a PrAcTiCaL LeSsOn ~ PoWeR pOiNt ~

18/7/2007 (Wednesday)

The feeling of guilt creeps into my heart during this second lecture as I do not turn up as punctual as usual due to the streamyx installation problem at my rented house, which has taken up much of my time than I have expected (sign L ~ ). Anyway, I manage to make it before the lesson started, luckily.

Moving into the second lesson, our professor Maznah does not appear since she is up with something else, I guess. Well, between Ms. Chin and Mr. Shahril, the facilitators who have taken over the lecture, I have eventually attended the latter’s lecture—a lecture on power point design and presentational skill. Perhaps the objective for the lecture is to see to what extend we have commanded the technological skill in designing the power point slides. However, shy to say, I still have a long way to go before being able to be really techno savvy (sign again).

Throughout the three hour lecture, I have gained, though not much, but useful information in designing power point presentation. I have learnt that it is very important for a message or an idea to be clearly and successfully transmitted to the intended target in order for our communication purpose to achieve. This is because during our presentation, Mr. Shahril has stressed on this point by pointing out the fact that a dark, especially a black background for power point presentation will enable the information that we are going to convey to stick out if compared to a graphical background. Moreover, he has also brought out the pertinent point of not over loading a slide with too many words and information. This will reduce the concentration of the audience. Frankly, I have already know about this point, however it just happens that I am too eager to convey all the important information and resulted in a fully written slide. Ironically, this seems to bring an opposite feedback where it will make my audience tired and sways their attention away, especially if dealing with young learners, since according to Biehler, R. F. and Snowman, J. (1990), they have a rather short attention span compared to adult learners. Hence, I think I should really reflect on this.

Nevertheless, there is one thing that I ponder, is not soft skill an important aspect in our learning now? Why there is no sign of stressing this skill during our power point presentational process? I wonder as during the group presentation, I observe that some groups only have a person to do all the presentation, while the others are just standing aside. Where goes the group dynamic and group spirit? I have noticed this and I do write down some comments on this for certain groups in the peer appraisal form. Nonetheless, this point is not being publicly raised by anyone. Perhaps, the lesson is to just solely observe our skill in designing power point slides and give feedback on it. If this is the case, then I would say the objective for this lecture has totally, completely and absolutely achieved. Still, in my opinion, looking at the increasing importance of integrating soft skills in our learning process, perhaps some attention should be spent on this aspect during our presentation. (This is just merely my own point of view, are there other opinions? Well, you are most welcome!)

Anyway, above all, it is an interesting lecture as it requires us to prepare a power point presentation and from our own experience of doing so, bring out the pertinent and relevant point in better designing a power point presentation so to enhance our teaching-learing process in the Primary Classroom. What a wonderful hands-on activity to be adopted since it helps me to better understand and link well to what I have learnt from Mr. Shahril on a better and more persuasive power point designing skill. Thanks to Mr. Shahril!

The first lesson~ surprise!

11/7/2007 (Wednesday)

Today is the first day to enter this particular class of “Technology in Primary Education”. Have never thought of what it would be like, I supposed this course is all about studying the usefulness of technology in the primary school—I mean not a so interesting course that would appeal to me. However, to my surprise, this course is not just that, it is also about the skill in pleasing (PLEaSE—Personalized Learning Environment and Students Engagement) the pupils in learning through the use of technology. This realization gives me a brand new feeling towards this course. I started to gain interest in it; after all, it is so important for a teacher to “please” their pupils in order for them to learn better.

One thing to rise, I really marvel at how Professor Maznah kicks off the lesson by introducing the term PLEaSE. She says we need to please others if we want to get things done and on the other hand, if we are pleased, we engage well in the particular activities. Hence, since it is the 21st modern era where most of the pupils are either “digital citizens” or “digital immigrants”, teachers nowadays should know how to operate those modern technologies to bring fun in the classroom. This would please the pupils and allow more engagement in the teaching-learning process by the pupils. Basically, this is what I have learnt for this first lesson. Personally, I strongly agree with this. However, it flashes in my mind that during my School Experience Programme (SEP) in one of the primary schools at Cheras, one of the Science teachers for the Primary Year 5 classroom has ruled out the use of technology in the primary science education! Is technology not as practically important as what I have learnt today? I wonder…

According to this particular teacher, he said that pupils need to “do it by themselves” (by manipulating realias and objects, but not with technology) in order to please them and have fun in learning. Technology to this teacher is just a dull tool to be used as it does not work much on his pupils. In my opinion, though to certain extend, I agree with the teacher that hands-on experience are important for pupils to learn in fun, however the use of technology, the correct use of technology, can spice up the teaching-learning experience in primary science classroom. For instance, with the use of computer and software, the teacher can provide the pupils with concrete view on certain abstract concept, such as the motion of the moon and sun during the moon and sun eclipse. This will, according to Piaget, help in enhancing the pupils’ understanding since the primary school pupils are at the “Concrete Operational” stage. Moreover, as in the notes given by professor Maznah, Christopher (2004) has mentioned that it is the people using the technology and how they use it for what purpose that would help in learners’ learning and engagement. Hence, I do think that the primary school teacher can even use technology to provide the pupils with a variation of experience in having the hands-on activities instead of engaging them in using only mahjong paper and realias for instance. This, in my humble view, will even allow more diverse mode of teaching-learning experience that would cater to the pupil’s individual needs and to “PLEaSE” them.

To conclude, this acronym of PLEaSE is really meaningful. It brings the meaning of engagement in a lesson through the interaction among the pupils’ needs and their existing schemata, as well as the environment around. Though, I have a little wonder about the practicality aspects of using technology in primary Education, since this is the 21st century, lets us be the 21st century teachers that may cater to our pupils need in becoming the digital citizens or the digital immigrants by knowing how and why to use technologies in the Primary Education. I’m sure, one day, we will need to catch up with the footstep of globalization and be technologically well equipped in educating our future generation. So, teachers, let’s be ready with ICT! Ganbande!