ICT as a situating tool

Among many advantages of using ICT as a different tools to enhance teaching and learning, the last one that we discussed is using ICT as situating tool. This tool, I felt it as an interesting and one of the most meaningful tools that we could use to teach and also for students learn different concepts and procedures. 

What are situating tools? Applications that helps to situate learners in an environment to experience the context and happenings. Examples: Simulations (flight, farming, surgery, environment, driving, HistoryCity, SimCity, play station) and virtual reality (VR). 

Exploring simulations on atoms 

There are numerous importance of situating tools, to mention a few, it:

• situates users in the environment 
• comprehend and manipulate variables
• communicate with others users login
• foster creativity and visualization skills. 

Situating tools such as simulations are an important asset that can be integrated in the teaching and learning. This is because when a certain real life experiences are impossible or difficult to attain. For example, if we want our students to learn about cockroach dissection or anatomy of frog, then it would be difficult to bring man frogs and let students dissect to study the anatomy. Therefore, situating tools (simulations) can help students experience and learn virtually. 

What are simulations? Simulations are programs that teach strategies and rules which are made to apply to real-life situations. For example: computers presents simulations of real learning situations, it makes learners to take decisions and also show the effects of decision. It also provides opportunities to interact with the real life situations without danger, expense or difficulty. It solves simulated real life problems. It also manipulates the elements of the model as the computer provides feedback. It invokes learners' conceptual understanding and higher order thinking skills. 

Playing with virtual knee surgery simulations 

If all the schools have access to adequate computers and good internet, then, I feel that teachers can do a lot to help students learn best and also provide space for them to think more creatively and do many things that will help them understand the reality through simulated things. It is also going to ease teacher's workload and also aid teachers to deliver the lesson well. 

ICT as a co-constructive tool

ICT applications can not only be used as a constructive tool but also as a meaningful means of co-constructing knowledge. Co-construction involves more than two people where individuals can work collaboratively online using various application tools. 

What are co-constructive tools? Those applications that support the construction of knowledge through a shared understanding. For example: google docs (docs.google.com), electronic whiteboard, blogs and wikis and discussion forums on portals. 

As a part of learning how to use ICT as a co-constructive tool, we were divided into different groups of around 5 people to create a ICT integrated lesson plan on various topics of our own choice. We were asked to design lesson plan using google docs by integrating ICT features such as communicative tool, informative tool and constructive tool etc... Working on the lesson plan gave us an opportunity to share my ideas when friends, comment and edit their work and also ask their feedback on the things that I have written. 

Some of the importance of using co-constructive tools are:

• We can co-edit 
• Communicate database, text and graphics
• Enhance collaborative learning environment 
• Involves high level cognitive processes - explanation, problem-finding and problem solving 
• Involves active and intentional learning and also, 
• Helps identify and develop expertise.

Friends working on google docs

ICT as Constructive tool

Prior to thinking of using ICT as a constructive tool, I often wanted to reflect on what the theory of constructivism would have to say. According to the theory, it says that people construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences. When we encounter something new, we have to reconcile it with our previous ideas and experience, may be changing it what we believe and discarding irrelevant things. Every individuals are active creators of our own knowledge. 

During the session 

And, with the use of Information and communication technologies, we could create and construct so many useful things to ease teacher's teaching and learning. But before that we need to understand, what constructive tool is? Constructive tools are applications that help learner manipulate information. visualize one's understanding and construct one's own knowledge. 

Some of the examples of of constructive applications that we used in the class were concept map, MS word, spread sheets and power-point. For instance, concept maps allows users to brainstorm and to visualize their understanding of relationships among a collection of concepts. 

Example of C-map

We could also use MS word and spread sheets to construct so many information for teaching and learning. Spread sheets offer a range of advantages to business users but it even teachers can use it widely to analyze, gather and interpret data. 

The most powerful construction application that we could use in teaching and learning is the MS power-point. It gives teachers to deliver the content in a meaningful way and students with an opportunity to create different things to learn and understand. For example, we could use power-point slides to create animations to teach germination of a plant or a flower. 

                                             

Computer a as Communicative tool

What are communicative tools? It is those applications which enable easy communication between the teacher and the students, among students beyond the physical barrier either by space, time or both of the classroom. 

Some o the examples of communicative tools are: 

• Email
• Electronic bulletin boards
• Online chat
• Video and web conferencing 
• smart boards
• social networking sites (Blogs, facebook etc...). 

There are two types of communications: 

1. Synchronous which enables real-time communication. It used for instructional activities that require higher degree of interaction or for solving urgent problems or issues. Examples: chat, electronic whiteboards and videoconferencing 

2. Asynchronous is more appropriate for activities that require more time in thinking before responding. Examples: email, electronic bulletin, vle discussion forum...

How can we apply synchronous and asynchronous communicative tools in teaching and learning? As teachers, given the good computers in the schools connected with good internet connectivity, we could use various communicative tools mentioned above to enhance teaching and learning. Using various communicative tools can help students co-construct knowledge and help them share their understanding and ideas with ease. 

For example: using online chat to discuss or brainstorm prior knowledge on the topic plant. And the, using google slides to prepare presentations by collecting good information from the internet and then sharing their work through email could really boost the enthusiasm of the students and make them inquisitive about learning various topics. 

While there are series of advantages of using communicative tools in teaching and learning. it does have several challenges or difficulties as well. To mention a few difficulties of using synchronous, as it is instant and real-time, multiple threads of discussion are difficult to follow, slow connections distracts and discussion loses focus because of may side discussions. 

Similarly using asynchronous has its own difficulties. It discourages learners participation. Checking the discussion board/vle/blogs for posts is an additional task. It also fails to maintain the interests. You may watch this video to know more... 

Reflections on Digital Citizenship

Before we actually understand what 'Digital citizenship' is all about. I personally feel that we should be understanding what citizenship is, so that it help us understand and connect to the term digital citizenship. Citizenship is defined as “the quality of an individual’s response to membership in a community.” So digital citizenship is nearly the same thing–“the quality of a response to membership in a digital community” would be fairly be a good definition of the digital citizenship. 

Who is a digital citizen?

A digital citizen refers to a person who has the knowledge and skills to effectively use digital technologies to communicate with others, participate and create and consume digital content. Therefore, digital citizenship is about confident and positive engagement with digital technologies. 

Educating students on digital citizenship is crucial and need of the hour. In the era of rapid technological advancement and use of media technologies, which has almost become a part of our day to day lives; understanding how to best uses these sophisticated technologies meaningfully is more essential and necessary. 

By educating students about digital citizenship and becoming a good digital citizen, they will have the opportunity to develop an understanding about the following concepts: 

• digital and information literacy,
• internet safety,
• privacy and security,
• cyber-bullying, relationships, etiquette and communication, 
• creative credit and copy right, and
• digital footprint. 

The above mentioned concepts are very important. As a user of the digital technology using internet, we need be a digital literate. Understanding how technology works and taking best advantages of technology to help oneself grow and help the society is crucial. 

https://www.studysmartwithchris.com/digital-literacy-in-contemporary-education/digital-literacy-criteria-8/

Internet safety? Many awful things can happen on the internet. As people and especially young people uses more of internet, they become exposed to different stuffs and they become vulnerable to internet threats. It is important to know and be responsible to be safe on while using the internet and also help others feel safe on the internet. 

https://stluciatimes.com/internet-safety-campaign-to-be-launched-in-saint-lucia/

Privacy and security? What we put on the internet is something to be careful and critical about. We can't put whatever we like online. We might put ourselves into problem because of our own actions. Privacy and internet freedom is matter of life. 

https://www.tutorversal.com/australia/internet-privacy-and-security-issues-assignment-help.html

One of the many concerns I have is cyber-bullying. According to Hinduja and Patchin (2015), cyberbullying is defined as, "willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices." As young people use more and more social networking sites such as facebook, wechat, instagram and whatsapp etc... they might anytime fall victim of the cyberbullying. The online materials people share, the communications they have with others. How people treat unknown people online would inflict psychological and emotional disturbances in young people and in turn may ruin their lives. 

https://fourriversmirco.com/mainsite/2018/11/06/top-9-tips-for-cyber-bullying/

Therefore, being an educated digital citizen is paramount in this time and age. As teachers, making awareness on this subject and making our students a responsible consumers of the media is more important.