Week 10 Reflection: Ineffable

Color me red, color me blue, yellow, orange, pink or green, your real color will truly show. The 10 weeks we had with Webskills is a myriad of beautiful and colorful things to remember for the rest of our lives.

123rf.comAdd 

For me, all the topics were very meaningful and useful. Remarkable are the websearching, I will continue to maximize the use of noodletools.com, google.com, nicenet.org, delicious.com, blogger.com, interactive PowerPoint, webquest.com, and from time to time refer to webskills home page. I was able to get to LoTi but the site went off again. So I just read my classmates thoughts and it eased me somehow.

Ineffable is my feeling while writing this, because it is our last blog for webskills and the end of our course. I am also feeling blue because of the demise of one of my favorite uncles who is very close to me. I got very sick during the second to the fourth week of webskills classes, but it did not really let me down as I get back to my pink of health.

Life is indeed rainbow filled with Webskills, our exploration to the different websites is color filled, and our rainbow connection is so intense and wonderful. May all of us continue to be in touch and to get in touch from time to time.

Herman in the Loti discussion said, “Let's keep on learning to change and changing to learn,” 

Webskills is a treasure chest and a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It is satisfying and fulfilling.

http://www.designzzz.com/beautiful-rainbow-photography/

Sitaram's passion manifested when he quoted Rabindranath Tagore's "Tireless striving stretches their arms towards perfection." (Where the mind is without fear) I am also a fan of Rabindranath Tagore.

In the future I want to become an Independent E-Teacher to prepare interactive activities/E-Lessons of my own to use them in my class-room and to help my colleagues to become E-teachers and make my students autonomous learners to be aware of all the 21 century skills.” I share my friend Vinay’s vision with colorful passion.

JC’s sharing of his reading "Digital tools and resources are used by students for extension activities, enrichment exercises, or information gathering assignments that generally reinforce lower cognitive skill development relating to the content under investigation. There is a pervasive use of student multimedia products, allowing students to present their content understanding in a digital format that may or may not reach beyond the classroom." (source LoTi Framework) gave me some point of view about LoTi.

Upendra’s thoughts added more information to my inquisitive mind, “Teacher-centered strategies including the concept attainment, inductive thinking, and scientific inquiry models of teaching are the norm and guide the types of products generated by students using the available digital assets."

Finally Donna clarified that the LoTi Framework is evaluative, and it assumes that the highest level of technology integration is optimal. Is the highest level optimal? I think it depends on the context of the teacher and the learners. I really think that we need to evaluate how appropriate the technology integration is to the context. We should never adopt technology because we like it or because all technology is good and necessary. We should always adopt the level of technology that meets ours and our learners needs.

So I did not really miss LoTi that much because you guys shared your thoughts enough for me, Alex, Basu, Dev, Lila and Pam to be informed what LoTi is all about.

colourbox.com

With this blog also comes my warmest of appreciation to all my classmates for our fantastic teamwork and camaraderie. I learned many things from all of you. Thank you very much Alickja, Claudia, Lila, Livia, Pam, Rana, Sindhu, Alex, Ayman, Basu, Dev, Daniel, Herman, JC, Joseph, Julhas, Khayrul, Prakash, Sitaram, Upendra, Vinay.

environmentalgrafitti.com

My profound gratitude goes to Donna for her selfless devotion and dedicated service. Dr. Leslie Beckman and all the staff of UO-AEI, the other teachers of E-teacher programs and creators of Webskills and the Office of Cultural Affairs of the US Embassy in the Philippines for my nomination and selection to the E-teacher Program, "Muchas gracias" from the bottom of my heart. May your tribe increase....

I wish you all bliss and joy, serenity and pink of health....

wallm.com

Week 9 Reflection: Teachnology

Multiple Intelligence, Learning Style and “Teachnology”

www.camiguin.ph

The week is markedly relaxing because we do not have other tasks to do other than reading, blogging and just a little discussing. I had a consummate time reading the articles on multiple intelligences and learning styles. I took the tests and ruminate on the result. http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-learning-styles-quiz. Regardless of its accuracy, i just want to have fun.

It’s good to be aware that I truly know enough of myself, my level of emotional intelligence and my learning style. This way I can be more effective in gauging my students learning styles and intelligences. In doing so, I would be able to come up with the right technology tools to use in teaching that will be suitable to the type of learning style my students have. http://www.edutopia.org/sel-quiz

forenglishteachers.com

Technology offers a lot of tools that teachers can use to cater to all the learning types and styles. Technology is a “thousand in one” of the many marvelous and magnificent materials students and teachers can explore towards a fulfilling and satisfying learning environment. I prefer to call it “Teachnology”.

The best thing about using “TEACHnology” in the class is that we get the students aTTention. They are more ATTentive because it is the “In” Thing. Everyone is INTO IT. They work on their own and discover even their kind of learning style and their level of emotional intelligence.

My speech and oral communication class on a reflective mood

Every learner is different, this difference makes everyone interesting. Common sense is in some sense a manifestation of uncommon sense. That holds true with multiple intelligence and learning style. A variety of technology tools and variations in its use can be practically maximized or optimized in the classroom to entail a productive learner-centered environment.

Teachnology brings “Magic” to the learning process. The use of technology in the class draws awe, verve and wonder. Applying “teachnology” in the class makes us closer to the students because they feel that you are indeed in their world. You seem to speak their language and breathe their lives as the shared generation, netizens or digital citizens.

My readings include the study of Susan M. Montgomery and Linda N. Ghoat entitled Student learning styles and their implications for teaching, from the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT), Michigan University. The study posed the question: Why incorporate learning styles in our teaching? Montgomery and Ghoat enumerated the following: One, it makes teaching and learning a dialogue. Therefore it is cooperative and interactive. Two, it is responding to a more diverse student body. The diversity is what makes it interesting. Three, it communicates our message. Refreshing ourselves through innovations and gearing into a better mindset. Four, it ensures the future of our disciplines. In reality, no teachers can expect to develop different ways of teaching for each individual students; however, we can use different kinds of “teachnology” tools that can stir the imagination and creates a spark of interests in our learners.

loving2learn.co

I also like reading Howard Gardner’s 9 Intelligences: Verbal linguistic, visual/spatial, bodily/kinesthetic, musical/rhythmic, intrapersonal/interpersonal, naturalist, and existentialist. http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic68.htm. Knowing multiple intelligence is like knowing the kind of students we have as learners.

www.ccphilly.org

May I quote some significant points, “When asked how educators should implement the theory of multiple intelligences, Gardner says, "It is very important that a teacher take individual differences among kids very seriously The bottom line is a deep interest in children and how their minds are different from one another, and in helping them use their minds well."   http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr054.shtml

“Being intelligent does not always mean that someone tests well -- a problem with which teachers and school administrators have struggled since the earliest days of organized education. Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences helps educators think differently about "IQ," and about what being "smart" means. The theory is changing the way some teachers teach.”

Allow me to reiterate what I mentioned earlier. What good for one, may not be good for the other. Teachers should know what kind of technology tools to use depending upon the intelligence of the learners, when to use them and how to use these tools also matter. In the same way that emotional intelligence affects in the way learners learn."

www.funderstanding.com

"Teachnology” teachers are facilitators, spectators, collaborators and assessors of this kind of learning environment.

Further readings, also include: Learning Styles by Felder and Silverman and this are the links-


http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Learning_Styles.html

http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Student-Centered.html - on student centered teaching and learning

thomasfitzgerald.photshelter.com

Week 9 has come to a close and week 10 is coming very soon. Everyone has mixed emotions---It is easy to say hi; it is hard to say goodbye---

"Parting is such sweet sorrow." (From Shakespeare's, Romeo and Juliet)

We used to be apart, then we became a part of one another at Webskills. We will soon part, but our parting is just a part of the many parts of our journey in life.

I believe it is just the term that will close and end, but our learning continues like the ocean flow and the depth of our camaraderie will stay for as long as the trees will grow and it will depend on us all. The world is big and small we can always reach each other and share our “teachnology thing” as well as the joys and pains of being a committed educator. 

Webskills, you bring more meaning into my life as an educator and as a human being. Light and love to all.

Cclphotography.com

Week 8 Reflection: AN-believably ANVILL

http://healingatheavensfountain.blogspot.com/

Believe the “ANVILLievable,” lovable and live-able!

This week’s learning is ANVILL. I was all set to try ANVILL but the internet connection got me on the way. I was mega excited to try Voiceboard because I thought that it would be a good tool to use in voice and video recording for my students in enhancing their listening and speaking abilities. It is a good tool for the students to practice their oral and aural skills. I intend to use this in my speech class eventually. I believe this is an answer to one of the speech classroom inadequacies.

What I like most about ANVILL is that the teachers can create their own courses and manage them well at the same time! The tools are excitingly easy to handle and are remarkably practical. Learning tools are there anytime, anywhere for anyone who is willing to learn. Students can work at their own time and pace. It provides different learning activities to diverse groups of learners. You just choose what suits them best to be able to address the needs.

“ANVILL stands for A National Virtual Language Lab. It is a modern web based replacement for the audio and video consoles of an old language facility in a school based setting. But ANVILL is eminently portable: Any teacher or student with web access can use ANVILL to listen to the news, watch video clips, and submit voice or video based assignments.”

You only need a computer and an internet connection; and have these tools imbedded: a microphone and a webcam; a modern browser like safari 5x, firefox 4x or Microsoft 8x, and adobe flash player. These tools are free to download and to use just like ANVILL.

http://babel-old.uoregon.edu/anvill/11-anvillOverview.pdf

Relative to some constraints in the use of ANVILL and other teaching technologies, Jeff Magoto said, “The first problem would be lack of availability of the Internet connection. Secondly, lack of available computers. Then comes more serious problem and that is the lack of students' accessibility of all those technologies. To top it all, there is almost always the lack of concerned authority's interest which is definitely beyond our reach! “

Almost all of us have the same level of constraints and impediments in using these technology tools. Nevertheless, there is no more stopping now, life grows as another life comes. We have to learn how to flow with the tides and fly freely where the wind goes.

You have to see it to believe it; you have to touch it to discover it; you have to be into it to learn from it. Usable and viable ANVILL!

https://anvill.uoregon.edu/anvill2/frontpage

ANVILL brings communication at the forefront of a learner-centered environment. Go try it and see what I mean.

Moreover, effective management of the technology learning tools can boost aptitude and change attitude. It will create a new mindset, a new way of thinking and a new way of living.

Another thing I learned is that you don’t have to be technology savvy or you don’t need to be a geek to learn many things using the technology. You can learn just by doing it and trying new things at your command and at your own time.

As for textbooks and reference books--Let’s set aside the old and take the new. ----side by side we can still use them. If we don’t look back the past we can never learn anything from the present nor can we look forward to what lies ahead. Old is old, new is new and both can blend. 

However, no one and nothing is indispensable, to keep the flow of the positive energy and prosperity, relative to the things that can be seen and touch, we need to let go of some things so as not to accumulate unnecessary things.

For as long as one has a computer and an internet connection, one has always someone to share thoughts with. Voila!

Week 8 was overwhelmingly magnificent and notably marvelous but it somehow makes you unbelievably kooky and addle pated figuring out what to do and where to go, what to read and what to write first. Smile!

Having fun with Padlet/Wallwisher

My World Literature Students

My English 4-World Literature Students

Week 7 Reflection: Learner Autonomy is Teacher Autonomy

http://www.goodlightscraps.com/funny-baby-3.php

“Walk your talk and talk your walk.” My own understanding of autonomous learning is independence and responsibility. Before a teacher adapts or uses learner autonomy, she should first go into introspection and retrospection. She should ask herself certain questions. Do I have an independent mind? Do I always take responsibility of all my actions? Do I know how to let loose and to let go. Is my mind open to every possibility? These and many questions only you as a person, as a teacher-learner can answer.

Learner autonomy is teacher autonomy. It spells independence, an independent mind and a confident soul. Before a teacher can produce an autonomous learner; he should first be his own autonomous teacher and learner.

I encourage my students to learn how to think for themselves and not to rely on anyone else for anything, not to believe in anything that they see, hear and read without analyzing and validating. Can somebody eat for you or go to the rest room for you? Can someone talk for you or think for you? Of course they will say NO. And that is where I begin to gauge their autonomy.

http://www.sprachenzentrum.fu-berlin.de/en/v/autonomiemodell/index.htm

Learner autonomy is self-reliance. When one is responsible of himself and by himself; he can be responsible of others and to others as well.

“For Rathbone (1971: 100, 104, cited in Candy, 1991: 271), the autonomous learner is a self-activated maker of meaning, an active agent in his own learning process. He is not one to whom things merely happen; he is the one who, by his own volition, causes things to happen. Learning is seen as the result of his own self-initiated interaction with the world.”

Learner autonomy is letting go and letting be. Learner autonomy is being an autodidact. Learner autonomy is being dependable and interdependent. 

Learner autonomy is letting people as they are and allowing them to grow as the beautiful people they are meant to be. It is accepting people as they are, not for what you want them to be.

“Cast in a new perspective and regarded as having the 'capacity for detachment, critical reflection, decision-making, and independent action' (Little, 1991: 4), learners, autonomous learners, that is, are expected to assume greater responsibility for, and take charge of, their own learning.” Thanasoulas

Learner autonomy is self-confidence, self-respect, and self-worth. Self-esteem is EQ and it matters a lot in autonomous learning.

"To be successful and survive in today’s world, individuals need to have the necessary communication and organizational skills to make sound decisions and interact with each other. Goleman argues that an individuals success at work is 80 percent dependent on EQ and only 20 percent dependent on IQ. This is because EQ components are useful in assisting employees with decision-making in areas like teamwork, inclusion, productivity and communication." 

http://appitive.com/slidershare/2012/03/04/emotional-intelligence-and-blue-ocean-strategy/

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." - Charles Darwin

Donna in one of our discussions said, “You have all had some great ideas of how to promote learner autonomy in your classrooms, and there are some commonalities. Most everyone agrees that technology is a great tool to promote learner autonomy. Why? Because technology gives students millions of websites and other tools at their fingertips that they can explore, manipulate, and reconstruct to their hearts content. This is very motivating and encourages students to be autonomous learners. 

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/babies-on-floor-with-laptop-royalty-free-image/104821621

As many of you have pointed out, students have to be taught to use the technology or it's useless. It's like sitting a student in a library and asking him/her to start using the books on his/her own.” Donna is perfectly right. Technology boosts learner autonomy and will produce more independent thinkers and productive people.

“Why do we want to help our students to be more autonomous? Why is learner autonomy a good thing?”  Donna again, posed another question….

“Is learner autonomy a good thing? As Ayman points out, it can be difficult to encourage learner autonomy when learners are accustomed to being spoon fed everything.”

My answer is---Learner autonomy is not just good but very good.

My happy autonomous learners (First Semester 2010)

In this age and time, self-reliance plays a very important role in survival. Learner autonomy will also produce self-contained people. It will help the students help themselves and become empowered people. 

Anyone who can be responsible of himself and by himself will also be responsible with others and for others. It will also be less work for the teacher but more satisfaction in seeing the positive result of such empowerment.

Look at us at Webskills class, are we not ourselves autonomous learners? The answer is obvious my friends. Just like Donna and the Webskills team, we can also be walking our talk and talking our walk without a blink of an eye, head up and focused. Here I am armed with skills from webskills, "freshly bathe" with new ideas and perspectives, and willing to share….

Raining in CSU (view in front of my office)

Links read: 
http://edudemic.com/2013/02/4-education-technology-trends-coming-to-your-classroom/

http://edudemic.com/2013/02/effective-teachers-who-use-technology/ ------good for us

http://edudemic.com/2013/02/challenges-of-using-education-technology/   

http://edudemic.com/2013/02/most-effective-edtech-tools/

http://edudemic.com/2013/01/how-technology-is-empowering-the-learners/

http://edudemic.com/2013/01/time-to-focus-on-skills/

http://edudemic.com/2013/02/6-technologies-that-will-change-higher-education/

http://edudemic.com/2013/02/how-to-secure-your-online-data/

Week 6 Reflection: Persuasive, Powerful, and Interactive Powerpoint

“A teacher should possess the creativity and cunning of a devil and the patience and understanding of an angel.”

http://24slides.com/blog/what-our-children-can-teach-us-about-presenting/

I always like using powerpoint in my classes, in seminar and in training and in any business presentation. It is one of the most useful tools for organizing, conveying information, eliciting intellectual discussion, presenting with power, and many more. Young and old alike love it. The usual powerpoint impressed me already, not until I learned this week that:

“Microsoft Powerpoint is an immensely powerful suite, and can be used for much more than straightforward presentations. It can be used to create website mockups, and even interactive learning tools.”  (http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/create-interactive-quiz-powerpoint-masters/)

Marvelous and splendid is how I describe my discovery and learning experience for week 6 at Webskills. The use of interactive powerpoint in the class is motivating, mood gauging, enlightening, fascinating, thought provoking, and spellbinding.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/better-than-powerpoint-3-online-tools-for-creating-gorgeous-presentations/ - From this site I learned other three online tools for creating gorgeous presentation which is a variation from powerpoint- Google presentation from the google drive suite, prezi and photosnack.

http://www.flipsnack.com/flip-book-template/softcover-flipping-book-example#1--you – you can create your own book here for free.

http://www.photosnack.com/-  or photoslideshow, this is good for catalog-website or when you run an e-commerce.

http://www.pollsnack.com/survey-examples/sample-survey#1- you can create survey questionnaires and integrate them into your website as flash widget.

I read the article from here----http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/avoid-murder-by-powerpoint-how-to-make-your-presentations-compelling-and-memorable/ ---- and it validates my assessment on the use of powerpoint—

DON’T Read your Powerpoint. Period!

It ALL LIES in YOU, the PRESENTER!

Yes, there are many things we can do to make our PowerPoint more enjoyable to read and simply understand. Accordingly, the other 50% of the weight is determined by how well we present the material.

“Both must be in unison to capture and retain the audience’s attention to ensure they fully comprehend the content you have worked so hard to prepare. But it does not stop there. You must focus the content to the audience’s needs and interests. If it is not in their particular interest, you can make up for it through the areas of presenting the content itself by using analogies to relate it to them as much as possible and your own personality. Those things combined with the confidence you gained through repetitively studying your presentation script will ensure your audience stays intrigued. Lastly, don’t forget about backing up. It can seem like a hassle, but just remember it is a whole lot more of one when you must recreate everything that you lost.”

More tips on powerpoint presentation from the following websites:

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-tips-for-preparing-a-professional-presentation/

http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2005/12/the_102030_rule.html#axzz2AdcA19PM

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-simplify-your-writing-and-gain-results/

Absolutely true, magnificently beautiful, splendidly spellbinding, are just some of the powers of powerpoint play in the classroom, in the board room, in any learning, learner-centered environment.

Looking back, I remember how overwhelmed I was with all the learning tools Donna placed on the table for us. I was overly excited and bewildered. This time, I decided to just focus on a minimum of two and a maximum of 4 things to learn about, reflect on the things to unlearn and go on with the things to relearn. Now, I feel more at ease and relaxed.

Donna also told me to use one technology at a time which is blogging. http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/the-art-of-creating-a-successful-blog-tips-from-the-pros/

I ask my students to open an account at blogspot and they are now beginning to use it. I will check it next week as agreed. Facebook, email, skype, yahoo messenger and twitter still remain several of my technology back-up in teaching.

                                                      http://failkateedm310.blogspot.com/

Now I enjoy exploring interactive powerpoint and related tools because I shall be giving a seminar-workshop on business letter writing to a group of corporate and business professionals. I am exploring possibilities and will be incorporating technology in my upcoming lectures using my web skill from Webskills.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The world makes the way for a man who knows where he is going”----we are going to the “7^th week” and all is well. It is not what you know that counts so much as what you put to use.

Week 5 Reflection: Empowered and Engaged Learners

I would like to begin my reflective blog this week with this video entitled engage me. This one shows how truly effective Project Based Learning, Alternative Assessment and Rubrics are as engagement and empowerment tools for our students.

Now, I know why Donna said that week 5 topic is her favorite. It is truly a fascinating  and fabulous experience to be learning, unlearning and relearning.

I learned that the illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn. Alvin Toffler is right in saying this.

Susan Gaer's article on how PBL worked for her in the statement, "Less teaching and more learning" awakens us to truly develop a learner-centered environment where the students can "freely float and flow", carefree and free-spirited in their quest for learning.

Yes, we get the students more engaged and empowered as learners if we hit their passion, if they are given activities that will elicit enthusiasm, creativity, excitement, independence of thoughts and in activities, collaborative efforts, and strengthening of communication.

This week I found out that Project Based Learning is a dynamic approach to teaching in which students explore real world problems and challenges. It is practical teaching and active and engaged learning. PBL is also called constructivism. A constructivist teacher produce "expert learners" in the sense that she encourages students to constantly assess how the activity is helping them gain understanding by questioning their own thoughts and strategies. A learner really knows how to learn in a constructivist environment.

Alternative assessment gives more meaning and substance in the learning process because the students are taking charge of their own learning. They will also have fun and will enjoy being rated by their peers. While rubric helps the student visualizes her grade before she begins working for that grade. You know the criteria thus you work hard to achieve the assessment/desired result.

In its entirety, PBL Alternative Assessment and Rubrics will bring about the best in the learners and more satisfaction on the committed teacher. It will boost the self-confidence and self-esteem of the learners, effect independent thinking, and produce interdependent team players. It will create a harmonious, peaceful, free flowing, and dynamic learning community.

I am still savoring another fascinating and fabulous learning experience after groping from the dark. I believe that anyone who can read and can think will know anything and everyone along the way. I am learning a lot, thank you Donna, thank you Webskills and thank you all.

The pictures are from one of my travels in Japan.