Teach Speak: Tweets and Twibes

Rapid developments in ICT mean that communication is not only faster and more efficient but it is also possible to communicate with people all over the world in any place and at any time.

image reference: http://www.convergedcom.net/images/ist2_3906592_global_communication_in_the_world_3d_image.jpg

Find out what the latest twitter in education is all about visit the ACU Twibes Cafe:

http://www.twibes.com/group/TheCafe_ACU529_2010

Follow my tweets at:

http://twitter.com/evanthi/

Welcome......

Welcome to Teach Speak whereby weekly reflections of my observational school practical experience gives you an insight into the world of education and the classroom through the eyes a novice student teacher.

I would also like to welcome you to the changing face of technology and its crucial involvement in our Australian education system and around the world. ICT (Information and Communication Technology) is used widely today to support pedagogic practices that facilitate learning in various key learning areas of the school curriculum. ICT in the Australian schooling system is crucial as it prepares students for its use in the workforce, to drive the economy and connect people from all over the globe. For its implementation to be successful, the school environment must be supportive of both teachers and students. There should also be a community-based vision that enables students to learn, work and live successfully in a knowledge-based, global society.

The implications for educators however, is that without the necessary updates in ICT training, we risk widening the gap between our student digital natives and ourselves, the digital immigrants. this gap can lead to poor pedagogy and ineffective learning. The advantages of ICT are that it can provide the scaffolding to support higher level thinking, it may increase student productivity, better engage the interest of students through motivational experiences and challenges, promote active learning and increase learner independence (Newhouse, C. P. 2002). Most importantly however, it supports a constructivist learning environment. That is, knowledge is actively received; knowledge is built through reflection of physical and mental actions; and is a social process requiring communication to create meaning (Booker et al 2010).

Some of my reflections over the next five weeks will touch on the uses of ICT and other instructional resources in an early stage 1 classroom.

Happy reading!

references:

Booker, G., Bond, D., Sparrow, L. & Swan, P. (2010) Teaching Primary Mathematics (Fourth Edition). Frenchs Forest, Pearson Education Australia.

Newhouse, C. P., (2002). A framework to articulate the impact of ICT on learning in schools. Perth: Specialist Educational Services.

image reference: http://training.olchs.lancs.sch.uk/ICT/file.php/1/ict01general.gif