Know the tools and know what the tools do best
In the video, there was an example where pupils did an i-movie based on their reading curriculum. Personally, I feel that this is an authentic task that allows pupils to be engaged in hands-on discovery and imagination. However, not many schools approach technology in this manner. Many schools are currently actively encouraging teachers and pupils to use technology to harness on teaching and learning. Teachers may know the tools but are not able to use the appropriate tools to their best effect. They simply use technology to ‘clock in’ the number of required hours stipulated by the management, something that I’m also guilty of at times. Not many will put in the effort to think through what the technological tools do and what they do best.
Impart technological skills
In schools, teachers are so caught up with completing the syllabus. In order to fulfill the schools’ IT requirements, some teachers overlooked the importance of imparting technological skills. For example, it is easy to tell pupils to do a research online but pupils are not aware of the essential skills to do an effective online research – how to do a concise search? How to use the search engine? How to discern between the right and the wrong? How to ask the correct questions in order to obtain the answers? Therefore, teachers should set aside some time to impart technological skills to pupils. Again, I’m one of the guilty ones here. However, the group discussion in class has motivated me to relook and modify the way I get pupils to do online research from now on.
Being aware of what distributed knowledge is
The final take-away for me is that I’m aware of what distributed knowledge is. Everyone has some knowledge in them. There is no one single depository of knowledge available. In this technological age, it is important for pupils to be aware of the importance of distributed knowledge and knowing where/who to go to for getting the needed information.
In the video, there was an example where pupils did an i-movie based on their reading curriculum. Personally, I feel that this is an authentic task that allows pupils to be engaged in hands-on discovery and imagination. However, not many schools approach technology in this manner. Many schools are currently actively encouraging teachers and pupils to use technology to harness on teaching and learning. Teachers may know the tools but are not able to use the appropriate tools to their best effect. They simply use technology to ‘clock in’ the number of required hours stipulated by the management, something that I’m also guilty of at times. Not many will put in the effort to think through what the technological tools do and what they do best.
Impart technological skills
In schools, teachers are so caught up with completing the syllabus. In order to fulfill the schools’ IT requirements, some teachers overlooked the importance of imparting technological skills. For example, it is easy to tell pupils to do a research online but pupils are not aware of the essential skills to do an effective online research – how to do a concise search? How to use the search engine? How to discern between the right and the wrong? How to ask the correct questions in order to obtain the answers? Therefore, teachers should set aside some time to impart technological skills to pupils. Again, I’m one of the guilty ones here. However, the group discussion in class has motivated me to relook and modify the way I get pupils to do online research from now on.
Being aware of what distributed knowledge is
The final take-away for me is that I’m aware of what distributed knowledge is. Everyone has some knowledge in them. There is no one single depository of knowledge available. In this technological age, it is important for pupils to be aware of the importance of distributed knowledge and knowing where/who to go to for getting the needed information.
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