Aha, e-learning time!

I think this is my first time experiencing e-learning as a student. Yes, we have 2 sessions of e-learning over the last week. Don't remembering having e-learning lessons before and now, e-learning is evolving with the World Wide Web as a whole. It seems like its the IN thing nowadays. E-learning starts as young as 7 years old when they enter primary school :)

The e-learning management system takes learning content and organizes it in a standard way, divided into modules and lessons, supported with quizzes, tests and discussions, and integrated into students' information system. It has placed the control of learning into the learner's hands. It can also provide more learning opportunities for students with different learning styles. Learning has become pretty much self-directed, in the sense you have to initiate to read up on the relevant topics and colloborative learning because you have to participate in online discussion forums.

Despite the convenience and flexibility to online learning, there is still the pitfalls to e-learning. Unless learners are highly motivated, they don't complete the web-learning. There is the concern of cyberwellness issues too. Students may be surfing online, doing all other things on the pretext of doing e-learning.

Now that we have experienced a paradigm shift, from the industrial age to the scientific and technological information age. There is a need to encourage active learning in students, therefore we have to acknowledge the different learning styles and learning strategies. How can the use of appropriate pedagogies support learning?

Hierarchy learning has since evolved into an illuminating and vibrant one, one that involves collaborative learning and an interactive learners' community. The use of ICTs will pave the way for the social construction of knowledge through e-learning environments and networked learning.

Session three covers five new pedagogical approaches that we can use for our teaching: case-based learning, inquiry-based learning, project -based learning, resource-based learning and game-based learning.

Despite the differences between these learning pedagogies,they do have something in common.

1: They support individual as well as group learning.
2: Since its a student-focus strategy, it promotes critical thinking.
3: It stimulates interest and in-depth understanding.
4: Students are the active learners while teachers are the faciliators, providing scaffolding appropriately.
5: Providing real world learning contexts for students and promotes goals of lifelong learning.


Looking forward to session four - planning ICT lessons.

ok 2 more new terms introduced: self-directed learning(SDL) and collaborative learning (CL).


SDL as defined: any individuals who can take initiative and responsiblity to select and manage their learning activities through any means, anytime and anywhere.

versus

CL as defined: Smith, B. L., & MacGregor, J. T. (1992) CL as a joint intellectual effort by students, or students and teachers together.

to have an ICT-rich environment, classroom management is another issue. it is definitely a tough task to organise and facilitate project-based education for a class of students.

to kickstart these 2 forms of learning, we need to have a conducive and integrated learning environment for our generation-z kiddos. when such an environment is created to match new educational practices, then students are likely to be more task-oriented and reflected, hence more likely to engage in higher-order level of thinking. if we can get this going, it can definitely promote learning and teaching across all curriculum. students are more confident, more responsible, and the quality of interaction and co-operation among project mates will be high. the appropriate use of ICT will also lead to heightened motivation to learn in students.

sounds like effective management of ICT in classrooms can generate plentiful benefits in learning.

I hope its useful to u guys :)

Alright now we the teachers have to integrate ICT practices into teaching and learning. And then we have self directed learning and collaborative learning too. This is a total new concept whereby we have to engage students and developing their passion for lifelong learning!

How do we prepare ourselves towards this education transformation for 21st century learning? Guess we need a trio combined effort from students, the teachers and yes of cos ICT! Most schools should have already adapted this practice to achieve their desired learning outcomes.

ICT has allowed teachers to engage their students' learning in a more interesting manner (new ideas, new approaches & new strategies) and facilitate higher order thinking. ICT also facilitates learning through reflective and evaluative learning.

Integrating ICT into classroom lessons has been very much talked about, it seemed to be the most ideal learning environment. But to what extent will teachers actually practice that? Something to ponder.. Will the great deal of effort put into lesson preparation be directly related/ inversely related to the students' desired learning outcomes?