Act. 8: Reflection - Social Networks in the classroom

Before this activity I didn’t think that social networks could have been a valuable asset to my students learning. I have now learnt that social networks can be especially useful out of the classroom setting. A class page or even subject page can be set up on facebook allowing students to post questions, post information and engage in discussions about an image or a piece of information shared by the teacher or other students. This can greatly aid in reinforcing specific topics or broadening the students knowledge of specific topics.

In employing the use of social networks in a class setting, e-safety has to be incorporated as a support mechanism since the students need to be taught to be responsible when using social networks. They also need to be aware of the dangers they may be exposed to, (such as cyber stalking, cyber bullying and identity fraud just to name a few) and the steps they can take to prevent/avoid being victims.

Careful planning, precise objectives and the establishment of policies/regulations regarding the use of social networks will foster a positive and successful learning experience for our students in this regard.

Act. 5: Reflection - IWB's in the classroom

Having an IWB in the classroom does not guarantee that we would have better lessons. Originally, my thoughts were that the IWB would directly affect the student’s learning with all its “bells and whistles”. No consideration was given to the effects of the board being used inappropriately, its underuse, unavailability of an IWB or even having one and not using it.

In modern classrooms IWB’s are of great importance. They can assist on “speeding up” content delivery and gives an almost realistic “feel” of most subject content. This is especially important for our students as they need to be able to relate what they learn in the classroom to the real world. Being able to have “hands-on” experiences with various technologies allows their interest and knowledge in a particular field to be further stimulated. IWB’s can help to bridge the gap between what they see in their text books and the real world environment. One may argue that a projector connected to a laptop or pc can provide a similar experience but I believe that the IWB can be much more “convincing”.

In some ways, I see the IWB as a fancy whiteboard. However, instead of making charts to place on the board, or making cards for students to use when classifying living and non-living things, the IWB allows us to integrate these teaching materials via its software, and furthermore, bring them to “life”. Whether the IWB is seen as interactive or entertaining, there is no doubt that our students learning environments can be greatly enhanced through its use. Additionally, it is important to note that the teacher’s knowledge of the technology and their ability to reflect and improve upon their use of the technology, will greatly affect the students learning outcomes.

Finally, IWB’s are an expensive investment, therefore, the stakeholders and those with financial power must be willing to maintain the hardware and invest in the training of teachers. The latter would greatly aid in the appropriate and effective use of IWB’s in the classroom, which should be the main area of attention.