Technology, A Learning Tool cum Visual Aids, a way to Go!

1) Technology, A Learning Tool

          Today's class was an eye-opening and to understand the idea that it is okay to use the internet in schools was enough for me. Internet to me was a tool that is supposed to be used for research and not as a tool for learning in the classroom. Initially, I had taught that the use of the internet in the schools could cause students to be out of control thus attending to their phones and social media accounts without paying attention to any academic work. After taking the first technology class, I have come to realize that technology can be a useful tool for learning in the classroom and it will depend on the teacher to implement effective classroom management procedures to maintain an active technology classroom. Some of my take home classroom management that was introduce was to ask students to tune their phones to vibration and place it on the on top right corner of their desk. This will enable the teacher to keep an eye on all phones while at the same time indirectly preventing students from accessing their phones while instruction is ongoing. Another classroom management tool that I learned was to ask students to turn off their computers whenever instructor needed students to take notes or listen for instructions. Knowing that the brain does not multitask, it will be relevant to have students do one task at a time while using technology in the classroom. All subjects can use technology for instruction, and it is interesting to know that even students studying math’s can benefit from technology. Students can search for different ways of solving a problem using YouTube or other blogs that teaches how to solve a problem. So, the use of technology in the classroom today has shifted the role of a teacher from instructor to a facilitator. Teachers now assist students to be critical thinkers by using communication and asking for collaborative work in creating something of their own.

2) Visual Aids, a way to Go!

 

The second section of the class was another eye-opening moment for me to learn that all learners become visual learners first before any other form of learning and of course, I did have a few questions in mind. Can we then conclude that people with disabilities especially those who have are visual disabilities are visual learners? If so, then how can we make a lesson visually integrated for a person with visual impairments? Concerned about how to be inclusive in my instruction. I learned that the use of visual literacy is relevant for remembering a concept and research showed in class today that 65% of an idea is recognized when an image added to a piece of information.  Having such information is very relevant to an upcoming teacher because it helps one to plan on how to be effective in teaching this modern generation. Knowing that students of this era are accustomed to the use of social media, it will then be necessary to use social media as an essential tool in the classroom that introduces students to visual aids that support the learning concept. 

Another strategy proposed in class is on how to apply visual literacy in a school which is to post a picture for students to ponder upon and to writes about their thoughts.  (this could be a made-up story). Through this, the teacher can ask students critical thinking questions where they answer showing their creativity and at the same time making their misconceptions known. This enables the teacher to get information on how students are thinking and if necessary, addresses their conceptions.