In addition to that, East Spring Secondary School develops ownership of ICT through the crafting of lessons with the usage of ICT by teachers. Such simultaneously proved the competencies of teachers in the usage of the ICT and the necessary skills needed to craft the lessons. Students simultaneously were given the necessary skills needed to follow ICT lessons through the basic usage and skills needed to surf the internet, the usage of PowerPoint slides etc for the presentation of group work and the research carried out as part of learning. From what I have observed during my ESE, this proved to be very efficient in the teaching and learning as teachers are able to deliver lessons through mediums that the students are very much familiar and interested in and at the same time providing the platform for learning on the students’ part to take place. Take for instance a particular lesson (as mentioned in the first post), the playing of the online game provides the opportunity for students to develop self directed learning whereby students are required to identify and differentiate between natural and manmade factors that affects the livelihood of a third world farmer and his crops. This particular game crafted into the lesson on Geography of Food allows students the freedom to not only explore this particular topic but also link it to the topic on Development learned earlier on.
These achievements do not just stop there. East Spring Secondary School has also moved towards Masterplan 3 whereby the incorporation of self directed learning is very much infused into the everyday lesson of almost all of the class across the school. As mentioned earlier, self directed learning in the students through their everyday lessons in school and also during the E-learning day provides students with the freedom to take learning to a higher level but at the same time shouldering the responsibility of their own learning. Also, teachers constantly need to undergo the same learning that students are going through to ensure that students are kept up to date. The playing of the third world farmer online game allows teachers to learn as they too play the game with the students as the factors that affects the livelihood changes every time and the need to make decisions in the game too changes with the requirements of the game and this process of learning therefore is one that is undergone by both the teachers and the students at the same time.
Such shows that in East Spring Secondary School the achievements of all three Masterplans have been achieved and integrated into the everyday lessons and the culture of the school. This proved to be exiting for the school, teachers and staff as the process of leaning takes place everywhere within the school and at home and this enriches the students and teachers. Learning and education therefore is cherished by all and this helps to create a very conducive environment for all.
3 comments:
It's really good to know that East Spring Sec has its own ICT department and is making concerted efforts to integrate the Masterplans into their lessons! It's also great that the teachers are learning with the students. I would have loved to play the third world farmer online game during my Geog lessons.
After your first sharing with us about your school, during ICT class that day, I really thought that East Spring Sec really values the concept of 'classroom of the future', since it has its own ICT department!
I also agree that teachers, like the students have to undergo a process of learning in order to use ICT to teach the students, because, well, none of us are borne with ICT ingrained in us...
I think it's really interesting that ICT usage has transformed the nature of learning not just for students, but also for the teachers as well. I agree that we will have to keep ourselves updated and commit more to learning constantly in order to ensure that we are using the best available techniques and tools to enhance the classroom experience. I think at the moment, because we are young teachers entering the service, the 'learning curve' does not seem too steep because we are adept at the same kinds of technologies that our students are familiar with. I'm a bit apprehensive, however, that it might be harder to 'keep up' as the years go by and new platforms come about... what do you all think?
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