~wHeN aSsinGnMeNt MeEts IWB~

22/8/2007 (Wednesday)

It is until Prof. RM mentions that this is our 7th week that I realize wow, I’d been in UM for half a semester! Time flies! And it really flies like nobody business, whether you are aware of it or not!

Well, going back to the lesson of the day... Nothing fancy today as we are supposed to work on our IWB assignment. Work hard on it I mean. Anyway, there are some house keepings done by Prof. RM and she has also shown us some samples of teaching-learning activities through the use of IWB to aid in our assignment.

I wonder why today I’m extra participative in the lesson and with no intention at all, I’ve caught Prof. RM’s attention since the house keeping session. Ahha, I wonder is this a good sign or not. Anyway, I hope this will be a positive move in Prof. RM’s impression towards me.

Opss, again, straying way from blogging down my experience in the lesson… Ok, ok, here you are…During the house-keeping session, Prof. RM has kindly reminded us that this is the 7th week (as I mentioned above) and we are supposed to have at least 5 blogs posted for the assessment purposes. This is because we are to have at least 10 blogs posted by the end of the semester as to be evaluated. Moreover, only the academic blogs counts (here comes the attention from Prof. RM as I’ve mentioned the issue on academic blogging ^ ^).

In addition, Prof. RM also advises us to actively take part in the sapce to interact, a.k.a. forum in moodle. She praises us for our pro-active move in posting questions on the forum but she stresses on the active responses by all of us. In my opinion, it is very important for all of us to contribute to the discussion in the forum. Everyone has to contribute and “not stand by and let the world goes by” (quoted from Prof. RM, 11/8/2007). Only active participation and contribution will keeps the forum going. What is more, I always agree that sharing is caring, or at least, comments are also a way to share our different points of view and to build on our wider perspective. In addition, by contributing to the forum, doubts can be cleared. This is how my questions on e-Portfolio are being answered by Ms. Ng. Thanks a lot for spending your time and effort in replying those questions. I really appreciate them and that’s why you deserve this credit here.

Furthermore, Prof. RM has brought out a pertinent issue in relation to the integration of ICT in the classrooms. She said as a teacher, we should be the catalyst that brings positive transformation to the classrooms through the integration of ICT, and not to complaint and grumble about it. Again, I do agree with this and in my humble view that is called commitment, a very ethical value to be possessed by all the teachers. The songs “Miracle” by Maria Claire suddenly flashes in my mind – “There will be miracle when you believe…” Yes, when we, the teachers believe that the integration of ICT will bring a positive transformation into the educational field, we can make this miracle comes true!

Next, Prof. RM encourages us to visit others’ blogs and give comments on them. Well, I do visit others' blogs and I’ve read most of them though I do not always give comments on it. This is due to the very fact that it happens once, where I need the approval from the owner to get the comments posted. Though I know this is a very way to protect ourself from the nasty comments, however, I do feel a little frustration since I’d spend my time in writing down the comments for good, but need to wait for the approval. What if my comments are not being approved? Anyway, the encouragement by Prof. RM will again motivate me to continue to post comments on my friends’ blog.

After that, we are formally brought through the requirements for our IWB assignments by Prof. RM. Below are the areas to be covered in our IWB assignment.

1. Minimum 5 screens/slides for each group’s members, including the instructions for use. This means that at least 5 activities are needed to be produced by each of the members from each group.
2. The assignment should include: (a) the topic, (b) the target group (only from the Level 2 pupils), (c) the pupils' prior knowledge, (d) the lesson objective (which must be measurable) and (e) guidelines for each activities to be carried out.
3. Rationale based on the teaching-learning theories must be included as well.

Note: There is one word of cautions by Prof.—does not write every single words in capital letters.

Below are some of the samples shown by Prof. RM on the requirements for our assignments that our seniors have done.

We are then being exposed to few samples of teaching-learning activities by Prof. RM, where some of them are the products from our seniors. Through the samples of activities shown, I realize that they are many ways in integrating IWB in our lesson so to enhance our teaching-learning experience. Below are some of the descriptions on the activities that can be done through the integration of IWB, as shown by Prof. RM.

1. Using stories to teach the content. For instance, by using the modified “Red riding Hood” story, it can aid in capturing pupils’ attention and motivate them into learning the Science content on parts of the plants.
   Being selected by Prof. to be the ‘teacher’ in conducting a simple, short lesson by using the prepared “Red Riding Hood” story, I notice that this experience speaks of the effectiveness in integrating IWB in our lesson. Though I’m totally, absolutely nervous upon being selected without any preparation, I notice that my classmates are actively participating in the ‘lesson’ (not a real lesson though). One of my friends, Aizam, even told me that she enjoys the ‘lesson’ a lot! I truly thank Prof. RM for giving me this golden opportunity to have such a great experience and I treasure it a lot. However, I know that perhaps there are mistakes done during my presentation, I’m here to say sorry if there is any and please feel free to give comments on it so that we can learn together, to better integrate IWB in the classrooms and to bring a better tomorrow to our pupils.
2. Using puzzles to teach vocabulary.
3. Grouping activities to enhance pupils’ skill in categorizing.
4. Fill in the blank activity.
5. Activities of procedure. Prof. RM tells us that even special children can be taught through the integration of IWB in the lesson on planting a tree. The children were enjoyed throughout the lesson and obviously, IWB manages to catch their attention!
6. Conducting the Science lesson by having prediction activity as well as exercises and to record the experiment results.

Some of the samples activities are shown below as a slide show.

Moreover, pupils can enjoy fantastic teaching-learning lesson through games and video clips. Through the samples shown by Prof. I’m really amaze with the flexibility and novelty in bringing some sort like computer games into the classroom, instead of the traditional board games and cards games! Even I’m attracted to the games and motivated towards the lesson, not to mention the little kids who will never say “NO” to games! Moreover, video clips can also be inserted in the IWB. Go to the attachment tool in the smartnotebook and insert the video clip file to your screen, and that’s all for a wonderful exploration through video watching in a lesson. Is not this a powerful invention to bring positive transformation to the educational field?
Well, this is the very reason I love ICT to be integrated in the classrooms though there may be problems, but is there anything in this world that is absolutely problem free?

Well, below is the slide show on the samples for video clips as well as games to be integrated in the classrooms as shown by Prof.

On top of that, it is another wonder to find out that IWB allows immediate feedbacks where answers can be checked instantly without a single moment of delay! Below are some of the ways where immediate feedbacks can be provided through the integration of IWB in lesson.

1. By dragging a box to the answer column and the answer will appear automatically. This is because the box which is of different colour as the font colour for the answers will bring out the answer. The answer is previously non-noticeable as it has the same colour as the background colour, but is now noticeable in the different colour of the box.
2. Drag the words across the columns for answer checking. When dragging the words across the column, the different colours will bring out the answer which is previously not noticeable.
3. Erase the skin of the box and the answers will appear.
4. Answer is put together with its choices of distractors. At first the answers are not noticeable since they have the same colour as the background. However, when the choices are drag into the column of different colours, the answers of whether ‘correct’ or ‘wrong’ will appear automatically.
5. Drag and appear. Drag the answers into a column. Only the correct choices will appear I the column, while the wrong choices will be moved “behind” the column and is therefore not noticeable.

Below is the slide show on some of the samples of immediate feedback shown by Prof. RM.

Well, after which, we are asked to join the online SMART group by Prof. RM to further developed our ‘smart’ skill in smartly integrating the smart ICT tools in our future smart school so to produce the smart pupils who can smartly contribute to a smarter nation. Here is the smart group link: http://www.airset.com/

Before the class dismissed, we are told that there will be no lesson for next week as most of us will be in the marching team for the Faculty Merdeka Celebration (and I’m one of them, what a lucky draw~~). A good news? Well, I guess yes for all…Hurray!

Erm... Here is some little part which is beyond the academic writing… My friend says today I “bermuka rezeki”, since for the whole day, I’m being selected for every single event or activities, starting from the Assessment course by Dr. Rashid (as to be selected to post a questions and it seems like ending up with a little debate/forum), followed by the Technology course by Prof. RM (to be the ‘teacher’) and ends with being selected for the Merdeka celebration marching team~ Wow… Lucky? Well, I guess so… ^P^. Just hope that I will not be sun-burnt after the marching since I'm allergic to sun-block. All the best to me~~

Also~

When assignment meets IWB = working hard on the IWB asignment

Friends, Ganbande!