Future classroom

With the advancement of technologies and innovation, human life have been made easier and better compared with the old days. In particular, education sphere have undergone significant changes and metamorphosis deemed essential for the development of the teaching and learning process as well as achieving the specific goal sets by parties concerned. My hope and dream of the future classroom is that today’s various technologies can be integrate and implemented successfully in the classroom and schools in general.

In my future classroom, SMART board application will be utilized to fulfill the fundamental characteristic of learning, namely active engagement, group participation, frequent and immediate feedback and relations to the real world. All these characteristics ensure that every teaching and learning process planned would have a firm foundation before it was implemented and eventually evaluate. The intelligent and indigenous creation of this modern and sophisticated technology will enable me to improve students’ successful learning experience as well as my teaching method and material utilization. Students can take on active engagement through activities designed to help students build in their skills and knowledge such as SMART board notebook software that helps to translate the ineffectiveness of traditional passive recipient of knowledge into a modern and active knowledge acquisition. Through this, I hope in the future it can rectify the current scenario in some of Malaysian schools that still focus on the traditional method of teaching and learning process.

Besides that, I would like to have computer based technology; in particular laptops as it provide better mobility and access of technology for student. For instance, laptop such as EE PC produced by ASUS company which features basic internet surfing experience, watching videos, small 10 inch LCD screen as well as small light weight characteristic enable students to take it anywhere they want. In addition, teacher can take this opportunity to move the classroom outside such as in the science subject where they can use the laptop to analyze the data and type its information instantaneously. This in turn provides pupils with immediate feedback which helps them to understand the concepts and knowledge without relying solely on the teacher.

Apart from that, my future classroom would be utilizing FISH philosophy namely ‘Play’. By means, the incorporation of video games consoles such as WII from Nintendo, X BOX from Microsoft and PlayStation from Sony Company into the classroom will help student to better understand the specific skills and knowledge. WII game console for example, help pupils to practice significant skills such as in physical education effectively and enjoyable. In addition, experts and researches around the world have acknowledge the use of video games in building students learning ability particularly, high order thinking skills and critical and creative thinking skills. However, teacher’s planning through previewing before the class starts by and monitoring while the class is doing the activity is important in the sense that anything can happen which can affect successful utilization of this technology.

Lastly, I hope that my future classroom will be equipped with wireless connection that helps teacher to access various information and resources whenever they need. As a safety precaution against students’ misusing the internet connection, password can be provided only to teachers besides using specific software to block undesired websites or pop pups deemed dangerous when using it with students.

All in all, effective integration takes on wise and good planning. Any future classroom that does not comply with certain principles deemed essential such as the fundamental characteristic of learning will not be achieved successfully. Therefore, basing on this characteristic, one must consider all factors so that the future will be better than the past and not otherwise.

‘FISH philosophy’; peculiar term for excellent skills.

Knowledge and skills may come in unexpected name and title. But its significant contributions to the human world, transcends its peculiarity of name and terminology. This is replicated through the ‘FISH’ philosophy. Initially, I thought it was an acronym or abbreviations from combined words. But my assumptions was wrong as it represents a sets of skills in which the process, tools and language deemed essential for creating a workplace full of creativity, innovation and inspiration. I realized that most of education philosophy revolved around a rather serious and complex words, acronym or abbreviation. Therefore the fish philosophy name depicted from the film, “FISH! Catch the Energy, Release the Potential”, produced by John Christensen suits it well since its main focus is to create supportive and encouraging workplace.

In terms of education sphere, fish philosophy can really help to improve the scenario and condition of the classroom. In other words, since some of Malaysian schools are overly consumed with external examination result such as UPSR or PMR, particularly in ensuring that their students are top scorers, the condition of the classroom has changed. By means, as most of the time are spent on doing drill and practice of the mock examination test papers, time for enjoying the learning are decreasing significantly. This is the good opportunity for the fish philosophy to fit in and changed the teaching and learning condition in the classroom.

Using four simple practices namely, Be There, Play, Make Their Day and Choose Your Attitude, teacher can improve their students’ learning experience as well as their teaching. A positive and vibrant classroom would definitely produced successful teaching and learning experience. For the first practice namely ‘Be there’, teacher should be there to monitor as well as assist their students’ understanding regarding the lessons taught. But in the Malaysian context, some of school teachers have to attend external courses that can extend for longer time thus affecting the implementation of this philosophy. What administrator or parties concerned can do is provides in house training as well as short courses that effectively and efficiently make use of limited time. Furthermore, administrator can reduce the ‘clerking’ work which reduces the effectiveness and their availability in the classroom. For practice namely ‘Play’, teacher can integrate interesting games and activities that help students to enjoy while at the same time play. Through technology, students can enjoy their classroom learning experiences by doing computer based games; singing songs or watching videos that best correspond with the ‘Play’ practice.

For the practice namely ‘Make Their Day’, teacher can integrate this philosophy by addressing the students’ self confidence with good and motivational words. In other words, the use of this word can encourage them as well as rectifying the serious condition which may emerged due to the dullness of the lesson. For instance, teacher can use interesting and enjoyable songs to make their day in the classroom enjoyable besides chatting about their background experiences in congruent to the lesson taught. Lastly, teacher can practice ‘Choose your attitude’ by being a positive and optimistic person. By means, every student’s mistake and errors are treated as a trial and tribulations of learning. Therefore, instead of scolding and punishment, teacher can facilitate and advise them on how to improve their work and rectify the problem from persisting in the future. Besides that, teacher also need to train student to practice these skills as it can bring benefit that are deemed essential for teaching and learning process.

All in all, fish philosophy help to translate the importance of changing today’s education scenario into a positive, supportive, encouraging and vibrant environment for learning. The metamorphosis of the classroom condition will definitely provide all school stakeholders concerned with benefits that transcends its dullness and traditional learning situation. In addition, effective and wise decision has to be made for successful integration of technology to complement the implementation of fish philosophy in the schools particularly the classroom.

Intelligent technology

Innovation of today’s technology especially in the education sphere has grown significantly important in parallel with the globalization era. Uses of SMART board application in school, for example have revolutionize the use of typical whiteboard or blackboard which only serve a limited advantages and functionality. This technology improves the delivery of the information as well as important skills deemed necessary for the pupils. In addition, the use of this advanced technology comply with the four successful fundamental characteristic of learning namely active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and immediate feedback and connection to the real world. All this was possible through the use of innovative and indigenously developed software and hardware.

Apart from that, one of the applications that are still new and shares the same important in the education sphere was the use of third party developed software. One of the examples that I believe can benefits the improvement and growth of our education field towards the proud level was the use of BBC developed software. In other word, BBC through its website http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools provided teachers and teacher to be like me with application that can be used through blog.

In particular, teacher can copy and paste the HTML address from the BBC website into their blog. As the blog can become the pupils’ next centre of information after school providing they have internet connection, it can best serve the functions of additional exercise, communication and many more depending on the creative use of the blog application. In part of additional exercise beside the ordinary school exercise, pupils can do the exercise and activity found in their teacher’s blog. The use of flash based software which enabled immediate feedback to be provided complies with the fundamental characteristic of learning namely immediate feedback. In part of communication, once the pupils have finished doing the activity or exercise, they can express their feeling as well as difficulties while doing it. For instance, they can talk about how difficult the activity in the comments segments. Other pupils that participate in doing the activity latter from the pupils can benefit from it as they can communicate their problems particularly if they shared the same problems. In addition, other pupils that have better understanding can post their understanding to help their friends. Lastly, the teacher can save their time of explaining the concept and improving the pupils’ understanding by addressing on the similar problem effectively. Furthermore, the blog can acts as an educational forum with the ease of use and simple management.

All in all, these intelligent technologies have revolutionized the education sphere locally and globally. It is now up to us to effectively and efficiently use it in order to reap the best benefit of human innovation.

Interactive writing activity

This is an interactive English writing activity focusing on writing the beginning and the ending of a story. Enjoy it :)

Blogging for pupils :)

This is an interesting video that helps to highlight the importance of blogging to the pupils in particular. Inevitably, the same message also apply to us as the future teachers who will lead the way for the pupils to become the good technology user. This video was obtained from http://www.teachertube.com. Enjoy it.



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10th class reflection

Hello.

“Creativity is the process of bringing something new into being...creativity requires passion and commitment. Out of the creative act is born symbols and myths. It brings to our awareness what was previously hidden and points to new life. The experience is one of heightened consciousness–ecstasy.”
— Rollo May, author of “The Courage to Create”

The tenth class continues on the presentation part with every group was required to present their best SMART board activity. But the presentation was only limited to some of the group presenting due to time constraints. Nevertheless, there was lots of information gained from the session. Some of the question arises from the session were, are there enough effort, concentration and thoughts put into the work? Is it critical enough for me in constructing the appropriate presentation? Are there sufficient amount of creative elements in the presentation? Is the presentation in congruent with the language outcome and learning objectives as well as the time for the pupils to engage in the activity? Is the activity specific enough for me that it will help in clarifying the activity progress towards certain stages of the learning lesson? All this help in translating the necessary improvement for the SMART board activity which in turn affect the creation of successful and meaningful learning experience.

“A product is creative when it is (a) novel and (b) appropriate. A novel product is original not predictable. The bigger the concept, and the more the product stimulates further work and ideas, the more the product is creative.”
— Sternberg & Lubart, Defying the Crowd

Professor Raja Maznah also touches on the creative part of the presentation. In other words, the presentation for the SMART board addressed some of the issues such as the use of creativity elements and does it suitable enough for the activity. Some of the example illustrated was, the use of colourful layout which most of us think that it can be crucial factor in attracting the pupil towards the activity. But the concept does not fully apply to all activity. This is true as some of the unsuitable background which was pre-conceived as creative and appropriate actually distracting the attention of the pupils towards achieving of the lesson’s objective.

All in all, the construction and devising of the SMART board activities required an extensive and in depth thoughts. We have to put more efforts, understanding and concentration in order to produce the best and effective lesson and activity for the pupils. Thank You.

Ninth class reflection

Hello.

In ensuring the successfulness of the teaching and learning process in the classroom, one must always fall back to the effective and efficient criteria that help to achieve the desired results. These criteria which take into consideration of all the important factors and aspects of the classroom are crucial for teachers and teacher to be like me particularly with the use of IWB or interactive whiteboard as it provide the right framework and understanding of the application in the classroom situation. The ninth class helped to address the importance of the criteria when evaluating the effectiveness of the activity developed through the SMART board application. The lecturer helped us to elicit some of the criteria which I believed have been exposed and explained many times before but still needed some assistance to recall back the knowledge. Thank you Professor Maznah.

The presentation of prototype SMART board activity helped to pinpoint the necessary adjustments and improvement before the final submission. In other word, the class was beneficial and constructive in the sense that it enabled us to rectify the problems and foresee any problem before handing in the product. Besides that, I believed that this prototype presentation which involved all the groups are better than solitary question and answer process of rectifying the product. Everyone can give their opinion, thus providing more options and chances for the concerned person whose presenting his or her product to fine tuning and develop a more effective and successful activity.

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Another important aspect that I believed that we overlooked was the use of suitable feedback. In other word, once the student have chosen their answer, the feedback which stated whether the answer is right or wrong will appear. The lecturer helped to address this important aspect by commenting on the words used for feedback. The right way of providing the positive feedback for the pupils if they have chosen the wrong answer was to use ‘sorry, try again’ or more motivational oriented words. This is crucial because of the nature of the pupils which may feels downgraded or failure, which in turn affect their learning experience. As we know, successful learning experiences are very important in the pupils’ life. In addition, the pupils should not be made to look like a stupid person if he or she answers the wrong answers. Teachers and teacher to be like me have to understand and foresee the problems before it arise and even if it emerge without our control, spontaneous and relaxed approach must be taken.

All in all, I want to thank again to the lecturer and tutors for helping us in discovering the beauty of this God’s created knowledge. The assistance provided helped in translating the problems of discovering the SMART board application into solutions. Now, it depend on ourselves on how to effectively, creatively and efficiently create a good activity which can be utilized for the future teaching and learning process in order to produce a successful learning experiences for all the parties concerned. Not forgotten, thanks to Ai Choo for helping me discover how to create the manual version of feedback.

Thank you.