Huwebes, Oktubre 9, 2014
Software as an Educational Resource
How can a software
enhance the creativity and skills of a learner?
The software is the program or system
that tells what the computer machine should do. Without the software the
computer will not function. There are two kinds of software: the system
software and the application software. The system software is the operating
system that is found or bundled inside all computer machines while the
application software contains the system that commands the particular task or
solves a particular problem, it may be a custom software that is made for
specific task often by large corporation, or a commercial software packaged for
personal computers that helps with a variety of tasks such as writing papers
drawing graphs, playing games etc. The examples of commercial software are Microsoft
Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Publisher, calculator etc. These applications
are very helpful especially to the students when making outputs like projects,
handouts, instructional materials, research papers etc. These applications develops
the creativity and skills of a learner because before using these apps, the
students will first plan the draft of their output and when they use these they will become more creative
and skillful especially when deciding what font style, size, color or what
design they will going to use in doing their outputs.
There are also instructional
software that can be visited on the Internet or can be bought from software
shops or dealers which is very useful tool in teaching and learning process.
Instructional software is an effective tool in teaching because it is very
appropriate for the learners nowadays considering the fact that we are now in
technology generation and because of this the students are now said to be a
technology learners. Through the use of technology, the students develop their
digital skills as well. Through this educational software, the teacher can let
the students to manipulate the software themselves thus improving their problem
solving ability, creativity and skills of the learners. Instructional software can be use when making a drills, tutorials, simulations, games, problem solving etc. These makes the students become more active during the class session because it gives them a fun learning experience. In other words it makes learning like playing and because of these, the students are motivated to become creative and skillful because of the their experience in using the software.
Cooperative Learning
What can be done in case some members of a group do not show
positive interpersonal and communication skills? Can the teacher help in these
situation?
Cooperative or collaborative learning
is learning by a small group of students who work together in a common learning
task. In a cooperative learning, each member of the group must participate in
doing the activities given to their group; and they must help each other in
doing their task. But sometimes the group activity becomes not a collaborative
one because there are times that the
members did not actually work as a group because they divide the task and
distribute it among the members of the group and this situation are oftentimes
called specialization and these make them work individually. These cannot be
called as a collaborative learning since there is no interaction that takes
place because each of them are busy doing the task assigned to them.
The
very reason of cooperative learning is to enhance the personal and social
development among each members of the group. Through this learning approach,
the students will have an active learning while they are being motivated; their
academic performance will increase; and this approach also promotes their
literacy and language skills, that is why the group members must have a good
collaboration with each other to make a very good learning outcome.
Group work does not only resulted
to division of task but also in a group work there are instances that some
members of the group do not show positive interaction and communication skills
that hinders the essence of the cooperative learning. Because of these, the
teacher must assume the responsibility of managing the class. He/she must
encourage each and everyone to participate actively during the group activity
in order to develop their social skills. It is also very helpful that from time
to time, the teacher monitors each group to guide them while they do their
activity and to monitor who among them do not participate actively. To further reinforce the students to become
active in doing their task, the teacher may also set a standard or rubrics for
rating their group output at the same time, a rubrics for rating their
individual performances. Through these each will participate actively during
the cooperative learning.
Mag-subscribe sa:
Mga Post (Atom)