Week 6

Week 6 - Micro Computer Based Laboratory(MBL)

Week 6's class was held at Micro -Computer Based Laboratory (MBL). (MBL) is one of the strategies in the Designing Application Tools. My group members and I chose to do an activity on the topic Electricity. We use a device called Voltage Current Sensor to conduct the experiment.

We first discussed about the steps as it is good to plan before engaging in the experiments. There are a few steps that we followed while conducting the experiment:

1. The sensor is being plugged in to the computer.

2. EZscreen or DataStudio is selected from the window or programme files.

3. The voltage leads is being connected to one battery. The red lead is connected to the positive of the battery while the black lead to the negative.

4. Choose “Table” from the list of items in Datastudio.

5. Click “Start”
6. The voltage and ampere of the battery is displayed on the screen.
7. The data is being recorded on a piece of paper.
8. Step 3 to 7 is being repeated with 2 and then 3 batteries.

The Suitability of MBL in Primary Science classroom’

I think it is suitable to be used only for Level 2 Primary schoold students and more appropriate to be used in secondary schools.

Firstly, it is user-friendly and safe to use especially when an experiment requires dangerous substance like acids and bases. The data collected is very fast and accurate. In addition, the data can also be converted into graph and table by clicking. As a result, I believed that this is very convenient for students to see the whole picture and concept of an experiment fast.

However, the teacher needs to be well-trained so that each function of DataStudio can be used to the fullest. Besides that, this strategy also cannot be used for all experiments. Moreover, basic process skills cannot be integrated or acquired as students will not get the chance to learn how to use certain basic apparatus like thermometer and ammeter. As a result, they will be failed to acquire science process skills.

There are a few advantages and disadvantages that we have discovered:

ADVANTAGES

User friendly
Uses computer solely.
Manipulative skills can be acquired.
Data achieve is very precise.
Saves time in collecting and tabulating the data.

DISADVANTAGES

If there is no electricity it cannot be used anymore

Students cannot acquire science process skills. This is because all the data are ready and students do not need to measure.

It can only engage with some lab apparatus such as battery, bulb and beakers.

The cost is also very high. Not all the students can have their own unit of Voltage Current Sensor and use it simultaneously.

All in all, this was a totally new experience for us to use this MBL and we really wish to use in school once a week and not all the time so that it will be a exposure and bring a new experience for the students to learn and they still can acquire science process skills too.

Week 5

Week 5 - Strategies in Designing Application Tools

Week 5 lecture is about Strategies in Designing Application Tools. These are the 7 strategies to teach Science:

1) MBL- Micro Computer based laboratory
2)Drill and practice
3) Tutorials
4) Stimulation
5) Problem-solving
6) Information retreival
7) Education games

Out of all these I personally find simulation interesting.

SIMULATION

Simulation is vital in enhancing students’ learning in science subject. This is because simulation is useful for displaying things that students cannot see with their bare eyes and touch it using their hands. For example, simulation could help students to understand about cells in human bodies. Students gain better understanding about cells in human body as they can now see how it is really like in 3D and animation form.

In conclusion, teachers can apply all the strategies given in their Science lessons. Students can surely learn better and it will produce a meaningful learning environment if we use all these strategies. T

here are indeed many strategies that can be used to teach Science to suit all the learners regardless of their learning styles such as visual, kinesthetic,tactile and much more.

Week 4

Week 4 - Learning Theories

This week's topic is ' Learning Theories'. There are 2 learning theories: Behaviourism, and Cognitism/Construtivism.

All these learning theories are vital and crucial in guiding the teacher to educate students well.

Behaviourism

Behaviorist focuses on the changes of behavior and the focuses on the product. According to behaviorist, they believe that stimulus should be given to the students because stimulus will produce reaction. The repeated reaction will then create long-term behavior.

Constructivist/ Cognitism

On the other hand, constructivist believes that learning is a process whereby it connects the prior knowledge to the new experience gained from the environment. Besides that,learning is also viewed as an active process whereby the learners are actively constructing mental models and theories of the world around them. The knowledge is constructed through logical organization, interaction among learners or teachers and from the integration of prior and new knowledge. Basically, also can be considered as Piaget's theory of cognitive development proposes that humans cannot be "given" information which they immediately understand and use. Instead, humans must "construct" their own knowledge. They build their knowledge through experience. Experiences enable them to create schemas - mental models in their heads. These schemas are changed, enlarged, and made more sophisticated through two complimentary processes: assimilation and accommodation.

Personally,I believe that all these learning theories are vital and crucial in guiding the teacher to educate students effectively. Each theory has their own significant function which can be used by the teacher in order to teach his or her students effectively. These theories will certainly help us to make the right approach in handling our young learners to learn science better. For example, the constructivist approach focus on hands on activity and independent learning. Therefore, a teacher should let the students to think and figure out the answer or the concepts on their own. As a result, it can develop the students critical and creative thinking. However, we would find some cons in using this approach whereby the students may not have the existing schemata that she or he can relate to with the new schemata (concept) that bring into their brain. Therefore,as a future teacher I believe that we should have the knowledge of this learning theories before we can really use it in the teaching and learning process.

Besides, I also found out that constructivist theory are not about making the correct decisions but it is more to the thinking process that can enhance students learning. For example, we need to choose a food that iis suitable to be brought to space based on our own interpretations and nothing to do with the knowledge about the gravity in space. So, it shows that critical thinking is crucial in the Constructivist Theory. Hence, I can also use such strategy in future too in order to impart some knowledge that will help the students to think appropriately before they can construct science concepts or knowledge regarding the subject matter.

Week 3

A special week as we had our class at a different venue - Block A computer lab. The setting and lighting were awesome and elegant. The main thing I've learn from this lesson is on Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality and how it can be utilized in education for children.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the area of computer science focusing on creating machines that can engage on behaviors that humans consider intelligent. The ability to create intelligent machines has intrigued humans since ancient times, and today with the advent of the computer and 50 years of research into AI programming techniques, the dream of smart machines is becoming a reality. Researchers are creating systems which can mimic human thought, understand speech, beat the best human chessplayer, and countless other feats never before possible.

Link: http://library.thinkquest.org/2705/

How to use this in education?

One of it would be to use a intelligent tutoring system at schools. It is an educational software containing an artificial intelligence component. The software tracks students' work, tailoring feedback and hints along the way. By collecting information on a particular student's performance, the software can make inferences about strengths and weaknesses, and can suggest additional work. It is like a synthetic interactive tutor that is tutoring the students. Advantage is when the artificial tutor can give full attention to every student in a class where is quite difficult for teachers to do alike.

Virtual Reality

It can be termed as a simulation that our computer creates to create a virtual world. This world can be anything that is essentially three – dimensional. Objects over here are life like. The user is given power to interact as well as manipulate in this virtual reality world. Users can also explore this world. The feeling that he/she will derive while exploring is that as if they are themselves present in this virtual world in flesh and blood. Computer scientists and engineers and visual experts have devised a whole lot of technical applications and devices and gadgets and tools to
improvise these effects in people.

Link: http://www.vrs.org.uk/

How to use this in education?

Schools can seldom afford fully immersive virtual reality, but they often use programs that at least provide three-dimensional graphics and interactivity. These programs run on standard computers. Some require free downloadable programs or inexpensive gear such as shutter glasses, but many need no additional software or equipment.

One example of a school virtual reality program is called Touch the Sky—Touch the Universe. It uses an interactive 3-D model of the solar system to help students learn about astronomy. Students fly a virtual spaceship through the model, looking at it from different viewpoints. They watch eclipses and changes of phase as the planets and moons move through their orbits. They can zoom in on individual planets, moons, asteroids, and comets to study them more closely. When they touch a planet or other astronomical object with the mouse pointer, the program shows information about the object, such as its size and the time it takes to complete its orbit. Students can speed up or slow down the movement of the system and find out how these changes affect the movement of particular planets or moons.

Read more: http://www.scienceclarified.com/scitech/Virtual-Reality/The-Virtual-Classroom-Virtual-Reality-in-Training-and-Education.html#ixzz0vVE0bgoh

This knowledge about Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality opened up my mind towards knowing that these technology are not meant for outside world oly.. but it can serve as an enzime for our education for children

Week 1 & 2

The first class started at MK2. The outline and pro-forma for the whole course was given. What made me curious is the fact that we will choose and develop our own science courseware by the end of this course. To me coursewares are a bit complicated but I am looking forward for it =)

We were also told to write a reflection for each lesson (like what I am doing now) on what we have learnt the most on that week's lesson.

The assignments for this course were then being explained.

One important thing I've learnt was: Technology is a great tool to just ASSIST the teachers in educating the Y-generation learners effectively, but NOT REPLACING teacher totally or 100%. I feels that real human-to-human communication and education is still the "back-bone" for all learning as real human have natural human feelings and can most often give the best advice or words to help the students understand what they are learning more.