Slide 1: Lesson menu
Strength:
The uses of font colour and size is suitable;
- Number of font used is kept to the maximum
(i.e. adept, tempus san ITC & Times New Roman.)
- There is a difference between the title and sub-heading.
The layout used uncluttered primary-color design
Instruction in audio form is used so as to minimize the amount of information presented on the screen.
Sound effect of frog sound is used as an attention grabber and as a learning source.
Area of improvements:
Clarity of audio instruction is not quite good enough as there is background noise.
Although the graphic used matches with text but it does not help in learning as the student will have know how a frog look like.There is no visual display to accompany the audio sound of frog to support learning.
Slide 2: Facts about frog
Strength:
The font used is harmonized with other element of the visual. The use of capital letters for short title is suitable. The font size is appropriate for the whole class to read. Good spacing between lines. Good choice of contrasting colours for ease in reading.
Area of improvement:
The use of sound effect is distracting and the slide animation effect is poor. Although the pictures used are associated with the text; but it would be better if the slide is accompany with video to help student visualize difficult event to see in their daily life. For example, video featuring the frog jumping and swimming showing its long back legs and webbed feet and how a frog change its skin colour as well as the frog eating insect.The arrangement of pictures and text are disorganized and looked quite messy.
Slide 3: Life cycle of a frog
Strength:
Complicated information is simplified using appropriate visual e.g. Life-cycle of frog
Different colour is used to direct attention and to instruct. For instance, orange colour is used to direct student to click on the stages to find out more.
Area of improvement:
Having the instructions in capital letter slows down reading as the sentence is longer than 6 words. Hence, a mix of capital and small letters should be use to ease reading.
Slide 4: Eggs
Strength:
Length of text is appropriate.
Layout is consistence as background and frame for the whole series and same font and format for the title.
Area of improvement:
Although there is a clear visual relationship between the text and the picture, the alignment could be improved using formal or informal balance.
Other than the drawn pictures of frog eggs, it would be better if the lesson is supported with photograph of real frog eggs. The use of frog animation should be removed because it does not support learning. The slide should indicate that the picture of tadpole and young frog served as a link to other slides.
Slide 5: Tadpole
Strength:
Layout use informal balance. There is a clear visual relationship between the text and pictures.
Area of improvement:
The slide should limit no more than 8 lines. Information can be separated into different slides. The forward and backward arrow should be placed at the bottom right corner of the slide so as to be consistence with the rest of the slides.
Slide 6: Young Frog
Strength:
Layout use informal balance. Layout is consistence as background and frame for the whole series and same font and format for the title.
Area of improvement:
The slide should limit no more than 8 lines. Information can be separated into different slides. The slide should indicate that the picture of tadpole and young frog served as a link to other slides or it can be omitted as it does not support learning. It would be better if the slide is also accompanied by a photograph of real young frog.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
How does COTF promote student-centered learning?
In the COTF tour, we embarked on the journey as the students in the future classroom.
Cyber lounge
Firstly, we were welcomed to the lounge where there is a cozy sofa with 2 tables. Each table was embedded with touch screen computer connected to the internet so student can have conduct research and group discussion. There is also a large screen TV where student can display their desktop on the TV.
Each student is equipped with Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) as a personal learning device. The UMPC is outfitted with wireless internet, web2.0 such as MSN, learning software such as mind map, digital resources and a pedagogical agent; an artificial learning buddy to facilitate learning. The UMPC also served as a collaborative tool as it can be connected to the touch screen computer on the round table with just bringing the UMPC close to it so that student can share and collaborate with each other.
Apart from that, students can exchange knowledge and views with student from other countries. Language difference no longer posed as a barrier as there is voice translator software which translates voice to the language that each party understands.
The cyber lounge in COTF shows that students are encouraged to work in groups to construct a shared knowledge and learning can be unlimited by the constraints of space, time and language. Students have the support for active learning and they can still be able to work at their own pace. They had the excess to all learning tools to help them to better understand concepts, organize information and manipulate data. This also means that students are more in control of their learning as they can construct knowledge without having the teacher there each time to facilitate.
Biology Lab
After student had done their experiment, they can share and compare results with their friends from other countries on the screen sharing tool without having to touch anything. Student can also get excess to expert mentor worldwide. Again, student can still learn even in the absence of the teacher.
In COTF, student was provided with the support for communication and social interaction. Discussion is no longer limited to the class, but is able to involve other students and experts around the world. This means that student from lower income family can get equal opportunity to learn without leaving the country. The transfer of information and knowledge is instant hence increase the level of enthusiasm and motivation to learn.
The learning materials featured in COTF are supported by real-life problem. For example, the research on bacteria on human skin caused skin rash in Canada but not in Asia. Students get to discover the strain of bacteria on their skin. They also get to discuss and provide solution for the cause of rash in Canada. By relating to the acquired knowledge, students are able to solve similar situations in the future.
MRT
The uses of UMPC as an information transfer device is not restricted to school only. Student can also download information such as video clip displayed in public places just by by tapping the UMPC to the scanning device. This is useful for teacher to conduct field trip as students can scan information about historical buildings etc. The drawback of this is that the technology may not be available for field trip in undeveloped area.
Home
Apart from public places, the uses of technology in education can also stretched to home. There is a large white screen to replace the TV in the living room and student can project their workspace on the screen. Teacher can push information or homework online and the technology allow synchronous communication where student can have on-line discussion through webcam to enhance communication among students and teachers. The technology can also support voice recognition and control. This served as an assistive tool for physically disabled so they won’t be at any disadvantage. Yet, there are other factors which cause a drawback such as cost of having such technology.
In COTF, teachers can provide student with real-life experiences from several perspectives. For instance, students can understand a certain concept like parabolic function by allowing them to experience several activities from using software to plot graph and application of the concept in a simulation game.
Parents can also take advantage over the technology. They can monitor and communicate online with their children so as to keep themselves updated with their children activities even though they are not at home.
Classroom
The wireless link between the students’ UMPC and their seats will be used to detect attendance. The classroom environment in COTF also provides support for active and collaborative learning. Student sat in groups around the round tables which are embedded with computers. They can electronically share information and communication thus giving them the opportunity to interact, share, discuss concepts and ideas with peers and teachers. The surrounding backgound of the classroom is also equipped with a large white screen where teacher can use as a digital gallery to display visual information. This helps the teacher to provide student with the environment to learn and to facilitate learning.
The classroom management system in COTF work in such a way that the teacher are also able to monitor and control each of the student activities to reduce unneccessary noise and guide the student through the lesson efficiently. The teacher can use the ‘scrawlies’ system to dictate the lesson. In addition, students’ assessment were not purely based on student knowledge but also on how they collaborate to arrive to an agreed conclusion. Quiz can be conduct electronically on the computer so there is no need for teacher to make copies of test papers. The quiz was also be assessed automatically and the results can be obtained almost instantly. This saves time and energy for the teacher as they can correct their students’mistakes immediately.
I find that the use of technology is very intensive in this environment. I wonder how will the lesson be conducted should there be a trip in the power supply.
In conclusion, the COTF promotes student-centered learning by providing the technology to support independent learning as well as the support for active learning through real-life experiences from several perspectives. The COTF also provide support for communication and social interaction for collaborative learning.
Cyber lounge
Firstly, we were welcomed to the lounge where there is a cozy sofa with 2 tables. Each table was embedded with touch screen computer connected to the internet so student can have conduct research and group discussion. There is also a large screen TV where student can display their desktop on the TV.
Each student is equipped with Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) as a personal learning device. The UMPC is outfitted with wireless internet, web2.0 such as MSN, learning software such as mind map, digital resources and a pedagogical agent; an artificial learning buddy to facilitate learning. The UMPC also served as a collaborative tool as it can be connected to the touch screen computer on the round table with just bringing the UMPC close to it so that student can share and collaborate with each other.
Apart from that, students can exchange knowledge and views with student from other countries. Language difference no longer posed as a barrier as there is voice translator software which translates voice to the language that each party understands.
The cyber lounge in COTF shows that students are encouraged to work in groups to construct a shared knowledge and learning can be unlimited by the constraints of space, time and language. Students have the support for active learning and they can still be able to work at their own pace. They had the excess to all learning tools to help them to better understand concepts, organize information and manipulate data. This also means that students are more in control of their learning as they can construct knowledge without having the teacher there each time to facilitate.
Biology Lab
After student had done their experiment, they can share and compare results with their friends from other countries on the screen sharing tool without having to touch anything. Student can also get excess to expert mentor worldwide. Again, student can still learn even in the absence of the teacher.
In COTF, student was provided with the support for communication and social interaction. Discussion is no longer limited to the class, but is able to involve other students and experts around the world. This means that student from lower income family can get equal opportunity to learn without leaving the country. The transfer of information and knowledge is instant hence increase the level of enthusiasm and motivation to learn.
The learning materials featured in COTF are supported by real-life problem. For example, the research on bacteria on human skin caused skin rash in Canada but not in Asia. Students get to discover the strain of bacteria on their skin. They also get to discuss and provide solution for the cause of rash in Canada. By relating to the acquired knowledge, students are able to solve similar situations in the future.
MRT
The uses of UMPC as an information transfer device is not restricted to school only. Student can also download information such as video clip displayed in public places just by by tapping the UMPC to the scanning device. This is useful for teacher to conduct field trip as students can scan information about historical buildings etc. The drawback of this is that the technology may not be available for field trip in undeveloped area.
Home
Apart from public places, the uses of technology in education can also stretched to home. There is a large white screen to replace the TV in the living room and student can project their workspace on the screen. Teacher can push information or homework online and the technology allow synchronous communication where student can have on-line discussion through webcam to enhance communication among students and teachers. The technology can also support voice recognition and control. This served as an assistive tool for physically disabled so they won’t be at any disadvantage. Yet, there are other factors which cause a drawback such as cost of having such technology.
In COTF, teachers can provide student with real-life experiences from several perspectives. For instance, students can understand a certain concept like parabolic function by allowing them to experience several activities from using software to plot graph and application of the concept in a simulation game.
Parents can also take advantage over the technology. They can monitor and communicate online with their children so as to keep themselves updated with their children activities even though they are not at home.
Classroom
The wireless link between the students’ UMPC and their seats will be used to detect attendance. The classroom environment in COTF also provides support for active and collaborative learning. Student sat in groups around the round tables which are embedded with computers. They can electronically share information and communication thus giving them the opportunity to interact, share, discuss concepts and ideas with peers and teachers. The surrounding backgound of the classroom is also equipped with a large white screen where teacher can use as a digital gallery to display visual information. This helps the teacher to provide student with the environment to learn and to facilitate learning.
The classroom management system in COTF work in such a way that the teacher are also able to monitor and control each of the student activities to reduce unneccessary noise and guide the student through the lesson efficiently. The teacher can use the ‘scrawlies’ system to dictate the lesson. In addition, students’ assessment were not purely based on student knowledge but also on how they collaborate to arrive to an agreed conclusion. Quiz can be conduct electronically on the computer so there is no need for teacher to make copies of test papers. The quiz was also be assessed automatically and the results can be obtained almost instantly. This saves time and energy for the teacher as they can correct their students’mistakes immediately.
I find that the use of technology is very intensive in this environment. I wonder how will the lesson be conducted should there be a trip in the power supply.
In conclusion, the COTF promotes student-centered learning by providing the technology to support independent learning as well as the support for active learning through real-life experiences from several perspectives. The COTF also provide support for communication and social interaction for collaborative learning.
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