WIKIS

Hello everyone I am inviting you to visit to the wikispace of TEACHER-ROBERTS AND COLLEAGUES, Kathlyn Cornwall, Melissa Lawrie,  Kelly Christian and Bernard Masson. Click on the following link:

Teacher-Roberts WIKI

Using a wiki as a teaching aid can be very beneficial to both students and teachers. The teacher can have the entire lesson content posted on the wiki. Also useful links and Videos can assist in research. Assignments can be posted and students can comment therefore adding to the content of the wiki. It is a great forum for students to express themselves and teachers to note where students are in relation to their understanding of specific topics in the lessons.

Reflection

The group I am a member of for this project produced a wiki entitled “TEACHER-ROBERTS”. It is our aim that those who visit our wiki will be educated about angles within the context of mathematics. The one challenge I’m presently facing is editing the Titles of pages. The only if one is an organizer of the wiki that the title names of pages can be edited. This piece can be improved by having all group members as organizers; this will allow greater contribution by all group members. 

Video about Drugs

This video Drugs we showed the two main categories of drugs. We focused our attention on illegal drugs and their effects on the individual and society. The intended audience is adolescents and adults because those who use and abuse illegal drugs are within this category.

Videos can greatly enhance the classroom instruction. When videos are used in a class it reaches spatial, Linguistic and kinesthetic learners. The spatial learners will learn when they see the expressions and body language expressed in videos. Linguistic learners learn by hearing the content in the videos and kinesthetic learners learn by acting in the videos.

Reflection

We were asked to create video for classroom instruction. The length of the video should be between 3-5 minutes long. It should be geared toward a lesson we wish to teach or on any social issue facing education in Antigua. The movie should contain a video (either shot by you or from another source), music/audio and still pictures or images.  Each video must contain a title, captions and appropriate credits. We should include animations and transitions. My group produced a video on the effects of illegal drugs in Antigua.

This piece will be used to enhance a lesson on drug abuse. Students will be given the definition of the types of drugs and their effects. The aim is to help students to see need to avoid drug abuse. The sound quality and background noise affected the quality of our video. The use of better recording equipment and editing sound can solve the above mention challenge.

Podcasts

A podcasts is an audio file that can be posted on the web and listened to by many people around the world. It can be a very useful tool for teachers and students where topics can be addressed by a whole class and feedback can be made locally and internationally. Music files that are broadcasted by an educator can be listened to by students when and how many times they want. This means can add to the quality of instruction due to the fact that unwanted recordings can be discarded and only what the teacher wants can be uploaded. Also since it can be listened to by an international audience feedback can be given about updated information.

My group prepared a podcast about issues facing education. We interviewed both teachers and students to ascertain how the available resources and present size classes affect the learning environment in government schools in Antigua today. It was found that the present conditions negatively affect the learning process in government schools today.

Two major challenges faced in preparing our podcast were the difference in the quality of recordings that were done and background noise affected some interviews. These problems can be solved by using the same recording device to record interviews so that the podcast would sound more professional and editing can be done to remove the background noise.

Charts as Learning Tools

This learning tool can be beneficial in the classroom by being a vivid reminder of the types of triangles and their properties. The students will have this accurate reminder throughout the lesson as they build on their knowledge of triangles. Students in the class can see where they have been and where the class will be going on this topic. 

Teachers Should Prepare For Each Lesson

   Due to the various learning styles and types of learners that comprises the students in a class, it is important for teachers to adequately prepare for each lesson. Even if the teacher may have taught the lesson many times it is still necessary to plan properly. One reason is the fact that each class is different and have unique learners. When teachers don’t adequately prepare for each lesson the possibility of the needs of the students being catered for will decrease dramatically. The students whose needs are not catered for are those who tend to disrupt classes and thus affect the possibility of the rest of the class learning. The more teachers don’t plan appropriately it will affect the disruptive students in the long run. Proper preparation on the part of teachers will result in productive persons in our society.

Bernard Masson

Using My Blog In The Classroom

The sky is the limit when using weblogs in the classroom, therefore I intend to use this medium in the class room to inform my students of the subject area, allowing them to feedback and create an environment that caters for the needs of every student in the class. As the teacher I intend to post course outlines, links and videos to keep the student on track with what we are covering in the class. The students will have the opportunity to share their views and concerns about the course, thus giving me a greater understanding of what each child needs and information they have found. The learning experience in my class will be a journey of enlightenment that both the students and I will travel together. 

Hello Classmates

I have created this blog to serve as a study tool to assist you in your teacher training studies. Much of the necessary information about your general courses as well as useful links about the courses will be included. Please note that assignment reminders will be posted.

Looking forward to working with you

Bernard Masson