Communication Technology and Education
Chapter 1: ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and Facilities
Introduction
Educational technology is a field
of study that investigates the process of analyzing, designing, developing,
implementing, and evaluating the instructional environment and learning
materials in order to improve teaching and learning (Edelson, 2001). It is important
that the purpose of educational technology is to improve education. So that we
can let the people who are attending learning institution to gain their
knowledge in an environment that is suitable for them in this new world era (Forest, 2015) .
The learning materials today have a
variety of technologies because of the various technological advances.
Instructional materials include more conventional materials, such as the
blackboard, overhead projectors, televisions, VCRs, overhead projectors, slide
projectors, and opaque projectors, as well as newer materials, such as the
computer, various software applications, LCD projectors, camcorders, digital
cameras, scanners, the Internet, satellite, interactive TV, audio and video
conferencing, artificial intelligence, and so on (Edelson, 2001). These
teaching materials are actually allowed the interaction between the teacher,
lecturer and students.
However, teachers in the public
schools and faculty at universities need to understand what types of materials
are available, how to use them, why they should be used, when they should be
used, and how to integrate them into the teaching and learning environment in
order to meet the goal of improving education. Teachers also need to seriously
consider how these latest materials can affect what and how we learn and teach.
How facilities improve the learning proses of student?
- Voice
thread
Voice thread is an application that runs inside your
web and it allows you to transform collections of media, like images, videos,
documents, and presentations, into a place for a conversation (Khairnar, 2015).
These conversations are not live, but take place whenever it's convenient for
the people to participate. They are also secure, with simple controls that let
you dictate who can participate and what they can do. Commentators can add
remarks by microphone, webcam, keyboard, or even telephone. Many teachers use voice
thread for many different reasons, from online tutoring, virtual class,
professional development training.The application is popular in higher
education as well. The advantages of the voice thread are as follows. It lets
student to have a discussions with better understanding. Besides, voice thread
also providing a simple venue for sharing, creating, and assessing media
projects, which may help promote greater digital literacy and greater
enthusiasm (Hart, 2012). Voice thread offers a natural online interaction that
lends itself to students presenting and defending their work before experts and
peers. Through this new technology, students are able to learn well as it
provides a very convenient platform for them to share their own opinion as well
as getting new perspective from others.
- Prezi
Prezi is a new way to do the presentations (Manning,
Brooks, Crotteau, Diedrich, Moser and Zwiefelhofer, 2011). Prezi is a versatile
app that lets you make professional-looking presentations. It's like a free and
more creative version of PowerPoint. Prezi lets you make presentations that are
as casual or as professional as you want them to be. It allows you to add
information as prezi can help you to organize it in a logical way at the same
time creative way. It can also embellish it with audio and video and then share
it with the people you need to reach. Prezi makes our life easy, at least for
me. I can create my own prezi presentation as I want it to be. It is really
attractive and interactive. The whole app flows very easily even without
looking at the intro or help you can dive into a new presentation fairly
competently. It is worth looking at the help and online resources to get the
most out of it, but even taking Prezi in isolation, it's very usable. Before
Prezi, there was PowerPoint, and to a large extent, that was it. PowerPoint is
a great piece of software, don't get us wrong, but there was definitely room
for a change. Prezi feels fresh and easy, but still produces nice-looking
presentations (Clapp & Swenson, 2013). It's also capable of dealing with
feature-rich and complex material, and making it look good.
- Podcast in Classroom
According to the New Oxford
American Dictionary (2005) a podcast is a "digital recording of a radio
broadcast or similar program, made available on the internet for downloading to
a personal audio payer." Podcasts
are serial recordings, posted regularly online. Basically, it is a good way to
deliver the learning content for the students who need extra lesson. Besides,
students can also create their own podcast to share their learning materials as
well as experience with others or even students from other places. The teachers
can also records their lectures through podcast and use it as a revision
material for student who cannot understand well. It is advantage for the hearing impaired
students (Clapp & Swenson, 2013).
- Live Screencasting
Screencasts have emerged as a prominent teaching
tool on the Internet. Screencasts are an effective way to share ideas, deliver
content, and obtain student feedback (Khairnar, 2015). Screencasts can be used
for describing a step-by-step process, explaining a particular concept, or
presenting a PowerPoint presentation with narration and multimedia elements. A
screencast can be used in any class as a part of real-time instruction or as
the lesson itself as in the flipped teaching model (Khairnar, 2015). With the
flipped teaching method, instructors use screencast videos to deliver their
lectures, assigning them as homework. This method was actually born out of
necessity when a student was absent for almost every class due medical reason.
The lecture actually recorded all the lessons and uploaded it for the student
to view at home. So I personally think that it is very good ideas for those who
cannot attend class due to logical reason. Screencasting is a powerful, highly
effective, and affordable learning tool that can facilitate learning across any
curriculum area (Khairnar, 2015). Screencasting is also a remarkable teaching
and learning tool.
- Smart Boards
Smart products bring learning to life, helping
students to experience a deeper level of engagement and understanding by making
course content interactive and visual (Khairnar, 2015). Besides, it is a user
friendly as it is easy to use it. Instructors can begin delivering course
material with the simple touch of a finger or a pen, save comments and notes.
You will just have to connect your digital screen with the board and it will
eventually shows the images on the board.The notes that you draw or write on it
is made in digital ink, and distribute saved content directly to students.
Smart products are flexible, complementary and evolving. Other than that, it
also transforms your learning spaces into interactive, collaborative
environments where students are both inspired and focused (Glover & Miller,
2001). Therefore, with a Smart Board interactive whiteboard, instructors can
interact with dynamic multimedia content and write notes in digital ink, then
save them instantly and distribute this material to students with ease. Smart
Board interactive whiteboards make learning a visual, engaging experience for
students, which helps deepen understanding and promote retention of course
material (Glover & Miller, 2001). Some of the advantages are the audio
learner can also learn in more effective way as it can observe the teaching on
the board (Glover & Miller, 2001). It also very clean in a way that it does
not requires a real pen to draw or write on it.
*Stay Tuned for more articles. Thank you for supporting.
References
Clapp, B., & Swenson, J. (2013). The collaborative classroom: New technology brings new paradigm. Atlantic Marketing Journal. 2(3), 60-68.
Edelson,
D. C., 2001, Learning-For-Use: A Framework For The Design Of
Technology-Supported Inquiry Activities.
Journal
of Research in Science Teaching. 38(3),
355-385.
Forest, E. (2015). Educational Technology: An Overview. Educational
Technology: An Overview. Retrieved from
http://educationaltechnology.net/educational-technology-an-overview/
Glover, D. and Miller,
D. (2001),Running with technology: The pedagogic impact of the large-scale introduction of interactive whiteboards
in one secondary school. Journal of Information Technology for Teacher
Education. 10 (3),257-276.
Hart, A. C. (2012). The
use of Web 2.0 tools: Wiki, Voice Thread and Edmodo. Wiki, Voice Thread and Edmodo
in ESL.
Khairnar, C. M. (2015).
Advance pedagogy: Innovative methods of teaching and learning. International
Journal of Information and Education Technology. 5(11), 869-872.
Manning, C., Brooks, W., Crotteau, V., Diedrich, A., Moser, J., and Zwiefelhofer, A. (2011).Tech tools for teachers, by teachers: Bridging teachers and students. Wisconsin English Journal. 53(1), 379-444.
7 things you should know about Voice Thread. (2009). Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7050.pdf
