LESSON 6 Developing Basic Digital Skills

In the traditional way of learning, the 3Rs are the given emphasis in the instruction. But do you think it is still applicable in today’s generation? Guess not. On this blog post we will know deeper about the basic digital skills that are looked-for in the new digital world of information and communication technology (ICT).

On my previous blog we give prominence on the differences and comparison between the old and new generation. But on this post, we will tackle on the new generation only for this is all about their fluency skills.

Going back to the 3Rs, which are reading, writing and arithmetic, these three are the foundation in the traditional system of instruction but in the new system where literacies need to be developed by the digital learners. These literacies were the following: basic knowledge in ICT, values in ICT, and skills in ICT. These basic literacies will not replace the 3Rs but they will be complemented with six essential skills to equip students for success in the millennial world. These literacy skills are better called as fluency skills conveying the ease and facility in acquiring and using them. These are the following fluency skills:

1.      Solution fluency

• Refers to the capacity and creativity in problem solving
• Requires whole brain thinking executed when students define a problem, design the appropriate solution, apply the solution, and assess the process and result.

2.      Information fluency

• Involves 3 subsets of skills: an ability to access information, an ability to retrieve information, and the ability to reflect on, assess and rewrite for instructive information packages.

3.      Collaboration fluency

• Refers to teamwork with virtual or real partners in the online environment.

4.      Media fluency

•  Media refers to channels of mass communication or digital sources.

5.      Creativity fluency

• Also called artistic proficiency. It adds meaning by the way of design, art, and story-telling to package a message.

6.      Digital ethics

• Guided by the principles of leadership, global responsibility, environmental awareness, global citizenship and personal accountability.

Entering the new world of information and communication technology opens the way for complex and higher cognitive skills. Bloom’s Taxonomy of Thinking Skills can serve as a general framework of skills, a new era of creativity in the digital world has led to introducing a kind of framework that requires information processing, idea creation and real-world problem-solving skills.

The above taxonomy is patterned after new scientific knowledge on how the human brain works. By developing higher thinking skills, the schools today can inculcate the digital fluencies, while overcoming limitations inherent in digital technology, resulting in superficial and mediocre learning skills of new learners. 

       

This serves as a guide for teachers on how the learning process of their learners took place or how it happens. As a future teacher, it is very important that we are knowledgeable of the skills that our learners need to achieve. It is as if the same with our objectives in the instruction. Also, because we are more onto the digital era, teachers as well as the students need to enhance their digital skills thus saying that we should add to the three basic R skills. We will not eradicate the three basic Rs but rather add improvement in the betterment of our skills.

We can apply this one whenever we will use audio-visual materials/resources as the aid for our instruction. For example, we choose PPT presentation in discussing our designated lesson of the day. But before we come up with that presentation, we should be able to make a good PPT slides in order for us to deliver the lesson well and attractive to student. Another thing is that we should be aware of the copyrights when we will research in the net. Ethics it is.

See? In order for us to create digital instructional materials we should first improve our basic digital fluency skills.

LESSON 5 Preferences of the Technology Generation

In the field of education, it is important that critical differences in perceptions between old and young which create a generation gap need to be discussed. In my previous blog, I have been emphasizing about the generation gap between old and the new generation. Now, I will focus generally on how the two cohorts differentiate from one another.

I will start with their pattern of gathering information. The older generation’s way of researching is into going to libraries, using the card catalogue and signing up to borrow books for home reading for as the newer ones that are exposed to digital technology and have been rendered to cable television and video images. Most especially the use of internet, wherein you can see all the information you are researching for by just a click. See the difference? It was like comparing a book from a computer. Text versus visuals, it is.

Old generation rely on books

New generation rely on internet and visual technology

The next comparison between the two is on how they focus on the information gathered and its ways. For example, in the older generation wherein technology is not widespread, they tend to focus their attention in school or in a certain area only, education. Where as in the newer generation where there is smartphones, laptops, iPads and other digital gadgets. They tend to be less aware or focused on their studies because their attention is oblique with other things such as social media and such. We can say that the older generation obtained information in a undeviating, logical and sequential manner. They focused their learning in linear way. While newer generation because exposed to gadgets and likes follows a personal random access to hyperlinked digital information, less superior to elders in focus and reflection. Thus, they appear to be more easily bored and distracted during class lectures.

These two generations interact with the society in two different ways. The independent learners – the older generation and the social learners – the new generation. Now, the traditional education system gives priority to independent learning, prior to participative work. And not to forget that in older times, traditional learning or traditional system of education is the king system in every educational institutions which make the older ones more onto being self-governing learners. In the newer generation, they are already accustomed with digital tools that adopt to both personal and participative work. Mobile calls, Emails, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and wikis are some of the immediate ways to communicate within or outside the educational institutions.

            

Another with learning to do versus learning to pass the test rationale of the learners in each generation. Each types of learner incorporated with different teachers have different ways to helps the learners. Old teachers teach students in order to help them pass tests and complete the course requirement. On the other hand, the new teachers teach learners simply to acquire skills, knowledge and habits as openings of prospects afford them to learn.

            

The traditional reward system in education consists in grades, honors certificates and medals, diplomas, including future jobs are said to be unclear rewards for performance. Whereas on the digital learners, which have more immediate gratification through immediate scores from games enjoyable conversations from webcam calls, excitement from emails, and inviting comments from  Facebook accounts. Delayed rewards and instant gratification are the two different reward systems on the two generations.

            

Lastly, teachers feel oblige to deliver content-based course in which the learning is measurable by standard test, in the old generation. New generation learners prefer to have fun learning which is relevant and promptly useful to them.

This difference between the two corresponds to the generation gap’s part in the educational system; although it is not needed in the system it is still inevitable in the scheme. We set back wants and priorities in school differently such ways that pictures a clear image of how the two generations vary from each other.

            

In sum, teachers need to connect with digital learners, and not to think of them as entering their past thirty years old traditional world. While there are apparent setbacks or limitations to digital learning, there are opportunities to tap through:

• New learners’ digital fluency with visual learning with the use of audiovisuals, media and multimedia;
• Using hyperlinked multimedia for projects that enhance work focus and reflection
• Problem solving activities to suit the new generation’s style and preference for fun and relevant learning

In my opinion, we should not be stuck on the traditional ways that the older generation’s learning was uphold but I am also not saying that we should eradicate those ways but rather nurture them with ways that the new generation is more uphold onto. It is not bad for a change in the system as long as this will have positive effects on our learners. This is what I emphasized on my previous blogs.  For us to be more competent in facing the future which is more digitized than ever, we should be exposed to what is the current trend and adapt to changes in our environment as well as in our society. But we should not forget the old ways of learning or the traditional ways of learning for they were the foundation of how the new ways of learning came up to.

As future teachers, our knowledge of the differences between the two generations of learning will be applied whenever we will conduct PTAs and meeting wherein or students are there together with their parents. To avoid bias, we should know the differences between their ways of learning, the way they obtain information and etc., this for us to respect everybody and to have a diplomatic and warm assembly with them all. 

LESSON 4 Bridging the Generation Gap

In simple things like the manner of dressing, socializing, and more intimate relationships like friendship and marrying, shows apparently that there is a generation gap between the older generation and the younger generation.

Even in education, traditional schooling has hardly changed even with the clear indication of a digital world. A huge generation gap exists in the field of education and it will continue to widen unless some changes are adopted at the proper time. Given the rapid emergence of digital technology, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT), there is a need to prepare for bridging the digital gap in society.

The potentials of ICT:

• The new network of instantaneous communication is global, overcoming borders between countries and continents.
• Much of what elders believe may not be applicable anymore to the new generation, especially along matters of traditional value systems.
• Alvin Toffler’s book, Future Shock, shows how the information age has begun to create many cultural changes in the family, societies, businesses, governments such as what he calls the throw-away society, modular man, kinetic image, scientific trajectory, fractured family, excess of sub cults, psychological dimension, etc.

Given the speed and power of ICT for change, growth, innovation, it becomes critical that teachers understand the gap that may be perceived between them and the new generation of learners. As sophisticated technology advances at a dizzying pace, the satisfaction of educators to stick to traditional education systems and approaches become ineffective, it not deteriorating.

Since new generation are expected to face a future professional challenge of a digital world ahead of them, technology-supported skills need to be taught in schools today, or else schools will become someplace of questionable value. If schools fail to respond to the emergent changes and needs, new learners may lose appreciation of the educational system, and drop out of school.

My previous post gives an example of this generation gap. As the teacher required us to use Manila papers for our reporting, we, new learners or digital learners find it hard because we are more used to present our reporting using a LCD projector and PPT slides. But due to our respect and we are just students anyway, we couldn’t do anything about it and we comply the requirement. It isn’t a big deal though but the fact that this generation gap really affects the learning of the learners is truly a BIG DEAL.

Also, because this generation gap, a misunderstanding will generally occur. At home, my lola and me had a heated conversation about the manner of dressing of a certain artist on the television. I, as a paramour of art, explained to her that it was just because of entertainment and it’s very common on TV, nowadays. But she kept on insisting that it was “malaswa” and all, but for I think the dress was just fine, it was because of her role that’s why the artist dressed up like that. Well, generation gap.

Generation gap as a common scenario in schools or any other place, even at home, this exists. It will be a challenge for educators to inculcate the integration of the traditional system, the style they are more comfortable to do so, and the new system, a digital system wherein the use of technological devices will aid the teaching and learning process. Considering about this one, me, as a future teacher will not defy the fact that generation gap is a part of education but since a teacher you should adapt to the changes and if you think, especially specialists think, that it will be the betterment of everyone then you should be open to it. Why keep on struggling to stick with the old system when there is a better one? Everywhere you can see this generation gap, like on the first paragraph of this post, indeed, the difference of the old generation and new generation is realized. It’s up to you as an educator, if you will be close minded about this generation gap and be steady or use still the traditional way of teaching or, comprehend the matter and do something about it to bridge the differences of the poles apart generations?

            The main answer of the dilemma about generation gap is adaptation. If you are the older one then adapt to fast changing world! I am not saying to change immediately your way of dressing or your usage of gadgets and the likes, we all know that change takes time. But understand the differences, be open-minded about it. Educators apply it by using it in their respective instructions, if your students are more comfortable using an LCD projector,  then use it. If you are inclined in using PPT slides but you’re students wants the “taplak-taplak” style then introduce to them the PPT slides. This is common when you are assigned to teach a school on rural areas. I am sure that they will be fascinated with how it works. I am very sure of it. So, educators and future educators out there, all we need is to adapt. 

LESSON 3 Understanding Technology Learners

The first statement of Lesson 3 of Lucido’s book, “Today’s learners appear smarter, yet they can’t read as their parents do and they are addicted to the Internet”, is it really true? As today’s learner, do you agree? I could just laugh about it. I will explain why. But first let us first tackle the content of lesson 3.

The concern for the new learners is valid. On the other hand, it is to be admitted that our learners today generally use the traditional education program applicable to learners of the past, acquainted with linear, textual, and sequential learning. They fail to realize that the new generation of the 21^st millennium is not the kind of learner that they were, but are information technology or digital learners.

In case, the concern for digital learners is not well understood, it serves to know what scientists say, as follows:

• There are positive benefits derived from the use of information technology or digital resources and these counterbalance possible negative effects of technology on children.
• Daily exposure to high technology-personal computers, video games gadgets, cellphones, Internet search sites – stimulates the brain by strengthening and creating neural circuits.
• A current technological revolution is creating an intellectual revolution, faster and better than ever before. 

Jean Piaget

The 19th century psychologist Jean Piaget presented a chart from childhood to adulthood with the first two years of susceptible minds, six years of acquiring communication skills, teenage years of transition concrete thinking, and adult years of abstract thinking and reasoning. 

Given the digital age today, Piaget's traditional learning chart may have to be redefined. 

There is a phenomenon of the young generation taking on multi-tasking as they perform tasks simultaneously: watching videos, chatting on line, downloading pictures and music, surfing the web, and etc. Research show that multitasking can be detrimental since this prevents concentration and the completion of specific tasks. However, multitasking characterizes professional work in the new world of information technology. There is the need therefore to balance the good and possibly unfavorable changes observed among new learners of this information technology age. 

Digital learner doing multi-tasking.

Let us go back with the statement on the first paragraph of this blog post now that we are done with the content, “Today’s learners appear smarter, yet they can’t read as their parents do and they are addicted to the Internet”. I totally disagree with this one. Why? The youth now are underrated by the statement. As a digital learner (I am still young, okay? Haha.),  comparing the past from the present is quite a common scenario but is it evenhanded if technology is included as a measure of that comparison? What I mean is, with the technology in the past is quite sure that our elders or our parents used the traditional way of learning different from us now that we are all equipped with the gadgets we needed to learn. I believe that it is wrong to say that learners in the past are more shall I say, intelligent than to this generation considering that the two generations took place far more different from each other. 

I often hear phrases like, "Maypa sa amoa sauna.. (It's better way back then..)". We hear it from our parents, uncles and aunties, grandparents, and from our teachers. They keep on comparing our generation from their's. It's better that they would learn to appreciate and cope up with the now than keep on comparing the now and the past. Right? For me, as a future educator, I will be the one to cope up with my students when we talk about this matter. It is one of the things we should consider in teaching. And we all need to change. As the common saying goes, change is the only thing that doesn't change. It will be a challenge but who would dislike that challenge when it will be the good of the majority? 

One of my experience about this is when an instructor of mine required us to prepare a report but the funny thing about it is that she doesn't want a PPT presentation, which is the easier and usually used nowadays, but a visual aid using a Manila paper. Can you imagine? Although, it is not that obsolete but the fact that it will be easier if we use PowerPoint but we didn't because our instructor is more onto the "taplak-taplak" system of reporting. It is very hassle by the way, after we reported our prepared Manila papers were trashed aand wasted. We cannot use it again. 

So with this, I realized that dealing with the digital learners, like myself, it is more okay if the teachers are the one to cope up with usage of technology. Aside from we are now in the IT Age, we should think of the advantages and disadvantages of  technologies we are going to use and should consider the student first and foremost. It will be hard for the students if you will not be understand their way of learning right now, and also with you, the teacher, you will have a difficult time teaching the lesson if you don't know your students. 

LESSON 2 An Overview: Educational Technology 2

Taking this course this semester, hmmm the fourth year feels, Educational Technology 2 is concerned with the integration of technology into the teaching and learning process. The focus of Educational Technology 2 (EdTech 2) is the introduction, reinforcement, supplementation and extension of the knowledge and skills to the learners so that they can become exemplary users of educational technology. Directed to student teachers and professional teachers, it is also to help the learners to interlace technology in teaching, with software in becoming a natural extension of the learning tools.

Student teacher

Professional teacher

The course’s goal is not to promote computer skills only rather it is into the enhancing of the teaching-and-learning process through technology integration.

The course objectives are:

• to provide education in the use of technology in instruction by providing knowledge and skills on technology integration-in-instruction to learners
• to impart learning experiences in instructional technology-supported instructional planning
• to acquaint students on Information Technology or IT- related learning theories with the computer as a tutor
• to learn to use and evaluate computer-based educational resources
• to engage learners on practical technology integration issues including managing it classrooms, use of the internet for learning, cooperative learning through the use of information technology,  etc.
• to inculcate higher level thinking and creativity among students while providing them knowledge of IT- related learning theories

Guided by these objectives, as a learner of this course, it is a challenge for me to really learn things from it specially the hands-on experiences inculcated with it for in the second semester of this year we will have our practicum and will be student teacher in the university’s laboratory high school. Furthermore, it will prepare us to the real world that’s awaiting for us future educators. IT is not a rare term or shall I say, terms nowadays because as this generation the 21^st Century titled as the Information Age, people are faced with rampant usage of technology. In school, for example, instead of merely relying onto chalks and blackboards we are now using LCD projectors and flat screen televisions as tools in presenting the lessons. In my own opinion, we should be thankful with these technologies for it really makes the work easier. Just imagine, using a laptop we can present the lessons in a very presentable manner, dust free and not prone to asthma or any allergies in using chalks. I do believe that learners can learn more especially using nice and neat instructional materials. And these technologies are very good examples of which. Aside from being able to exercise our skills in dealing with technologies, we can be exemplary users of educational technology which is one of the directed goals of the course, EdTech 2. But we should also remember that just like any thing, these technological materials also have advantage and disadvantage. I have experience cancelling the report of my classmate who will going to use PPT slides and the flat screen TV for her report but due to a brown out she didn’t able to present it. Of course, she can’t because the lack of electric supply needed for the operation of the gadgets. Also that time that any of us didn’t bring a laptop and it’s very hard for the reporting to present the lesson using her gadget which is a netbook because the screen is small and not all of us can see her presentation. So the teacher canceled the reporting to next meeting. These are the things that we should also consider and EdTech 2 will give us tips on how to deal with these types of problems. And that’s for sure.

It is not that I am blaming anyone about it but it seems like the time was being wasted and I don’t like scenarios like that. In the future, I will really do my best just to maximize the time in teaching. I am really excited in becoming a student teacher next semester but it is also incorporated with me being anxious about how will I teach my future students. It is a terrifying thing to commit big mistakes in front of your mentors and students and yes, especially your critic teacher!

I am still learning stuffs from Edtech 2 and I will not tell that I will learn all of it but I will try my best to learn the nearly most of it.  I wish of it though. Because for I know, the things in EdTech 2 will be my aid on how I will present my lessons in the future. I will apply my learnings from it and I will be guided by the objectives of the Educational Technology 2. 

LESSON 1 A Review of Educational Technology 1

The third year of my college years lead me in learning more on to the introduction in dealing with computers and the software/programs in the computer in application to education. This is all because of Educational Technology 1. 

Truly, Educational Technology 1 course has paved the way for the learner to become cognizant, grateful and prepared to use educational technology tools ranging from traditional to modern educational media. The thorough conduct of the history of educational technology, quality education, and the roles of ET in the 21st millennium has been firmly laid down by ET-1 or we commonly called, EdTech 1 course. The orientation of the learners towards averting dehumanization which technology brings societies through:

• Ideological propaganda (the power to spread information to help or hurt a cause)

• Pornography

• Financial fraud

• other exploitative use of technology

The four (4) phases of Educational Technology in teaching-and-learning:

• Setting of learning objectives
• Designing specific learning experiences
• Evaluating the effectiveness of the learning experiences vis-à-vis the learning objectives
• Revision as needed of the whole teaching-learning process or elements of it

Educational Technology 1 fittingly refined the distinction between educational technology (the effective use of technological tools in learning), instructional technology (improving the efficiency and effectiveness of learning, performance improvement and instruction), educational media (any type of media used to educate someone on a topic) and audiovisual aids (learning media to stir the senses for more effective learning). 

As an EdTech student, I am, shall I say, obliged to pass requirements like reports, Photoshop photo editing project, and my own gadget-like invention. Our instructor made it to the point that we students would have a hands-on experience in dealing with technology. In connection with this, I also have learned that in teaching with the use of technology, we should first consider the learners beforehand using a specific technology in teaching them. This is to ensure that the teaching and learning process is suitable for the both parties in the said process. This is also taught in EdTech 1, the evaluation of the suitable technological media and the instructional material that will be used in the instruction.

Contemplating of the past experiences I had experience in EdTech 1, I realize that the things discussed in the course are not just solely for my career but for my daily activities as well, take this for instance, I was an officer in the College of Education student council and whenever I am assigned to make a backdrop (tarpaulin) in an event in the college, I find it easy because I can just make it using the editing programs that we learned in EdTech. Not to boast but I am really fond in doing those things, like editing photos, lay-outing and the likes. I am very happy that EdTech 1 taught me a lot of things about those stuffs. Not to mention, our instructor is very humorous in discussing the lessons. EdTech 1 is a very fun and vigorous subject! I wish that EdTech 2 will be the same, too! I know it will.

Welcome Ida, to world of blogging!

Blogging as we all know is a very common stuff among youth today. I've read a lot of blogs by random people because I am fond of doing so. Well, I am fond of reading. I tried signing up in WordPress and tumblr but I keep on forgetting either my username or password! That's why I gave up with these kind of stuffs. But as a requirement in EdTech 2, I am here, blogging again. Honestly, there lies within me that really loves social media, like these kind of things, I am really into these things but I don't know how to start it like, what are the things I'm going to post online? Or would there be anyone that would visit my blog? Those probes keep on bothering me. I am not a pro at this and I know that people will not notice this instantly but I'm still hoping that someday all my post be appreciated. How amusing that would feel, right? But anyway, these really won't matter much. I keep bragging on to the negative side of the matter, and when you think about it, I'm the one making myself miserable with the thought. Blogging is not about being famous or being noticed. Am I right? It's about expressing your ideas and thoughts whether people will agree or not, notice or  neglect, just express yourself. EXPRESS. YOURSELF. 

Okay, welcome to the world of blogging, hurray for expressing opinion and beliefs, This is the world of blogging. I want to blog. And I will continue expressing myself through social media. I welcome myself! Crazy, right? Yes. I am. With my craziness, I will keep this blog updated. That's my new goal. Haha. Okay, not to sound overdoing it, I'll keep this post short. To my next blog! Next blogs! *clinking glasses*

Love, Ida.