EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 1 & 2
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Focus: EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
What is Technology?
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The word technology comes from the Greek "techne" which means craft or art.
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Technology can refer to material objects of use to humanity, such as machines, hardware or utensils, but it
can also encompass broader themes, including systems, methods of organization, and techniques.
The Meaning of Educational Technology
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Educational technology is the development, application and evaluation of systems, techniques and aids to
improve the process of human learning. (Council for Educational Technology)
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Educational technology is a systematic way of designing, implementing and evaluating the total learning
and teaching in terms of specific objectives based on research in human learning and communication; and
employing a combination of human and non-human resources to bring about more effective instruction.
(Commission on Instructional Technology, USA)
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Educational technology refers to an array of skills and knowledge required of educators in the 21st century
society. It is an academic discipline that addresses the way teachers understand and utilize technologies in the
classroom.
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Educational technology is a profession like teaching. It is made up of organized effort to implement the
theory, intellectual technique and practical application of educational technology. (David H. Jonassen, et al,
1999)
Summing up, educational technology is the use of all human inventions for teachers to realize their mission to
teach in order that students learn.
Edtechas :
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A process – it is the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management and evaluation of
processes and resources for learning.
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As a product – it includes programmed texts, TV programs, computer software, audio-visual media,
interactive-multimedia, and the entire courses of instruction
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As a profession – it is composed of various job categories such as media technicians, media specialists,
instructional developers, media consultants, etc.
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As a discipline – it is an academic specialty within the larger discipline of education such as graduate degree
programs, scholarly journals and books.
Five Domains of Edtech:
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Planning – includes the objectives to be met; strategies to be followed; issues to be addressed; and the
design to be developed.
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Design & Development – the process of producing learning materials from a detailed plan.
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Utilization – the actual use of knowledge and skills which aid to bring the learners into contact with learning
resources and instructional component.
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Evaluation – to judge the worth on how students learn the content given various instructional conditions.
CONNECTIVISM is "a learning theory for the digital age," and has been developed by George Siemens and
Stephen Downes based on their analysis of the limitations of behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism to
explain the effect technology has had on how we live, how we communicate, and how we learn. The theory "combines
relevant elements of many learning theories, social structures, and technology to create a powerful theoretical
construct for learning in the digital age."
Instructional Techniques in Edtech:
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Problem-based , project-based and inquiry-based learningare active learning educational technologies used to
facilitate learning. Technology which includes physical and process applied science can be incorporated into
project, problem, inquiry-based learning as they all have a similar educational philosophy. All three are
student centered, ideally involving real-world scenarios in which students are actively engaged in critical
thinking activities. Classic examples of technologies used by teachers and Educational Technologists include
Bloom's Taxonomy and Instructional Design (e.g. ADDIE model)
Cooperative Learning – students work as a team in learning academic contents.
Discovery Learning (Jerome Bruner) – learner constructs new ideas and concepts based upon their prior
knowledge and experience; knowledge has to be discovered by you.
Experiential Learning – you learn best if you’re involved in the learning experiences.
Multiple Intelligences Approach in Learning – students learn in different styles or ways, or they have different
facets of intelligence.
Integrative Learning – an interdisciplinary approach where subjects are infused with technology to impart
better learning.
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Constructivist Approach – students construct or create concepts based on accumulated experiences and
understanding as they interact with their environment.
Technology in the classroom
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Class website - Once a web page is designed, teachers can post homework assignments, student work,
famous quotes, trivia games, and so much more.
Class blogs and wikis - Blogs allow students to maintain a running dialogue, like a journal, of thoughts, ideas,
and assignments that also provide for student’s comment and reiterative reflection. Wikis are more group
focused to allow multiple members of the group to edit a single document and create a truly collaborative and
carefully edited finished product.
Mobile devices also known as M-learningcan be utilized as a teaching and learning device
Computers – CAL, CAI, CBL are the techniques used by the teachers to integrate technology in classroom
teaching and learning.
Smartboards - An interactive whiteboard that provides touch control of computer applications. These enhance
the experience in the classroom by showing anything that can be on a computer screen. This not only aids in
visual learning, but it is interactive so the students can draw, write, or manipulate images on the SmartBoard.
Online media - Streamed video websites can be utilized to enhance a classroom lesson.
Integrating Technology in Education
When used and integrated effectively, technology is an essential enabler of the following education goals:
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Critical thinking and problem solving
Project-based learning
Information technology and communications (ICT) literacy
Communication and collaboration
Physical, emotional, and intellectual engagement
Quality student products
Authentic audiences
Barriers in the Integration of Technology:Lack of teacher confidence
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Lack of teacher competence
Resistance to change and negative attitudes
Lack of Time
Lack of effective training
Lack of accessibility
Lack of technical support
Focus: THE CONE OF EXPERIENCE
Introduced by Edgar Dale (1946) in his textbook on audiovisual methods in teaching, the Cone of Experience
is a visual device meant to summarize Dale’s classification system for the varied types of mediated learning
experiences. The organizing principle of the Cone was a progression from most concrete experiences (at the bottom of
the cone) to most abstract (at the top). The original labels for Dale’s ten categories are: Direct, Purposeful
Experiences; Contrived Experiences; Dramatic Participation; Demonstrations; Field Trips; Exhibits; Television; Motion
Pictures; Radio – Recordings – Still Pictures; Visual Symbols; and Verbal Symbols.
A. Direct Purposeful Experiences – these are first hand experiences which serve as the foundation of our
learning. In the context of the teaching-learning process, it is learning by doing.
B. Contrived Experiences – in here, we make use of a representative models or mock-ups of reality for practical
reasons and so that we make the real-life accessible to the students’ perceptions and understanding.
C. Dramatized Experiences – by dramatization, we can participate in a reconstructed experience, although the
original event is far removed from us in time.
D. Demonstrations – it is showing how things are done.
E. Study trips – these are excursions and visits conducted to observe an event that is unavailable within the
classroom.
F. Exhibits – these are displays to be seen by expectators. Sometimes exhibits are “for your eyes only”.
G. Television and motion pictures – these can construct reality of the past so effectively that we are made to feel
we are there.
H. Still pictures, recordings, radio – these are visual and auditory devices that may be used by an individual or a
group. Still pictures lack the sound and motion of a sound film.
I. Visual symbols – these are highly abstract representations.
J. Verbal symbols – written words fall under this category.
Figure 2. Dale’s cone of experience
A. Direct purposeful experiences – these are our concrete and firsthand experiences that make up the
foundation of our learning. They are sensory experiences.
Activities that the teacher may do under this experience may be preparing meals, making a piece of
furniture, performing a laboratory experiment, delivering a speech, taking an educational trip, or doing a
PowerPoint presentation.
B. Contrived experiences – this is an edited version of direct experiences because these are edited copies of
reality and are used as substitutes for real things.
Under this category includes:
1. Models and mock ups - a model is a reproduction of a real thing in a small scale. A mock-up is a special
model where the parts of a model are singled out.
2. Specimens and objects - are good substitutes for realia.
3. Simulations and games - Simulation is a representation of a manageable real event in which the learner is
an active participant engaged in a learning a behavior or in applying previously acquired skills or knowledge.
Games are played to win while simulations need not have a winner.
4. Representations like: aquarium – plant and animal life in water; terrarium – plant and animal life on land;
herbarium – dried herbs; vivarium – plant and animal life putting together those of the same habitat;
planetarium, - planets and their relative sizes; solarium – solar system; diorama – events, ideas or concepts
in a scenic background usually in boxes or cases; orchidarium – orchids; herbary – live herbs; aviary – live
birds.
C. Dramatized experiences – this category include formal plays, pageants, pantomime, tableau, puppets, and
role playing.
1. Plays – depict life, character or culture
2. Pageants – community dramas that are based on local history, presented by local actors
3. Pantomime – art of conveying a story through body movements
4. Tableau – a picture-like scene composed of people against a background
5. Puppets - is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by a puppeteer. Types
include: shadow, rod, hand, finger, and marionettes.
6. Role-playing – unrehearsed, unprepared and spontaneous dramatization
D. Demonstrations in Teaching – this is showing how things are done and emphasizing the salient merits,
utility and efficiency of the concept, a method or a process or an attitude. Before doing the demonstration,
plan and prepare very well. Determine the goals, the materials needed, and rehearse. On the actual
demonstration, follow these steps:
1) Get and sustain the interest of the audience
2) Keep the demonstration simple, focused and clear
3) Do not hurry or drag out the demonstration
4) Check for understanding in the process of demonstration
5) Conclude with a summary
6) Hand out written materials at the end of the demonstration
E.
Study Trips
Planning is the key for a successful field trip. Follow these simple steps:
1. Pre-planning – visit the site, details of the trip (time, schedule, transportation arrangements, finances
and permission slips from parents)
2. Discuss the objectives of the trip; define safety and behavior standards for the field trip.
3. Discuss on ways to document the trip – everyone is expected to take notes.
4. Discuss appropriate dress code.
5. Remind the students the things they need to bring with them during the trip.
F.
Film, Video and TV – these tools have high potential impact. They are now more
accessible and less cumbersome to use. They can also:
1. bring model of excellence to the viewer.
2. bring the world of reality to the home and the classroom.
3. make us see and hear for ourselves world events as they happen.
4. be the most believable news source.
5. make some programs understandable and appealing to a wide variety of age and educational levels.
6. become a great equalizer of educational opportunity
7. can give the teachers opportunity to view themselves while they teach for purposes of selfimprovement
8. can be both instructive and enjoyable.
G.
Verbal / Visual Symbols – from an experience of real-world experience, we proceed to a
world of symbols. This category include: drawings / sketches, posters, cartoons, comics or comic strips,
diagrams, charts, flat pictures, illustrations, photographs, graphs, maps, charts, visual boards (chalkboard,
bulletin boards, flannel board), OHP, textbooks, supplemental materials and flashcards.
1. Graphs – representation of a quantitative data. Types are: line, bar, pie, pictograph, area or solid
2. Cartoons – tell stories metaphorically through pictures
3. Poster – a picture with appropriate caption
4. Strip drawings – are comics or comic strip
5. Diagram – any line drawing that shows arrangement and relations as of parts to the whole
6. Chart – diagrammatic representations of relationships among individuals within an organization
7. Maps – representation of the earth on a flat surface
8. Photographs - are also still pictures, which can be mounted or unmounted.
9. Illustrations - are non-photographic reconstruction or representation of reality, etched or drawn by an
illustrator, the teacher or students themselves.
10. Chalkboard – the most readily available medium in the classroom
11. Bulletin boards – a medium for displaying materials
12. OHP - is a variant of slide projector that is used to display images to an audience.
13. An LCD projector is a type of video projector for displaying video, images or computer data on a screen or
other flat surface. It is a modern analog of the slide projector or overhead projector.
14. Flashcards – are valuable materials especially for drill activities
BRUNER’S THREE-FOLD ANALYSIS (Three-Tier Fold of Experience)
A noted educator, he devised his cone of experience and called it Three-Fold Analysis of Experience as follows:
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Enactive – refers to the direct actual experiences or encounter with what is. This is the life on the raw, rich
and unedited. They form the bases of all other learning experiences.
Iconic – refers to the more abstract experiences which could be in the form of pictures.
Symbolic – refers to the use of words or printed materials which no longer resemble the object under study.
Figure 3.
Bruner’s Three-Fold Analysis
Educational Technology
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Non-Projected Materials
(Traditional)
Pictures
Photographs
Illustrations
Drawings / Sketches
Cartoons / Comics
Posters
Graphs
Charts
Flash cards
Maps
Puppets
Real objects
Models
Mock-ups
Specimens
Supplemental materials
(workbooks, handouts)
Textbooks
Visual boards
Focus:
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Projected Materials
(Modern)
Motion Pictures
Films and film strips
Overhead projectors (OHP)
Opaque projector
Slide projector
Computer
LCD projector
COMPUTERS AS AID TO TEACHING
The advent of computers in educational technology has greatly revolutionized teaching methodologies
and strategies. Today, most teaching jobs require that applicants possess basic computer literacy skills.
Technical Terms:
A computer is a mechanical or electronic apparatus capable of carrying out high complex operations based on
a set of program instructions and produces results in the form of meaningful and useful output. It is made up of
hardware and software.
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Hardware – physical part of the machine: CPU, monitor, keyboard, mouse, scanner, modem, printer,
speakers, etc.
Central Processing Unit (CPU) – brain of the computer which holds the computer’s RAM –
Random Access Memory and its hard disk.
Software – programs that make the hardware function.
Disk Drive - A peripheral device that reads and/or writes information on a disk
Hard Drive - A device (usually within the computer case) that reads and writes information, including the
operating system, program files, and data files
Keyboard - A peripheral device used to input data by pressing keys
Modem - A peripheral device used to connect one computer to another over a phone line
Monitor - A device used to display information visually
Mouse - A peripheral device used to point to items on a monitor
Printer - A peripheral device that converts output from a computer into a printed image
Functions of a Computer:
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accepts data
Input
processes data Processing
produces output Output
stores results Storage
“The advent of Computers is recognized as the third revolution in education”.
Today’s information age is so dynamic that within the first decade of the 21 st century, computer technology in education has
matured to transform into an educative information and communication technology (ICT) in education.
The Personal Computer (PC)
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As a communication media – internet, e-mail, chat rooms, blog sites, skype, etc.
As an audio-visual media – multimedia, educational websites, coursewares, etc.
Standard Office Applications:
Word processing
Spreadsheets
Database software
Presentation software
Desktop publishing
Graphics software
E.g. Microsoft Word: Write letters, reports etc
E.g. Microsoft Excel; Analyse financial information; calculations; create forecasting models
etc
E.g. Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, Access; Managing data in many forms, from basic lists
(e.g. customer contacts through to complex material (e.g. catalogue)
E.g. Microsoft PowerPoint; make presentations, either directly using a computer screen or
data projector. Publish in digital format via email or over the Internet
E.g. Adobe Indesign, Quark Express, Microsoft Publisher; produce newsletters,
magazines and other complex documents.
E.g Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator; Macromedia Freehand and Fireworks; create and
edit images such as logos, drawings or pictures for use in DTP, web sites or other
publications
The use of computer in education is referred by many names such as:
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Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI)
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Computer Aided Instruction (CAI)
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Computer Assisted Learning (CAL)
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Computer Based Education (CBE)
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Computer Based Instruction (CBI)
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Computer Enriched Instruction (CEI)
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Computer Managed Instruction (CMI)
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Computer-based education (CBE) and computer-based instruction (CBI) are the broadest terms and can refer to virtually any
kind of computer use in educational settings.
Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) Computer Aided Instruction (CAI) is a narrower term and most often refers to drill-andpractice, tutorial, or simulation activities.
Computer-managed instruction (CMI) - is an instructional strategy whereby the computer is used to provide learning
objectives, learning resources, record keeping, progress tracking, and assessment of learner performance. Computer based
tools and applications are used to assist the teacher or school administrator in the management of the learner and instructional
process.
Focus: THE INTERNET
The internet is a public and self-sustaining computer network accessible to hundreds of millions of people
worldwide. To explore the internet or the World Wide Web, a browser is needed to access and interpret information.
A browser is a tool that makes viewing the information and images on the web possible. It contains the basic
software you need to find, retrieve, view and send information over the Internet. The Microsoft Internet Explorer and
Netscape Navigator are two most popular internet browser.
The most widely used part of the Internet is the World Wide Web or the web which contains web pages.
One outstanding feature of the web is the hypertext, which allows instant cross-referencing.
To view files on the web, you need a web browsing software. You use this software to view different locations
on the web which are known as the web pages. A group of web pages is called a website. The first page of a
website is called the home page. Web pages have a unique address called the Uniform Resource Locator (URL).
You type the address or URL in the address box to be able to open a web page.
A URL looks like these:
http://disney.go.com/home/today/index.html
telnet://well.sf.ca.us
The URL is divided into four sections: (1) protocol
(2) server or domain
Example: http://www.vrml.k12.la.us/tltc/mainmenu.htm
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http - is the protocol
www.vrml.k12.la.us – is the server
tltc – is the path
mainmenu.htm – is the filename of the page on the site.
(3) path
(4) filename.
Note: HTTP – HyperTtext Transfer Protocol (HyperText Markup Language) – is the coding language used to create
documents for the world wide web.
Hypertext – any text that contains links to other text
Every server on the Internet has an Internet Protocol (IP) number. The IP number is the server’s address.
THE DOMAINS
Domains divide the websites into categories based on the nature of their owner. They form part of a site’s
address or URL.
.com – commercial enterprises
.mil – military site
.org – organization site
.int – organizations established by international treaty
.net – network
.biz – commercial and personal
.edu – educational site
.info – commercial and personal
.gov – government organizations
.name – personal sites
Each country linked to the web has a two letter top-level domain.
For example: .ph – Philippines .nz – New Zealand
.uk – United Kingdom
.jp – Japan
.au – Australia
Examples of web address with different domains:
www.teachers.net
www.schoollibrarymedia.com
www.stbenedict.edu
www.sss.gov.ph
www.inq7.net
Trivia:
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DID YOU KNOW THAT?
Charles Babbage designed the first computer.
Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded the Microsoft Corporation
Microsoft Encarta, released in 1993, is the first computer-based multimedia encyclopedia
8.5 inches is the original size of the first floppy disks
HTML is the language used to create documents on the world wide web
YAHOO stands for YET ANOTHER HIERACHICHAL OFFICIOUS ORACLE
David Filo and Jerry Yang created the Yahoo in 1994!
Steve Wozniak is the inventor of the Apple computer
Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded Google in 1998.
Internet in the Philippines has been undergoing development since it was made available in 1994. As of
September 30, 2011, more than 30,000,000 people use the internet in the country accounting for 33% of the total
population. The top-level domain of the country is .ph
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About one in three consumers in the Philippines are accessing the internet in 2011, according to a report from
AGB Nielsen Philippines.
Internet users in the Philippines
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65 % of internet users – age 15-19
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48% are in their 20s
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24% in their 30s
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13% in their 40s
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4% in their 50s
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52% of Filipinos have a computer with high speed Internet connection at home.
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Home is the most common Internet access point for those aged 30 years and above close to nine in ten
Internet users aged 50 years and above (86%) cite "home" as their main point of access.
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Hypermedia is a computer-based information retrieval system that enables a user to gain or
provide access to texts, audio and video recordings, photographs and computer graphics related to a
particular subject. Hypermedia is a term created by Ted Nelson (1965) and has been around since the 1940's.
It refers to information linked together in an easily accessible way. The Internet thrives on hypermedia and
allows videos to be linked to graphic buttons or text and other content found to be accessible simply with a
mouse click.
An example of hypermedia is hypertext links. When an Internet user enters a search term in
Google or Yahoo and clicks the search button to find results, the information is presented as hypertext links
with a bit of text describing the link. This helps the web surfer decide if these links are relevant to them and if
they are worth viewing. If the first link is something that would be useful based on the blurb provided, clicking
on the hypermedia — in this case a hypertext link — will take the web surfer to relevant information regarding
their search.
Focus: EDUCATIONAL MEDIA CENTER
The Educational Media Center is the technology resource center for the school. The Media Center provides
students, faculty, and staff members with access to a variety of state of the art technological resources and the
opportunity to further their educational and professional development. The center should be equipped with the latest
in media equipment and software.
To do its job, the Center should have a collection of audio-visual facilities including cassette tape recorders,
slide/tape recorders and projectors, film and film strip projectors, overhead and opaque projectors, video camera and
other production hardware and equipment. For the most part, the Center should serve as a laboratory for
undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in Educational Technology classes. For computer classes, a computer
laboratory or a multimedia room is a must.
Roles and Functions of EMC
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It is a source center
It is a learning laboratory
It is a teaching agency
It is a coordinating agency
It is a service agency
A center for recreational reading, viewing and listening
Significance of EMC
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It provides teachers and students easy access for information search.
It maintains a pool of instructional materials ready for use as the needs arise.
Serves as a venue for multi-media learning for more positive results.
Provides for individualized instruction, and independent learning, hence it promotes self-confidence.
Allows the students and teachers the opportunity to avail of the expertise of the media technologists and
specialists.
Promotes a closer linkage between administrators, teachers and students because they will work together in
the maintenance of the center.
Teachers and students can update and improve their capabilities and performances.
Focus: IT DEVELOPMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES
It was in the 90’s that ICT started to vigorously and actively take root in the Philippines.The biggest support
came from Pres. Fidel V. Ramos when he approved the 1996 National Information Technology Plan (NITP) which is
also known as The National Information System Plan which was revised in October 1997 and became known as IT
21.The ultimate goal of this plan is to make the country the Knowledge Center for Asia
GENERATION Z OR THE TECHIE GENERATION
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Products of a highly technological world
They are very aware of the world and very technologically literate
Most own cell phones and have personal PCs at home
Most have Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts and e-mail/g-mail addresses
They like doing projects and researches using technology
GENERATION CATEGORIES:
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Gen Z (teen-agers) – THE NET GENERATION
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Gen Y (ages 18 to 30)
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Gen X (ages 31 to 44)
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Younger boomers (ages 45 to 54)
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Older boomers (ages 55 to 65), and seniors (age 66 and older).
Gen Z outpaces Gen Y, X, younger and old boomers; Gen Y and Gen X outpace baby and older boomers and
seniors on almost everything technology related. The digital attitudes and behaviors that Gen Z, Gen Y and Gen X are
cultivating now will follow them as they age and will only be multiplied in the generations that follow them,” said
Forrester Research consumer insights analyst Jacqueline Anderson.
Gen Z and Y in particular is living and breathing a digital social life. In almost every online or mobile behavior,
Gen Z and Y lead the adoption curve. About two-thirds update or maintain a profile on a social networking site, which
for them is a way to facilitate all social aspects of their lives.
The Net Generation is going to be interesting. They have been entangled with technology from birth. The
average age that they started using a computer is 3 and most sent their first e-mail before they entered
kindergarten. They live on instant messaging and communicate with friends more on IM than any other way. They
multi-task constantly with the average teen talking to 3 people at once on IM plus doing several other tasks at the
same time.
The presence of a reliable, accessible and affordable Philippine information and communications infrastructure
is a necessary condition for our participation in the information economy. Without it, the Philippines will once again
face the prospect of being marginalized in the global economy. With it, we stand the chance of becoming a cyber-tiger
in the new economy. At present, the inclusion of ICT subjects in the Philippine curriculum is an initial step from
becoming a computer-literate country. Teachers were also given mass trainings in IT (1999-2000) to integrate its use
in their subjects. Establishment of IT laboratories are now being materialized in both private and public schools.
It is very gratifying to note that no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had declared that "ICT will be
our leading sector for economic growth". She also emphasized that she expected "ICT to be the key to finding our
proper niche in the global village in the 21st century". It is noteworthy that the present government had put emphasis
on ICT as the catalyst that propelled different economies throughout the world to undergo transition from a resourcebased society to a new information-based society.
Today, using information technology to improve operational efficiency is no longer just desirable; it has become
an imperative due to the ever-shrinking resources brought about by the current economic downturn. Most institutions
have many of the required technologies in place, but not everyone has broadly restructured business processes to
take advantage of the new technologies. Technological innovations occurring in the consumer space, e-learning, and
middleware, software, and infrastructure are bringing to higher education institutions new personal devices,
applications, and environments; new options for developing, sourcing, managing, and delivering enterprise
applications and services; and new opportunities and source materials for designing, delivering, and taking courses.
Focus: CAI
What is Computer Assisted Instruction?
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Use of instructional material presented by a computer.
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The use of computers to present drills, practice exercises, and tutorial sequences to the student, and
sometimes to engage the student in a dialog about the substance of the instruction.
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A self-learning technique, usually offline/online, involving interaction of the student with programmed
instructional materials.
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Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is an interactive instructional technique whereby a computer is used to
present the instructional material and monitor the learning that takes place.
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CAI uses a combination of text, graphics, sound and video in enhancing the learning process. The computer
has many purposes in the classroom, and it can be utilized to help a student in all areas of the curriculum.
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CAI refers to the use of the computer as a tool to facilitate and improve instruction. CAI programs use
tutorials, drill and practice, simulation, and problem solving approaches to present topics, and they test the
student's understanding.
Types of CAI
1. Drill-and-practice. Drill and practice provide opportunities or students to repeatedly practice the skills
that have previously been presented and that further practice is necessary for mastery.
2. Tutorial. Tutorial activity includes both the presentation of information and its extension into different
forms of work, including drill and practice, games and simulation.
3. Games. Game software often creates a contest to achieve the highest score and either beat others or beat
the computer.
4. Simulation. Simulation software can provide an approximation of reality that does not require the expense
of real life or its risks.
5. Discovery. Discovery approach provides a large database of information specific to a course or content
area and challenges the learner to analyze, compare, infer and evaluate based on their explorations of the
data.
6. Problem Solving. This approach helps children develop specific problem solving skills and strategies.
THE COMPUTER’S CAPABILITIES
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Informative Tool - The computer can provide vast amounts of information in various forms, such as text,
graphics, sound, and video. Even multimedia encyclopedias are today available on the internet.
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Communication Tool - The computer has been used in communication as evident by social networking sites
as to Facebook, twitter and Friendster. We can even chat/talk friends and families anywhere in the globe
through yahoo messenger or the one in Facebook or view them through the webcam. We can send messages
and information through the internet in just seconds or minutes.
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Constructive Tool - The computer itself can be used for manipulating information, visualizing one’s
understanding, and building new knowledge. The Microsoft Word computer program itself is a desktop
publishing software that allows users to organize and present their ideas in attractive formats.
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Co-constructive Tool - Students can use constructive tools to work cooperatively and construct a shared
understanding of new knowledge. One way of co-construction is the use of the electronic whiteboard where
students may post notices to a shared document/whiteboard. Students may also co-edit the same document
from their homes.
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Situating Tool - By means of virtual reality (RS) extension systems, the computer can create 3-D images on
display to give the user the feeling that are situated in a virtual environment. A flight simulation program is an
example of a situating tool which places the user in simulated flying environment.
The computer hardware can hardly be useful without the program or system that tells what the computer
machine should do. This is called the SOFTWARE.Software is often packaged on CD-ROMs and DVD’s. Today, much
purchased software, shareware, and freeware is downloaded over the Internet.
Kinds of software:
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Systems software – this is the operating software that is found inside all computer machines.
Applications software – this is the system that commands a particular task.
Application software may be:
Custom software – made for specific tasks often by large corporations
Commercial software – packaged for personal computers that helps with a variety of tasks.
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Focus: COOPERATIVE LEARNING AND THE COMPUTER
What is Cooperative Learning?
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Cooperative learning is learning in smallgroups where each student is actively engaged in a three-step
process: research, discussion, and group decision making.
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Cooperative learning is the process of discovery through sharing. Cooperative learning creates an
objective that requires the participation of each student in the process. This approach to learning understands
that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
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Cooperative learning is goal-oriented. Through research and the sharing of information and ideas,
students construct a group understanding or larger picture which leads them toward new meanings and
insights.
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Cooperative learning is an intentional lesson planning strategy that fosters discussion and
facilitates contributions from all participants. In cooperative learning, the computer becomes a means to
an end, --a tool to promote the sharing of ideas and peer to peer relationships.
In cooperative learning, the computer becomes a means to an end, - a tool to promote the sharing of ideas
and peer to peer relationships. Cooperative learning helps focus attention on software content and not just its whiz
bang features. Cooperative learning embodies biblical values of sharing, listening, expressing your faith to others, and
learning from each other.
How can technology be used in Cooperative Learning?
Technology can play a unique and vital role in cooperative learning by facilitating group collaboration,
providing structure for group tasks, and allowing members of groups to communicate even if they are not working
face to face. It can help us realize the hope of schools as places that serve students anytime, anywhere and facilitate
their growth into lifelong learners. The internet has opened vast opportunities for Cooperative Learning:
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E-mail can be used to facilitate collaboration with students, in other classes or anywhere in the world.
Teachers can also utilize collaborative technology-based or web—based projects for students to work together.
The net can also help students to communicate with experts in different disciplines for a particular school
project.
Students can also collaborate on building a class web-site.
Cooperative learning is the best methodology if there is limited number of computers available in school…for
instance, one small group or team member might work on the computer and share the results of Internet
research with other team members who are doing library research or tutoring.