ThE eXpEriEnCe, tHe PrOCesS ~ pReCioUs!

9/9/2007 (Sunday)

IWB assignment, IWB assignment, IWB assignment ~

For me, the IWB assignment is definitely not an easy assignment. It requires not only the skill in manipulating the Smartboard as well as using Smartnotebook to design the teaching-learning activities, moreover, the activities designed should suit the target learners, the learning outcomes and also, are suitable for the integration of Smartboard. Surely, there is no point in designing teaching-learning activities that even without the use of this interactive whiteboard, will be able to carry out through the conventional tools or with the old technological tools, such as the overhead projector (OPH). In addition, the teaching-learning activities designed should also help to promote active interactions among the pupils. Thus, bearing those criteria deep in my mind, if I would like to describe my process of completing the assignment to the level in Bloom’s Taxonomy, I would rather say it is of the higher level instead of the beginning level, such as knowledge and comprehension.

Of course, without mastering the basic level in Bloom’s Taxonomy, it sounds impossible for me to move through the higher level. Hence, I personally feel that I would have mastered and understand the content for the activities that I’ve designed for the Year 4 pupils regarding the “Earth and Universe” to certain extend. Moreover, besides the content understanding, I do have a basic knowledge and understanding in manipulating the Smartboard and the functions in Smartnotebook. However, it is not enough for me to design the teaching-learning activities for a targeted lesson without implicating what I’ve known into action. Hence, by transferring what I have known, be the content or the skills, into the design of a set of teaching-learning activities for the Year 4 Science classroom, I think this would be a very good indicator showing my progress into the application level in Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Furthermore, during the process of preparing the activities, the following questions keep resonance in my head:

• Are the animated, 3-dimensional images better than the static, 2-dimenstional images? Will the animated images distract the pupils’ attention.
• Are the activities interactive enough to engage the pupils in learning?
• Do the activities align with the Curriculum Specification?
• Do I need a video clip? But I fail to download one from the internet, what should I do? Even if I manage, but do they suit my designed activities? If I were to design the video clip, where should I look up for aid?

Well, now, here comes the higher level of thinking abilities that I think I’ve applied during my process of completing this assignment, where in the Bloom’s Taxonomy, they are being described as “analyses”, “synthesizing” and “evaluation”. Undoubtedly, since there are choices and I have to choose among the best, I have to analyze the available options and I need to synthesize between the options and the activities that I’ve planned, and eventually I need to visualize and evaluate the results of my choice before I could finalize my activities and all its components that are involved. Hence, through thorough thinking and choosing, besides evaluating, without me realizing, I’m actually moving upwards in the level of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Below are some of the choices that I’ve eventually made and the reasons accompanied them:

• In the process, I’ve spent few days looking up for colourful and attractive images of planets and sun and eventually, I’d decided to use more of the 3-dimensional images for my activities. This is because I feel that the planets in the universe are too far beyond the reach of the Year 4 pupils. They would not have been exposed to all these during their daily lives as compared to the commonly seen animals and fruits. Hence, in my point of view, by providing the pupils with the 3-dimensional images, it can help to enhance their understanding and helps them to memorize those planets better. However, in order to avoid too many animated images which I’m afraid will distract the pupils’ attention; I’ve designed a slide that is without animation so to at least strike a little balance in between.


• In order to make the activities interactive, instead of asking the pupils to do it individually in front, I’ve designed those activities in such a way where the pupils have to engage in discussion before or after the activities. This will further promote interactive discussions in the class which according to Vygotsky, interactions is a very important element in scaffolding the pupils.


• In order to ensure that all my activities are inline with the Year 4 Science Curriculum Specification (CS), I’ve made double checked on it. Also, at the same time, I’ve been "stalking" in the MPH bookstore to flip through the related activities book so to ensure my activities are reliable and valid in relation to the targeted CS.


• I’ve browse through the net for the relevant video clips, however, I fail to download them. What is more, most of the video clips do not suit my activities as there is no integration of questions in the video clip that would stimulate the pupils and ‘tune’ them into the subsequent lesson.
  Just at the moment when I feel like abandoning the idea of using video clip, I’ve accidentally found out that one of my friends, Aizam knows how to use the Windows Movie Maker to produce video clip. Hence, (fated by God I guess) I’d asked for her help in giving me a brief yet comprehending tutorial on it. Again, went through the process of images choosing and evaluating, I’d eventually managed to produce my first virgin video clip that I think is very much relevant to my activities.

Opss… that’s not all for the level of Bloom’s Taxonomy that I’ve gone through, but there is still a final stage of it, which is introduced by Prof. Raja to us—the “Instructing others” level. Herm… in my humble view, I do think I’ve stepped into this stage, though it might be only merely stepping into it. However, at least I’ve managed to design the user’s guide for those who uses my slide to carry out the activities as well as the instructions for those activities. Though I’m not directly instructing, I think I’ve made myself clear on how to use those slides and carry out those activities since my group members have double checked on it an they've found it comprehensible (Note: Me and my group members have gone through the process in double checking each others' work so to reduce as many grammatical mistakes as possible and at the same time, provide suggestions for improvement, if any, to the others).

Still though I do think the process of producing this assignment has brought me through all the stages in the Bloom’s Taxonomy, there are still rooms for exploration and to polish on. I would still learn and work to strive to “upgrade” my mental/thinking ability. Indeed, learning is life long, is endless and is the vital tool to a better thinking skill… I shall bear that in mind…

Anyway, I personally feel that the process of completing this assignment that is accompanied by the burning of the midnight oil should really be documented down so to keep a memory for it… Also, it is a proof to my ability in moving through the levels in Bloom’s Taxonomy… Thanks alot for having this assignment... it is true that mentally, I've grown together with the process in completing this assignment...

To all~ happy documenting~ ^p^

(Note: Here, I would like to credit those who have assisted me along my completion on this assignment! Thanks to all that are involved!)