Discussions
This page is dedicated to the various reflection outputs I had submitted throughout the course of the semester.
Reflection #1 – EdTech
1. What is the purpose of educational technology or technology in education?
The role of technology in education is to bridge the gap between students and teachers in terms of geographical distance and also access to educational resources. Not only that, it also aids teachers to present each subject matter in a new medium that the students can relate to more efficiently. With the introduction of technology to the educational system, we are making it possible for information dissemination to reach a wider range of people and thus learning could also be disseminated this way.
2. What do you value in education and technology?
I really value the fact that education does not only equip a person with the necessary knowledge and skills for the real world but also the right attitudes to face in life. Technology could help achieve those goals of education by decreasing the distances between the teacher and the learners and by making education accessible to the majority.
3. What is the state of educational technology in the Philippines and as a future educator, what are you going to do about it?
Just like the state between the rich and the poor, educational technology in the Philippines has a wide range. While the most prestigious educational institutions have access to the most updated and high-tech gadgets, the lowly public schools in the provinces (and even within the Metro) is making do with little to no technological integration. As a future educator, it is important to advocate the access and use of technology equally for all students regardless of their social standing or financial capacities.
4. Other reflections/insights that you may want to share...
If only there were no inequalities on the access to these educational technologies then its use in education can be fully utilized.
Reflection #2 – EdComputing
1. It seems that most of the advancements in technology have been harnessed for educational purposes, what is your take on this?
Technological advancements throughout history have, in one way or another, roots in education, and it is apt that these somehow be harnessed for educational purposes, whether as an area or study or a tool to make communication and information dissemination easier. I believe that education and technological advancement is a cycle - as technology improves, it positively affects the education system which will then produce new leaders in technology who will study existing technology and innovate it in order to produce better and more efficient technology which will be given to the society and would be harnessed and studied by the educational community once again.
2. How do you envision your classroom with technology mediation?
I envision a classroom with no boundaries. The traditional teacher-student relationship in which the teacher is more superior and more knowledgeable than the students will be no more. Instead, from the center, the teacher will make way to the students to have free reign over their learning, guiding them only when necessary. The method of appraising performance will be on how each student synthesizes the materials and resources provided to him and how he/she can apply it to the betterment of society. Geographical location cannot be a matter as well since technology will make it possible for students to confer with their equals in other countries and other walks of life where exchange of information can happen anywhere.
3. Other reflections/insights you may have...
However, with the current educational system here in the Philippines, those visions of a no-boundaries classroom is far from possible. And also, relying too much on technology can also become our weakness. As the youth becomes more and more reliant on technology, the beauty of doing things the longer and harder way will become lost to them.
Reflection #3 – Learning Theories
1. Is there any learning theory that you apply in your personal and academic life?
Based on my and my family's observations, I function best when there is an immediate reward in sight, which makes the Behaviorist approach most applicable to me. Though the rewards may be small or insignificant, it really gives me an additional boost to finish what I need to in order to attain it. Likewise, if I'm aware that what I'm doing is not really advantageous towards me in the long run, I tend not to do those things. In a way I also apply the Constructivist approach in my life as my parents and my sibling always comment that I'm too hardheaded that I want to experience failure first before I learn my lesson. It may sound really masochistic of me to let myself feel failure and disappointment first but I think these events will have a great impact in shaping me as a learner and as a person - that no matter how many times I may fail and fall, as long as I'm rising up to meet the challenges I won't consider myself a failure.
2. As a future educator, how do you plan to put into practice the learning theories you have learned?
As a future educator, I would be more sensitive to the needs of my students. Whether they learn more by solving problems logically, hands on or through trial and error, these theories will aid me in pinpointing their learning needs and thus I can better address them and be able to develop instructional methods that would best complement their learning styles. Compared to the traditional approach wherein only a limited variety of activities are being provided in class (which only addresses the learning needs of a few), adopting the different learning theories will challenge me as an educator to think out of the box in terms of developing activities that would not only get the students' attention but also challenge them so they will learn.
3. Could you formulate your own learning theory based on your experiences and learning? If so, what it is? Explain.
Based on my experience, a learner-friendly environment is the ideal place to nurture young minds. By learner-friendly I mean that there is a healthy competition but at the same time everyone helps each other so as no one gets left behind. Since I'm not one of the brightest students, I for one can attest how awful it is to be the only one not understanding a thing while everyone else seems to do so. Not only are you already isolated academically from them but the stress of the competition can really warp one's way of thinking, especially about him/herself. That's why I really advocate for educators who are not only experts in their field but those with a high EQ so that they will serve as their inspiration and motivator during those tough times.
4. Other reflections/insight that you may have...
As students, each and every one of us has his/her own style of learning which must be respected and nurtured by our teachers, while as teachers it is important that we see the potential in each of our students so that we can inspire them to do better instead of hindering them from becoming what they can be.
Reflection #4 – Issues in EdTech
1. What do you think are the implications of the issues we have discussed in class into the integration of technology to education?
Being aware of the different issues in the use of technology made me realize that while the Internet is a very convenient place to communicate, connect and learn from and with the world, it also opens up other possibilities of misbehavior and abuse. Therefore, as a teacher, it is important that he/she is knowledgeable about the different possibilities technology can be used by others against the students (and even how the students can use that technology against each other). A lot of security measures have to be undertaken such as parental controls.
2. Being aware of these issues, what action plan would you recommend to combat the following:
a. Digital divide - Every schools should have a computer lab complete with all the needed components and Internet connection. Before introducing any activity or requirement that would require using the computer, I will make sure as an educator that all the students know how to use the computer (eg. if they have prior computer knowledge or computer classes). If not, I would avoid having them directly use these technologies and instead use an overhead projector so all the students could progress at the same time since the pace is controlled by the teacher.
b. Internet addiction - As an educator I would serve as an example for them to use technology sparingly. I would think of activities that would sometimes make use of technologies but also some that do not need technology so that my students wouldn't rely too much on those to pass my subject. I would still encourage them to compute, encode or find information manually so that they wouldn't lose sight that they are also capable of doing such things and so that they wouldn't rely too much on technology in order to learn.
c. Plagiarism / copyrights issues - There are websites, applications and softwares available on the Internet which can detect plagiarism among the submissions of students. However, I would really stress the importance of intellectual honesty to my students so that it would (hopefully) be inculcated in them. As an extra precaution, I would ask the students to present their papers to the class and I will ask them comprehensive questions to gauge how much they understood what was written in their papers.
d. Cyber bullying - Just like with the case of plagiarism, it is important to be a constant presence on the Internet so that an educator can monitor what is being done by the students. Likewise, it is important to inculcate the value of camaraderie and assertiveness to the students so that they could talk over their misunderstandings an in turn develop closer relationships with their peers.
3. Other reflection/insights you may want to share...
The age of technology has opened up a lot of possibilities in terms of socializing and connecting with other people, and therefore social norms in the real and digital world has changed. As educators, it is important that we expose ourselves to these advancements since this is the world our students are currently living in to.
Reflection #5 – Emerging and Trending Technologies and Its Implications to Education
1. What are the implications to education of these emerging and trending technologies?
Through these emerging and trending technologies, education is becoming more and more accessible to people. A few years ago the concept of education is conceived in a way that you can only attain it in a certain place (schools and universities) but now everyone has access to education at the comfort of their own homes. This also brings me to one of our former issues which is the widening of divide between the "haves" and the "have nots". Because better access to education can be attained when one has access to these technologies, those who cannot afford to do so are more and more isolated from the education that other people can access for free.
2. If you would be given the chance to “invent” a new technology for education, what is it? Expound.
I would like to invent a portable 360 degree projector that, if placed in the middle of a room, can recreate a classroom setup. This is to counter the shortage of classrooms in the country and also to bring the educational system to far-flung places in the country.
3. Any other reflections / insights you may want to share....
I hope that the government will invest in these types of technologies that would bridge the rich and the poor together so there wouldn't be a technological/educational divide among them.
Reflection #6 – Roles of Teachers and Students in EdTech
1. What possible effects will the new learning landscape have on our present educational system?
The introduction of technology to education has started years ago, but since technology since then has evolved really rapidly since then, a lot of technologies are slowly being introduced to education, paving the way to changing landscapes in the educational system. While in traditional education the teacher is the sole source for knowledge, now students also have access to that knowledge and could now learn independently. Thus, the teacher's role in the classroom has greatly decreased.
2. What do you think is the most important role of teachers and students in technology integration into the education? Why?
The most important role for both teachers and students is learning and applying ethics in the use of technology in education. This includes respecting intellectual property rights and avoiding bullying/defamation of other people under the protection of anonymity. In order to have a conducive learning environment (which could also translate to being a good netizen later on) everyone should carefully watch their attitude online to avoid stepping on other people's rights.
3. What do you think is another crucial role of teachers that is NOT mentioned in our readings/discussions? Why do you think it is important?
Another crucial role of the teachers is to ensure that everyone has equal access and the minimum knowledge to be able to use the technologies used in education. It wouldn't be fair to students who do not have computers if the learning materials are only uploaded in the Internet - instead, teachers should also secure hard copies of the readings so that even those without computers or Internet connections could still learn from them.
4. What do you feel and how do you prepare about the changing role that teachers and students will play in the evolving learning environment?
While the rapidly evolving technologies is very daunting for a person who has been raised knowing the traditional methods of teaching, today's teachers could only have an open mind and the willingness to adapt to the changes brought about by these technology. Now not only do the students have to learn but the teachers should also exercise their skills in using these technology to keep up with the times.
5. How would you balance tech-savvy students and those that are not?
Teachers should give a variety of activities that would make use of technology (from those that would not). And if ever the activity requires the use of technology, it is important that the students are equipped with the minimum competencies on how to utilize such technology before the activity.
6. Any other reflections insights you may want to share.
Reflection #7 – eLearning in the Philippines
1. How prepared are we as a country for the challenges of 21st century learning?
Honestly, the Philippines is still far from being ready for the challenges of 21st century learning. Of course, one of the major problems of the Philippine educational system is the lack of funding by the government. If there are no funds, no projects, however properly planned they may be, will come into fruitition. Incorporating technology to each Filipino classroom costs more money that could have gone to the building of classrooms or even providing school books. Hopefully the government will recognize the educational system's dire need for technological integration and that they will enact measures to counter this.
2. Do you think the government is doing enough to push eLearning into the Filipino classroom? Why?
After seeing the different e-resources available, I think that the government is indeed doing their share to push eLearning to the classrooms. However, if there are not enough computer laboratories, tablets or the like provided to the schools, these efforts would not be felt by the public school student. First of all, the government needs to address the problems of not having these kinds of technologies, not to mention a stable and fast Internet connection to be able for students and teachers to better appreciate the eLearning efforts of the government.
3. If you would be given the chance to conceptualize an eLearning project, what would it be? Expound.
I would like to see a UPOU-style of distance learning translated to the basic education level. Since most of the youth are already connected to the Internet at such a young age, it is important that education can also be accessible to them through that medium. This distance learning project would utilize ebooks, educational games and instructional videos that each child could enjoy and learn from at the comfort of their own homes. Of course, online courses just like those offered in Coursera would be awesome when translated to our basic education curriculum.
4. Any other reflection/insights that you may want to share...
Reflection #8 – Instructional Media Resources
1. What are the influences of media and technology in your personal and professional life?
Technology and media not only makes life so much easier, but it helps connect me with the rest of the world. Honestly, technology and media have become a huge part of my life. On the personal level, I use these platforms to connect with friends and family living in other places and also to be informed about the latest news or just have fun. On the professional side, this helps me connect with my classmates, professors and even institutions or organizations that I'm involved with.
2. There is a view that digital media and technology is far better than their traditional counterpart, what is your take on this?
I think it depends of the type of content that should be taught to the students. For example, for flashing information and concepts digital media will be far superior than traditional media in terms of saving time and effort in making it but for activities that will involve students in the process, such as experiments or problem solving, the traditional method of doing it on a piece of paper or in a laboratory is of course preferable. Just because digital media and technology is an improvement of traditional media doesn't mean that these traditional media should be completely disregarded as inferior.
3. As an educator and lifelong learner, how do you best equipped yourself and your students for digital citizenship?
I really think having an open mind and a willingness to adapt to change is the best preparation for the self in terms of keeping up with the changing world. If you are not open to these technologies and new methods of teaching or learning then you wouldn't have the motivation to learn how to utilize these and thus you will cease to improve.
4. What do you feel about the changing roles of teachers and students in the ever evolving 21st century learning and teaching environment?
I honestly feel very intimidated because of the rate at which technology is constantly evolving (and the fact that I might not be able to catch up) but at the same time excited at what the world has to offer in terms of new teaching and learning platforms and strategies. I'm sure that while these changes bring about a lot of good things in the picture, people should never forget the traditional methods of teaching; they are tried and tested after all.
5. Any other reflection/insight that you may want to share…
Reflection #9 – People, Text and Visual Media
1. What are the implications of people, text and visual media in education?
People, text and visual media opens more possibilities and avenues in presenting the lesson to the students in a way that will not only capture their attention but to hold it and maximize their involvement in the learning process. It is also poses a challenge to the teacher that he/she should strive to utilize all medium of instruction in order to make his/her students appreciate the lesson. The students, likewise, has the responsibility to make full use of these mediums of instruction in order to maximize their learning.
2. How do you plan to integrate digital "people", text and visual media into your learning and teaching specifically at your major?
As a student, it is important that I become aware of the different media by which we can enhance our learning. Using the Internet, I can easily access text (through text-heavy sites like Wikipedia, ebooks, online journals), visual (through looking at slide presentations, infographics and videos) and even people media (through following them on social media). As a future educator, I can utilize these platforms to introduce topics to my students and make them appreciate the different means of learning one topic.
3. Any other reflections/insights that you may have...
As teachers it is important to be familiarized with these media of instruction in order to be more effective. Likewise students should also appreciate the different medium of instruction and know what medium works best for them.
Reflection #10 – Motion, Audio, Manipulatives Media
1. What are the implications of motion, audio and manipulatives media in education?
Motion, audio and manipulatives media bring new approaches on how teachers could design teaching strategies and how students can utilize other senses in order to learn. We are very used to the traditional manner of teaching which is primarily visual and auditory so now as future educators we are challenged to develop classroom activities that will utilize motion, manipulatives and multimedia to address the different learning styles of our students. Likewise, as students we should get to know more about our learning styles and utilize those in order to make the most of our learning experiences.
2. How do you plan to integrate digital motion, audio and manipulatives media into your learning and teaching specifically at your major?
As a future special education teacher, it is very important that I go beyond the traditional methods of teaching in order to better reach my students. As such, I can use motion media as a strategy to not only catch my students' attention but also to maintain them since children are always drawn to movement than static images and texts. Likewise, it is best to incorporate audio media to complement any visual aid for the students to have a better grasp of the topic at hand. Also, in the case of visually-impaired learners, it is important that we focus more on these kinds of media to compensate for the lack of visual media. Manipulatives media is also a great teaching strategy to incorporate to any classroom set-up: children can just go ahead and tinker with the materials on the desk and learn from it. It is important though that traditional manipulatives used in class is safe for children.
3. Any other reflections/insights that you may want to share.
