Sunday, May 30, 2010

Reflection on Group presentation

E-learning becomes significant in most institution globally as a new way of teaching and learning. However, institutions are facing overwhelming task in re-adjusting and re-organizing themselves as they integrate e-learning in instructions (Marshall, S. & Taylor, W., 2009). In addition, adoption of e-learning by faculty is difficult because the faculty opposed to accept that e-learning enhances the learning interaction between students and faculty (Abel R. 2005).

The group that catches my attention was the group who presented on “Can't or won't? - personal and practical obstacles in implementing e-learning. The group has clearly elaborated the barriers which are not new to me because it exists in my workplace. On the other hand, a major barrier for some school institutions in my country (Philippines) is financial resources because the institution does not have enough funds to acquire the facilities needed for e-learning. Although, there are e-learning trainings conducted for selected teachers in each institution every summer or sometimes during weekend. However, when teachers go back to their institution they, can not apply what they have learned because there are not enough facilities for e-learning. The group suggested solutions I think would be a great help for me as I go home. I would like to introduce the solutions to my supervisor so that we can help teachers in using e-learning.

The group presentations last week had contributed much to my learning. Thus, it assists me on how to solve some barriers in e-learning we had in my workplace. In addition, are the free softwares that I could use to support e-learning. I am truly grateful to everyone for sharing all their expertise

Sunday, April 18, 2010

SWOT

2007, the department of Education in the Philippines (DEPeD) planned to implement Cyber Education in every public and private schools. It is claimed that even schools at the mountainous area will experience cyber education. However, many questions are thrown to the education department management like; What about schools don’t have power supply? Schools that unreachable with signals from internet or mobile phones?, there are only limited teachers who knows how to use the technology?, What if there is some technological trouble? Who will fix it?. These are just a few of the questions being raise with the proposed plan. Although, there are disagreement the government still pursue with the plan. This year 2010 will be the full blast of implementation of cyber education as planned but only schools in cities had benefited the completion. There are few facilities that had reached some far area but it was not used, for reasons that there is no power supply and no one knows how to operate it.

In regard with the School that I am working wanted to implement e-learning. However, it is just written in the 5 year development plan and was not acted upon. Below is the table of SWOT of e-learning in my work place.


Strength

Weakness

Opportunity

Threat

Students

· Easy access of learning resources

· Flexible time to study

· Can ask question without hesitation

· Individual learning

· Access themselves through practice quiz

· Give courage to comply the laboratory work done in simulation.

· Lazy to read the resources

· Forget the schedule of deadlines

· Afraid that everybody will know that he/she did not understand

· Individual learning sometimes leads to false understanding

· Learning is extended to other universities and countries

· Employment opportunity

· Can manipulate the technology

· Technology facilities are not accessible

· No financial assistance to support in using the gadgets in technology

· Internet and mobile signal are not accessible

Teachers

· Easy to access learning materials

· Can monitor students work easily and immediately through feedback

· Can elaborate lessons through the use of audio visual

· Less time meeting face to face

· If the teacher is out for a seminar he/she can continue the class

· Less paper works

· It takes time to prepare

· Some of the technology resources are not available always

· Limited qualified teachers

· Some teachers are not accepting the trend of technology

· Teachers will be exposed to new way or new strategies in teaching

· To gain more knowledge

· Fear of unemployment

· No technological materials at home

Institution

· Save cost in room facilities and man power

· Can supervise or monitor easily the work of teachers and students

· Large market share of Learners

· Facilities cost much in maintenance

· Limited on technological support

· Risk of financial budget

· Increase enrolment

· Attraction in tourism the location site of the school

· New curriculum development

· Acquire standard Multi Media Facilities

· Limited staff that can operate the technology

· Failure of power supply in some areas.

· There are areas affected with slow speed of internet signal and worst some areas are unreachable with signal from the internet or mobile phones

Parents

· Parents who usually don’t attend meetings will be updated

· Parents can contact Teachers and the Institution directly

· Some parents are not interested of their child learning

· Only few Parents know how to access the technology

· Some parents do not trust the technology in learning, they still wanted the traditional way of learning

· Information of events n School

· Monitor his/her child school performance

· Parents are not interested in learning the technology


Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Assessment Task !

Surfing at the net I found a website that that could assist in choosing and evaluating an e-learning material. The website is actually for agriculture specifically for cereal. The Cereal Knowledge Bank which is handled by International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) is a storage of training materials that are related to cereal production to poor farmers and consumers to improve their daily lifestyle. There are two related gaps pointed out at the course conclusion as the purpose of this course. First, Rhetoric and Action, it is between the people’s art of talking today and learning which is through Internet and the numerous developer of instructional content. Second, Connectivity and Content, it is the gap of the global internet convenience to the world and the huge number of appropriate e-learning instructions in education that is available. click here to view the website

The course has 6 Module. Each module has a contributing part in using e-learning as an instruction and ends with a short quiz to evaluate your understanding.

· Module 1 Introduction. It is a basic information and background about e-learning and information that are related.

· Module 2. Analysis. Helps to perform the proper analysis and establishes the analysis phases; who, how and what.

· Module 3. Design, to organize your thinking and help you visualize the e-Learning creation process,

· Module 4. Development. Learned how to develop an e-Learning course based on the design.

· Module 5. Implementation. Testing your materials to determine and improve their effectiveness.

· Module 6. Evaluation. Evaluate e-learning in terms of economics, goals and purpose.

Derek Stockley (2003) defines e-learning as The delivery of a learning, training or education program by electronic means. E-learning involves the use of a computer or electronic device (e.g. a mobile phone) in some way to provide training, educational or learning material”. However, Badrul Khan said that to achieve a successful e-learning system the facilitator should involves a systematic process of planning, design, development, evaluation, and implementation to create an online environment to support learning. This website has shown a course which is very useful for teachers or facilitators because it is important that they may choose a material that is suited to the needs and level of students. Thus, it emphasize that e-learning is not just merely using the electronic or computer device in as an instructional material but carefully chosen material that adopt to the necessities of the students.

The course in this website gives me more confident in using e-learning in teaching because through those steps to follow I could assess myself that I am in the right track, which the instructional material that I chose is able to meet the topic that is within the context of the students. After reading I was amazed that this website is for Facilitators that educate farmers and the fact that they are using e-learning to reach out farmers. This will also open me that e-learning is widely use by every facilitator on whatever should be taught but it is carefully design and thinking that facilitators should also be creative to find available technology that is commonly use by the students. In my own point of view this course would be a great help for me and with my fellow teachers because it will be clear to us on the procedure on how we will integrate technology in our class. Going through the course in this website e-learning for me is it doesn’t mean that when you pick those e-gadgets you are in e-learning but using technology to help students to learn to analyse, create, and evaluate and that involves facilitators to have critical thinking in incorporating e-learning in class.

References:

Morrison, James L. ,The Global e-Learning Framework:An Interview with Badrul Khan, May/June 2003. Online http://technologysource.org/article/global_elearning_framework/

Stockley , Derek 2003, http://derekstockley.com.au/elearning-definition.html

Monday, March 8, 2010

Who's side am I?

I am product of e-learning and I find it very good. I studied Cisco networking and everything is online like lectures, laboratory’s (simulation), discussions, quizzes and exams. I learned a lot from it and aside from that I found out that it’s cheaper and safe because of the laboratory was done in simulation. If it is in real laboratory it will cost more expensive because of the facilities and a risk to get it damage for example you mix up with the cables or not set right port or plug. However, until now e learning is still remains a big debate in my work place most probably in my country. These are the four main reasons; First, we don’t have enough facilities to put up e-learning because of lack of resources. Second, most of our students can’t afford to have their own PC at home. Third, most of our teachers are not open to accept e-learning because for them it’s another way of teaching again they will be push to learn how it works and they don't like it. Lastly, most of the teachers and parents think that digital or technology is an enemy or hindrance of every child's learning.

I agree with what Michael Welch said that this media environment is a new learning environment for students to create and make learning more meaningful. Students today are what we called digital learners then teachers must engage with them because we can’t deny that it exists. This video that I would like to share supports to Michael Welch article and videos. I hope that you will be convince too...

Click this Pay Attention


Saturday, March 6, 2010

My Goal towardsE-Learning 2

What do I want to achieve with this subject? I have three points to achieve from this course. First, I will have the confidence to talk to people in education department back home by convincing them the learning benifits of using digital instructions. Second, that I will be able to develop Materials for instructions using this digital technology and be integrated in a curriculumn. Lastly, I have to be fully equiped with knowledge about how, what and why this e-learning works and able to manage it as an expert.This three points will be my channel of derictions and motivation as I study this course.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Scripture Lines vs Movie Lines

excerpt from July 30, 2009 Sabbath
hunger For the eternAl Word
Let’s do a little exercise. Please complete the following sentence. “You’re nothing but second rate, trying hard….” I bet all of you surely said to yourself, “copycat!” That is a classic line from a Filipino movie. I’m sure you even know the name of the character who said that line famous. Yes, Lavinia is her name. Try another: “Ayoko nga ng number one. Pag may number one, may number two at number three. I want to be….” Again I bet all you can fill in, “your only one.” Another line from another Filipino classic. How about this one. Identify who said this, “Lord, now let your servant go in peace. Your word has been fulfilled.” I bet not all of us can identify who uttered those lines. It was Simeon, the old man in the temple in the Gospel of Luke. Why don’t we know him? It is because we have not committed into memory the words of Sacred Scripture. Admit it. We can rattle off more movie lines than we can biblical passages.
In today’s first reading, Moses set up a tent for the Commandments which was to be called the dwelling place of God. He made it beautiful, even put a veil to signify its sacredness. It was an act externalizing his and Israel’s commitment to place the Commandment at the center of their being. The dwelling ultimately is to be transported to the dwelling of their hearts. Fr. Joel O. Jason

Tuesday, January 13, 2009