AS SEEN ON TV
The e-Teacher
I had the privilege of speaking before a group of about 100 teachers from Mater Carmeli School in Fairview Quezon City. I was excited to share with them a potent teaching tool—new media such as search engines, blogs, social networking sites and entertainment, and how it has helped me in practicing my craft as a journalist.
Journalism and Teaching are more alike than dissimilar. Both disseminate information to an “audience”. Teachers are educators in a formal classroom setting, while journalists educate a mass audience using print, radio or television. Knowledge imparted by either teacher or journalist add value to students or audience.
New media or the internet can also teach. In fact, it disseminates information at a much faster rate and wider breadth. Teachers are in fact competing with the internet head on.
The Pews Internet Trends Study in the United States brought to light an increasing shift in the dependence of students on the Internet. The study showed that an increasing number of US teens consider the Internet as an essential study aid outside the classroom.
Teens and parents also reported that the Internet has become vital in completing school projects, conveniently replacing libraries for a large number of online youth. Today as much as 71% of students in U.S. schools consider the Internet their primary resource for study aid.
While new media opens doors to learning, it has its pitfalls. The same Pews Internet Trends study said at least 18% of its teen respondents use the internet for cheating.
But by and large, it has become an alternative learning environment outside the classroom and today’s students depend on the internet not just for research but largely for entertainment, games and engagement thru social networking sites as well.
Hence, educators should use the Internet as a teaching tool. Here are some of the ways where teacher and new media can collaborate to educate:
The Fun side of the Curriculum. The Internet can help introduce new concepts and ideas to supplement classroom, in a manner and language that appeal to kids, ergo, games! Websites such as Math Magic, Doctor Universe and Brain Pop offer activities, quizzes and games to school children on a variety of subjects.
Off Classroom Learning. For fast learners, the Internet can reinforce classroom instruction. Teachers may give advanced students other activities online so time can be dedicated to teach challenged learners.
Primary Resource Materials. The Internet can provide supplemental resource materials for research. Sites such as Wikipedia or the public encyclopedia can be considered a secondary source of information to give students research leads or tips. Links to other websites are found at the bottom of the Wikipedia page to verify online information.
High-Level Thinking. The goal of many teachers is to get students to work and learn at higher level which may not be supported by standard curriculum. With the Internet, teachers and students now have access to many inquiry-based learning experiences
Interaction and Socialization. Pen pal writing kept most post offices alive in the past. Today in the age of new media, teachers can revive pen pal writing via “email pals” using social networking sites or basic email providers such as Yahoomail or Gmail. Students can be required to make friends with people their age from other countries and share before the class what they learned about other cultures.
New Media and e-Communication or e-Expression. Blogging can be an alternative to formal themes and essay writing. Teachers can encourage students to write about their experiences and ideas using established Blog sites. Blogs can also be shared easily and may even become a lucrative business venture via site advertising.
The e-Class. An eCLASS promotes learning and provides continuity to classroom sessions by using social networking sites and encouraging free flowing discussions among class members. Teacher opens a fan page for the class. Members of the class shall be required to “LIKE” the page and contribute material to discussion threads posted by the teacher on select subjects.
Weekend assignments may be discussed on the page.
The University of the Philippines College of Anthropology has opened a class called Virtual Ethnology, a 3-unit subject to supplement social theories. A Facebook page has been created where students of the class post and react to the concepts and ideas they themselves tossed. The dynamism of the discussions provide a microcosm for human interaction and sentiments on a variety of subjects or social experiments.
The e-Field Trip. With the high costs of travel, an e-Field Trip can be a welcome development for parents who may not afford the costs of an actual field trip. A teacher can devise an online itinerary which can be as diverse as trips to Ocean Park to outer space. Students may be required to submit a written report on their experiences while visiting sites. The e-Field Trip also transcends distance limitations as much as it is safer than actual travel.
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I just want to greet 2 important women in my life. Incidentally one is a teacher in real life and the other, a teacher in her own right. To my Mama Lourdes Palisada, a piano teacher among many other things and mother in law Nanay Florita Mallorca, a teacher by heart, Happy Birthdays to both of you! Blessings!