Week 4: The Progression

This week my group has been busier than bees (for sure as bees never met technology right?) putting together our ideas into videos. It has been a difficult task especially because we had never really explored this side of technology that much. Though some us had some video editing experience, it was merely for fun. When it comes as an assignment, it sounds much more complicated.
I made a mistake by using the most basic programme available; The Windows Movie Maker. I realized it does not only lacks choices but also functions. However, I came to know of this only as I was almost finishing my video project in the latter. As I consulted Miss Ng and Mr Fairuz my friends I realized that I would do us much good if we changed the programme we used. They suggested Ulead and Power Director.
Thus, we started haunting Digital Mall and upon finding Power Director, I seeked th guidance of those who are pro in using this software. Its a shame we had to start over but at least we now know of the difference between those two softwares. It did take some time for me to explore and learn how to use this software for my project but in the end I manage to redo my entire project and sigh with relief as it is definitely better than the previous one. Moral of the story: Consult the professional before starting a project!

Week 3: Structuring Creativity

Creativity is a very subjective matter. Sometimes it can just happen. But what makes it successful is proper structuring. Take for instance J.K.Rowling. She claims that the idea for Harry Potter occured to her in her train journey from Manchester to London and by the time she reached King's Cross, many of the characters had taken shape. Yet, a careful organisation of her ideas for the next five years produced the world's best selling series. I do not know how Rowling organised her ideas but, for us, I have learnt this week that there are Instructional Design Models to help; the ADDIE model which serves as a base for all others, the ASSURE model which is among the latest and the Dick and Carey model which is based on the behaviorist view.

Now, I undestand how as a teacher I can minimize the flaws that most probably would occur in the instructions that I design. ADDIE appears to be the simplest of the three models with five steps; analyze, design, develop. implement and evaluate. Understanding ADDIE does help in understanding the other models.






The ASSURE model which anchored in Gagne's Events of Instruction and highlights contructivism has six stages. What sets it apart from the ADDIE model is the significant fifth stage in which learner participation is required. I can see that this model gives more importance to the process learning rather teaching, thus, the learner needs are considered in every stage.

Finally, the Dick and Carey Model. It sounds much more complicated than th eprevious two though its base is the simple behaviourist theory. The tens stages involved would suggest its complexity easily. In this model, though importance is given to the leaner, what I see is mostly about teaching. The responsibility and choice are laid on the teacher. The teacher seems to act as the ultimate decisin-maker.

I must say here that I do prefer the ASSURE model as it gives more significance to the learner. As a teacher, I would give the choice in te hands of the students and design the instruction based on their needs and interest.

Week 2:Leaping into The Next Yard of Creativity

We work hard to obtain something that we like or need. And upon achieveing it we dwelve in it and get cosy to its nature, thus often choose not to move on or discover others.

"When allowed to do what we want to do, we are most likely to revert to
whatever we previously found enjoyable and/or successful. This amounts to
what I call, “another one of those” artworks. Sad as that is, the worst
part is that the creative process is not being learned." (Marvin Bartel in his blog entitled Teaching Creativity: http://www.goshen.edu/%7Emarvinpb/arted/tc.html )

I find myself being accustomed to the traditional teaching aids that I often use. This is because I not only know how to develpo and use them successfuly but also because they often have received positive response from students. Thus, I never really attempted towards creating something like a video clip. Those vidoe clips I have used before were downloaded from websites, music video or movies clips.

This exposure to create my own video clip is something definitely new for me. Though I have previously used Windows Movie Maker to create vidoe clips, they were hardly educational. Using this entertainmnt tool for educational purpose is very interesting.


Working in groups we planned our project and came up with combining all of our single production into one whole, creating a continuous chain of events that are interrelated. This sounds easy but the difficult part is to develop a story and a continuous event. So, that is exactly what we are doing right now!

How you as a teacher will be learning?

Effective teachers need to learn to as much as they teach. Every lesson is not a lesson for the students only but for the teacher as well. A teacher who keeps herself up-to-date with latest issues, problems, ideas, invention and progress in the field of education in order to improve herself as well as to convey his/ her best to the students.

Technology enables teachers to get to know about the latest happenings in a flash of a second. The fast connection to world of ‘everything’ provided by internet allows today’s teachers to do so without much hustle. With this teachers can learn of and apply the latest and effective techniques immediately.

A teacher also gets to easily connect to other teacher through the existence of technology. This makes it possible for a teacher to share with and learn from others of the profession regarding any issue at hand. Moreover, developing these social networks allows a teacher to an insight of a classroom that he/she may not be able to visit like one in another region.

How teaching is going to affect how your students are learning

“A U.S. Department of Education-funded study of nine technology-rich schools concluded that the use of technology resulted in educational gains for all students regardless of age, race, parental income, or other characteristics. Moreover, a 10-year study supported by Apple Computer, Inc., concluded that student provided with technology-rich learning environments ‘continued to perform well on standardized tests but were also developing a variety of competencies not usually measured. Students explored and represented information dynamically and in many forms; became socially aware and more confident; communicated effectively about complex processes; became independent learners and self-starters; knew their areas of expertise and shared that expertise spontaneously”. ( for more info visit http://www.nsba.org/sbot/toolkit/tiol.html#Enhanced )

I believe that the presence of technology opens up a new window for the students to learn. Its colourful, animated, motion-filled, interactive nature definitely captures their attention to stay focused as learning becomes fun. It avoids them from being bored and their attention span is lengthened. This is especially because with technology they learn interactively; they receive response unlike the one way communication they would have with printed material. For instance, as they complete an academic exercise in a computer, the computer guides them through it by providing help if needed and even checks their answers.

Moreover, a whole world of knowledge is opened up for student s through technology. With internet as the central tool, they can get any information on any subject at any time with just a click. This allows them to acquire knowledge of their own choice and interest more than they do at school. This will not only benefit them as they have a advantageous pastime but also fill them with general knowledge.

Week 1:Clicking on Technology

Einstein once observed, ‘If we all did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves’. After attending the first lecture, this is exactly what I have realised about this course. It is basically an attempt to bring out the best of us in using technology for our profession. It is a platform for us to learn about technology and learn what we are capable of in using the technology. After all, as my friend Fadliyana Fathil has stated in her blog, ‘technology is nothing without people exploiting it.’

Obviously, the word technology scares as much it impresses someone not-so-techno-savvy like me. However, I am aware that change the only that has never changed. One who fails to arm himself to face the change could very well be trounced. In today’s world, knowledge of technology is the key to excel. Its use in effective communication, education and trade is being widely made use of. If we, as teachers, fail to gain these knowledge that our pupils are most likely to have, we shall easily fail in our profession. Through this course, the first assignment of creating a blog itself has taught so mauch as many of us have never ‘blogged’ before.

As Sir Winston Churchill said, ‘To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.’ So, come on teachers! It is time we change to be more knowledgeable in technology with this course!