them to different challenging tasks.

          There are four (4) IT-based projects that will help develop higher thinking skills of the students.

1.    Resource-based Projects - in these projects, the students will be given a topic and the teacher will only be a facilitator of the students. A teacher can only be allowed to help if it is really necessary for an active learning process.

2.  Simple Creations - the students will be required to make their own poems, novels, blogs and other things that will be aided by software materials such as the Microsoft Writer, KidWork Deluxe and many more.

From it, the student’s creativity will be enhanced through designing. Creativity is said to be the combination of the three abilities, namely: Analyzing, Synthesizing, and Promoting.

3.  Guided Hypermedia Projects - this is the production of self-made multimedia. Examples of it are the video production, photo editing, and making of Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation.

4.  Web-Based Projects - students can be made to create and post webpages in a given topic.

          We students had plenty of experiences which involves IT-based projects to enhance higher thinking skills that our teachers made us do. Since grade school we were exposed to this already but it is limited only to lower scale of information technology like television. When I was on the fourth grade we were tasked to watch a news program and to make a narrative report about any news headline of our choice. Until today, we still experience the use of IT-based projects but of great advancement and of more complexity like making our own documentary, movie, edited photos, movie covers, power point presentations, prepared slides of different specimens in the laboratory and many more.

          As what I can think of based on my experiences, I can say that information technology evidently drove us higher in the field of education and generally in life. It is because through IT-based projects, students were indulged into a more creative and fun way of learning which maximized the function of the teacher from being the main source of information before (traditionally) to a facilitator of the teaching-and-learning process today.

          With the knowledge of implementing IT-based projects, there will be a lesser worry on how teachers would engage students to higher thinking skills. In this advanced world of ICT, teachers can easily apply lessons to different IT-based projects in order to further support the knowledge learned by the students and they will be given chances to formulate their genuine steps in order for them to come up with a certain project.

Lesson 7 Evaluation of Technology Learning

Lesson 7

Evaluation of Technology Learning

          We already know the importance of digital instruction, now we should also discover what digital evaluation is and its importance in the teaching-and-learning process.

          Assessment needs to conform, not to the past century but the new literacy of the 21^st century. This is why teachers must adopt a new mindset both for instruction and evaluation. Evaluation must be geared to assessment of essential knowledge and skills so that learners can function effectively, productively and creatively in a new world. This evaluation must use evaluative tools that measure the new basic skills of the 21^st century digital culture, namely: solution fluency, information fluency, collaboration fluency, creative fluency, media fluency and digital citizenship.

          Moreover, in this lesson mass amateurization or the change in evaluation approach has been given emphasis. The personal and group creative activities in school should aim to bridge the gap between amateur creators of future outcomes and products in the real world.

          I experienced evaluation of technology learning not just in educational technology 1 and information technology (IT) subjects but also with other subjects that is much more productive in terms of lessons with the use or aid of technology. For example, in my major subjects like genetics, cell biology, microtechnique, microbiology, history and philosophy of science, plant morphology, ecology, science research, comparative anatomy of the vertebrates, etc. our power point presentations were evaluated as instructional media along with how we handle the class as future teachers.

          It is really important for teachers to adapt to new mindset for the evaluation of technology learning. It is because if their minds along with their entire principles of evaluation is still anchored on the traditional way they cannot fully function as an effective teacher anymore that is needed in this generation of digital learning that is governed by digital instruction and digital evaluation.

          With the knowledge of effective evaluation of technology learning, teachers can assess students’ outputs properly with prudence and justice. If they know how to evaluate technology learning for students they can also evaluate themselves and eventually they will learn to master their skill in evaluation and reflect this skill on ways to further improve their teachings which is essential for the students’ learnings and vice versa.

Lesson 6 Developing Basic Digital Skills

Lesson 6

Developing Basic Digital Skills

          In the new digital world of information and communication technology, teachers are challenged to adjust their teaching in order to obtain effectively and successfully the teaching and learning objectives and learning outcomes. In order for them to do this is to clearly understand what basic knowledge, skills and values (or literacies) need to be developed by digital learners.

          The basic literacies will not replace the 3Rs, but they will be complimented by the six fluency skills. These are: solution fluency it refers to capacity and creativity in problem solving, information fluency it involves three subsets of skills which are ability to access information, to retrieve information and ability to reflect, assess and rewrite for instructive information packages, collaboration fluency this refers to teamwork with virtual or real partners in the online environment, media fluency it refers to the ability to evaluate the message of the chosen media as well as the creative ability to publish digital image, creativity fluency refers to the artistic proficiency that adds meaning by way of design, art, story-telling to package a message, and lastly the digital ethics that refers to the ability to follow the guidelines and principles of leadership, global responsibility, environmental awareness, global citizenship and personal accountability.

          In primary education and even in pre-school I already experienced the 3 Rs (reading, writing and ‘rithmetic) which is basically one of the foundations of the acquisition of knowledge. As for today, in this digital age I already experienced the different fluency skills.

Fluency	Experiences
Solution Fluency	Science research, biochemistry case studies, problem sets, “R” Biostatistics project
Information Fluency	Genetics research, blog, science research, case studies
Collaboration Fluency	Edmodo, email requiremets to teachers, online gaming
Media Fluency	Video documentation for Social Dimensions of Education, podcast, blog
Creativity Fluency	Reporting through the use of ppt presentation, photo editing, video editing, blog
Digital Ethics	“Think before you click” principle, following the computer ethics (Information Technology)

          Developing basic digital skills is indeed, very important. The 3 rs alone isn’t enough to fully attend and satisfy the educational needs of the students. The fluency skills can really uplift the knowledge of the learners to a higher level that is required for them to adapt and live successfully in the new digital world.

          Knowing the fluency skills, teachers can improve the quality of teaching through using suitable instructional techniques based on the fluencies to utilize them all. Also, teachers nowadays can match correctly learning activities to specific learning objectives that will really improve and enhance the students’ acquisition of the higher order thinking skills.

Lesson 5 Preferences of the Technology Generation

Lesson 5

Preferences of the Technology Generation

          As time goes, by people tend to develop new ways for doing things as a part of the innovation and adaptation to the changes and needs of the environment. In the field of educational it is observable in the teaching-and-learning process through the different learning styles, appropriate teaching approaches and efficient teaching strategies that is needed to accomplish certain learning objectives.

          In this chapter, the differences of the old generation and the new generation’s practices, likes, and other doings were briefly compared. The old generation has availed of slow and single-tract pattern of activities. Life has been comfortably slower for oldies as they watch and follow television tele-nobelas like Walang Hanggan patronize the movies of their favorite local performers, clinics. On the other hand the new generation is exposed to quick flicking video games, mobile phone texting, socializing through the social Web sites, and downloading text/photos/video with adeptness and task-switching speed.

         

Old Generation	New Digital Generation
Texts       · Read book texts, enriched by illustrations and photos.        · In order to research they go to the school library.	Visuals       · Have greater affinity to visuals (photos and video).       ·  Enhance their visual fluency and abilities through computer images.
Linear          · Obtained information in a linear, logical and sequential manner.        ·  Made them more logical, focused, and reflective thinkers.	Hyper media     ·  Follows a personal random access to hyperlink digital information.      ·  Less superior to elders in focus and reflection – easily bored and distracted during class lectures.
Independent ·       Traditional education system gives priority to independent learning prior to participative work.	Social Learners          · Acquainted with digital tools that adopt to both personal and participative work. ·       Digital learning is based on experimentations, discovery and intuition.
Learning to pass the test       · Old teachers teach students in order to help them pass tests and complete the course requirements.	Learning to do           · New digital learners simply wish to acquire skills, knowledge and habits as windows of opportunity afford them to learn.
Delayed Rewards ·       Unclear rewards for performance          · Grades, honor certificates or medals and diplomas including future jobs.	Instant Gratification       · Immediate scores from games, enjoyable conversations from webcam calls, excitement from email chats and inviting comments from their facebook.
Rote Memory          · Teachers feel obliged to delivering content-based courses.        · Learning that is measurable by standard tests.	Fun Learning       · Prefer fun learning which is relevant and instantaneously useful to them.           · Fun in the digital world outside the school.

          Most of us noticed the gradual changes that is happening due to advancements of technology. We observed the differences of our time today compared to our parents’ time on their generation. It is evident that the learners today prefers to engage in lessons that catches their attention. That is why the teaching-and-learning process including the teaching approaches and instructional materials that are used before may or may not be as effective today. When I was on the first up to the fourth grade we were taught in the traditional way; we used books, charts, maps and other traditional materials. Today, first up to the fourth grade learners are now taught using televisions, powerpoint presentations and other hypermedia.

          Indeed! Technological innovations really brought plenty of changes in the field of education. This caused the variations of the experiences of the old generation and the new digital generation especially on the preferences of the latter which is more the visuals, hypermedia, learning to do, instant gratification and fun learning.

          Knowing the preferences of the technology generation, teachers nowadays can adjust their teaching methods in accordance to the satisfaction of the technology learners and the achievement of the positive outcomes of the teaching-and-learning process in the new digital world of information and communication technology.