11 august

evaluating a software/courseware. it is important for teacher to eavluate a software/courseware before using it in classroom. is it practical enough to be used? is the content relevant and aligned with the curriculum and syllabus? here are some of the criteria that a teacher should look for in choosing the correct software/courseware

Software criteria
1. Curriculum details should consider whether:

• the program meets curriculum goals
• the software/CD-ROM package is the most appropriate way to meet these curriculum goals or is a supplementary resource
• there is potential for classroom activities to be developed from the package
• the content is appropriate

2. Learner details should consider whether:

• the resource improves students' knowledge and skills
• the learner requires prior knowledge
• the package encourages the learner to:

- think
- question
- research
- solve problems
- interact with others

3. Teacher details should consider:

• whether the package enhances the teaching & learning process
• the level of preparation required to use the package effectively
• the teaching/learning styles addressed
• the usefulness for single/groups of students
• whether inter-activity, if applicable, adds value to the product/program

4. Technical details should consider whether:

• adequate help is available on screen and in the manual
• the program is easy and reliable to use
• the program is easy to learn
• the screen display is of an acceptable quality
• links between screens are logical
• the inter-activity (where applicable) adds value to the medium

Characteristics of Educational Software
1. Plain and simple interface

• Are the key screens well-designed, and can students move from one activity to another?

2. Meaningful, but not fancy, graphics

• Graphics are only valuable if they support the educational intent. Or else, they're a distraction.

3. Easy exits

• Most software contains far more information than a student can process.
• Make sure it's easy for the student to exit a specific task—or even the entire program—before frustration sets in.

4. Intelligent interactivity

• Drag-and-drop ability and other things that require students to do something can enhance interaction and retention of information greatly.

5. Speed

• Students have short attention spans and enjoy fast-paced video games and television shows.
• Slow educational software will lose them, especially for schools that do not have superfast internet connections.

6. Feedback loops

• Good educational software provides some type of feedback to students and teachers that indicate a student's progress.
• This information should be in an easy-to-understand format, such as bar graphs.
• Some software packages also may return the student to information on the topic with which he is struggling

7. Information vs. instruction

• Multimedia dictionaries and other reference materials are useful, but they are not educational by themselves.
• They must be used within a planned curriculum to achieve specific goals.
• Teachers will need to supply the interactivity to draw out the best use of these types of resources.

28 july & 4 august

both classes is for us to present our micro-teaching class lesson where we need to integrate the CD-ROM produced by MOE in our lesson. even though the task look simple, but it is not. we really need to make sure that our lesson is not being over-shadowed by the courseware. what is important thing that we learn is how to to make the pupils interact with the courseware, by thinking about the content, understand the content, relating the content with their real life experience.

we also learn on how to avoid the things that we should not do while conducting a lesson. for example, use the most appropriate body gestures and positioning in classroom, how to use the correct level of voice projection, and many more. this is to make sure that the pupils are not being distracted by the teacher action, that could affecting their motivation and interest in learning.

integration of technology in teaching science

technology-use to foster the understanding and intuitions

- teacher need to know how to manipulate technology in teaching(integrating the lesson with technology)

- technology serve as enabler for the teacher to convey the knowledge/ enabler for students to understand the teaching

-used for tutorial learning, exploratory learning / application and communication tools

- link the technology in teaching with real life experience/situation (simulation) --> teaching more meaningful

- simulation effective for teacher to give certain situation that are not accessible for the student

- data logging / data logging-interface--> objects that used for data storing.(find about it in the net)

example of data logging tool

What is data logging? As science and technology have developed, so the need for data collection and analysis has grown. This is fulfilled, at least in part, by dedicated, microprocessor-driven data loggers.

The modern data logger is typically a hand-held battery-operated device with a large memory, powered by the latest microprocessor technology and capable of acquiring, processing, storing and analyzing electrical signals at high speed from a wide range of sensors - at regular intervals or in response to an event such as a threshold being crossed or a switch being activated.

The sensors may communicate with the logger through a cable or wireless link and may sense temperature, humidity, pressure, flow, wind speed, current, voltage, resistance and a host of other physical parameters that are important in monitoring and controlling processes or conducting research.

Data stored by stand-alone data loggers is typically downloaded into a computer for more detailed analysis and reporting, though some data loggers have sophisticated on-board processing and analysis capability and can carry out some control functions such as activating an alarm or a switch.

The advantage of using a dedicated portable data logger compared to, say, a PC, is that the logger hardware and software are specifically designed for stand-alone data logging applications. This means that it is easy to connect and set up sensors and the logging system is more rugged and less power hungry, making it capable of running on batteries for longer periods of time, often in hostile environments.

The advent of wireless communication and networking means that it is possible to interrogate a logger remotely which can be extremely useful for unattended or remote applications.

source: http://www.grant.co.uk/Data+Acquisition/What+is+data+logging/

Class Reflection (14 July 2009)

Technology
What is technology?
Technology is a term with origins in the Greek "technologia", "τεχνολογία" — "techne", "τέχνη" ("craft") and "logia", "λογία" ("saying").

However, a strict definition is elusive; "technology" can refer to material objects of use to humanity, such as machines, hardware or utensils, but can also encompass broader themes, including systems, methods of organization, and techniques. The term can either be applied generally or to specific areas: examples include "construction technology", "medical technology", or "state-of-the-art technology".

(wikipedia)

So here we can say that technology are:

• anytools, machine, programmes, software that we use in the betterment of our life


• use to solve our daily problems


• to enhance/extend human capability in doing something
  

There are 3 areas of technology that we discussed during the class.

• hardware - General term refers to physical artifacts of a technology. It also mean the components of computer.


• software - The applications and operatings system that used with computers.


• internet - Global of system interconnected computer networks that used the standardized Internet-Protocol-Suite.

During the class, Mr fauzi rise up a question; "Calculator, is it a neccesity or bad for the primary school pupils?"

So my answer for that question is, no, it is not a neccesity for primary children to use calculator. Children need to have the background knowledge of calculating. Calculating by using manualy will help the children in developing their cognitive because there are using their brain extensively. Children learn from their experiences, from what they had done, with what they interact. Doing calculating manually also will help the children to master basic skills of mathematics. Using calculator at young age will make the children/learner slow in acquiring the skill (calculating) as they do not do it hands-on, thus less experience in calculating.

Another point rised during the class is using technology in science classroom. Technology is essential in teaching and learning science;it influences the sciences that is taught in primary school. Technology should be used as replacement for basic understanding and intuitions; rather, it can and should be used to foster these understandings and *intuitions.

As a remider, technology is only tools, assisting teacher in teaching-learning actitvity. It need to be used, not to replace the teacher in delivering the knowledge.

*Knowledge gained by the use of this faculty; a perceptive insight

*instinctive knowing (without the use of rational processes)

Hari Pertama

hari pertama..or the first day....
this is my first blog regarding to the need of my coursework...hehehhehe..xtau la nak gebang apa dalam blog ni...mr fauzi said that we can share any information related with science and technology in education...so after this kena la skema2 ayat2 dalam blog ni...nanti ape plak lecturer komen...kakakakakakaka....
gebang pun gebang jugak...janji gebang tu berisi..jangan biar sekadar omong kosong jer (peringatan untuk diri sendiri ke??? huhuhuhuhu)...
btw, dont forget to visit this blog, Batu Kurau News....that's my science lecturer, Mr Fauzi's blog...so for those who need an expert's help, feel free to visit his blog and leave him comment...
so ni jer lah... borak2 kosong jer.... BABAI.......