There seems to be a lot of web 2.0 technologies that we are learning to use and hopefully we can pass on this knowledge to other teachers. I do have some concerns that I am sharing with you and hope that I can receive some viable answers. Many of our schools especially the secondary schools do have computer labs. Students have access to 25-30 computers in the lab with or without internet access. However the average population in secondary schools are anywhere between 600-800 students the ratio of computers to students is about 1:26 which is very difficult to work with. An acceptable ratio is about 1:3 or best practice 1:1. Many schools therefore use computers for the subjects that require them such as Computer Science or Information Technology. The use of technology enhanced lessons across the curriculum therefore can be very difficult or non-existent. The smarter way to use computers with internet access is to have them within the classroom setting so that they can be used for what they are: tools to help with teaching and learning.
Within the primary school system the ratio of computers to students are about 1:5. The problem is that many teachers view technology integration as literacy skills which we refer to as lower order thinking skills (LOTS) this is a start but what we must have is meaningful integration which requires use of the constructivist approach to teaching. Teachers need to use ICT tools to help students to think critically this can start simply by the use of web quests then use of blogs, wikis, concept map software and other viable resources that can be found e.g. educational software (off the shelf). I am deeply concerned about our schools and the MOE and their ability to equip our students with skills for the new millennium.
There is no denying the MOE's responsibility in providing the infrastructure, however in many schools the technology is locked away in a cupboard or a room underutilised. The question is how we allocate/ timetable the use of scarce resources to benefit the many students in our individual schools.
ReplyDeleteThe Ministry has embarked on the training of its personnel in basic ICT, some of the teachers in my school attended these courses at various venues. I too applied but my centre was oversubscribed: twenty computers but 60 applicants so i have to wait to be reassigned.
The point is that if we wait for the Ministry to do everything then very little will be done, teachers need to be more proactive.We have become too comfortable and in some instances complaisant in the way we do what we do.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that some of my colleagues on this course were already using technology with their students, we need to highlight these examples of best practice no matter how small in the media and more of them to encourage our colleagues to at least try something nuh
Imagine in my school we have some of these tools and the principal gave the mandate of teaching one lesson per term at least, using technology and still some teachers could not find the time (BUT before it was blocked facebook, youtube and ah checking meh e-mail)
The problem is not the ratio of students to cmmputers-- it is the proportion of fear (of loss of control, of looking stupid in front of students,of failing,etc) to the number of teachers/years in the service.
I recently took part in an ICT workshop and the facilitator made similar references to what you commented on. Schools as well as teachers are not ready for 21st century classrooms in our local context. 21st century teaching demand a paradigm shift from the top, meaning the Ministry of education, the principals and the teachers. The Ministry has to develop a policy for 21st century teaching and learning and implement that policy which would of course demand that schools be fully equipped with all the tools for the trade. The more developed countries have done it realizing where the technology is taking them and they are moving full scale ahead. I think we are slow on the draw. The only sad part of this whole situation is that the children are the ones who are suffering since their needs are not being met in the school system. They are frustrated and they are failing miserably. I believe that the onus is on us teachers/reading specialist to share with our colleagues in the work place the effectiveness of using the technology. Maybe we can do some demonstration lessons with our colleagues and once you have done that and they see you using it they will just fall in line.
ReplyDeleteZandra, I believe you are right when you say that the smarter way to use computers is to have them in the classroom. In my school, classes are allocated one period per week in the computer lab where they are taught LOT skills. I think this is insufficient time as well as content for making our students part of the technological world.
ReplyDeleteI am fortunate to have a computer in my classroom and you would not believe the difference it has made towards motivating my students. They are always eager to do research (using Encarta Kids), read for fun and off course play games. My school does not have internet access but I download appropriate materials at home and put it on the computer in school. We have done work on spelling, phonics, vocabulary and I even did a webquest using links to different files.
Oh, how I wish we had internet access! Like you said, there is so much that can be done with web 2.0 technologies.