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MODULE 1 - Policy Understanding                                                         

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MODULE 1 - Policy Understanding                                                         

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GROUP ASSIGNMENT (Policy Analysis)
 Discuss the Advantages/ Disadvantages/ Obstacles of implementing each of the policies.  What additions/deletions/ modifications would make to each policy?  Write the Operational Policy to accompany each strategic policy.
(1)

·         Advantages of policy #1-students are more likely to be exposed to ict positively

-it would encourage ict to be used in the classroom

-cost effective

-less boredom

-cater to the multiple intelligences

·         Disadvantages:

-more resources must be put into the securing of the devices,

-increase of school violence and bullying,

-peer pressure,

- financial burden on parents.

-Challenge in classroom management due to the extra monitoring during class

-lack of IT personnel

·         Obstacles:

-dealing with theft of the devices,

- loss of teaching time to collect,

-parents hesitance to send children with the device to school,

-providing ports for charging of the devices,

-lack of support from admin

(2) Address the use of headsets

-separate network for students

(3)Operational policy-scheduled days and time when the devices are in use

- Provide outlets for charging

REFLECTIONS

Write a journal entry on today’s session, giving your reflections on policy and its role in education.  What are your thoughts on the significance of educational policies?  How does policy guide your practice?

Policy and its role in education

Introduction: On Monday 23rd April, 2018 I went to Tabaquite Secondary School to participate in a seven-day workshop from 23/04/2018 - 12/06/2018, which was organized by the Ministry of Education. The workshop encouraged teachers to participate in an Information and Communication Technology (I.C.T.) Professional Development Program. Three teachers were selected from each school within the South Eastern Educational District (S.E.E.D.) in which there were eight schools registered for this program.  Teachers were chosen from the departments of Natural Science and Technical Vocational areas and cluster in a group 1.

When I arrived at the school at about 8:20 a.m. I was asked to sign the visitors register and then proceeded to the I.C.T. room were the program was being held. We waited until the majority of teachers were present and the co-ordinator introduced herself. Teachers were then asked to introduce themselves to the group.

The day was very well spent, we were introduced to policies by the teachers. Policies in terms of the role it plays in the education system. We     were introduced to the policy of Bring Your Own Device (B.Y.O.D) and Mobile Phone Policy.

These policies play a very important and beneficial role in the education system. What I can reflect and have learnt from today's workshop is that policies are a system of principles put together to guide the decision making to produce positive outcomes in organization. It is a written statement which implements the procedures adopted by an organization.

The role of a policy in an educational organization is to provide certain guidelines, rules and laws towards implementing the goals and to achieve these goals in a positive and effective manner.

The two policies that was mentioned in today's class are Bring Your Own Device (B.Y.O.D) and Mobile Phone Policy.  I think that the significance of these two policies are very questionable. Can these two policies have a great impact on the education system whether it has a positive or negative outcome. This all depends on how we implement these policies. What are the guidelines, rules and regulations do we have to follow to ensure that these policies are established in the proper manner and ensure positive results?

The roles of policies in the education system, guides my practices in the field of teaching very smoothly and without disruptions. I say this, due to students' behavior in terms of discipline, attendance and attitude. Policies govern the guidelines, rules and regulations for an effective and positive outcome and should be clear and specific.

As a result of these policies introduced to me at the end of the first session I better understood the policies and a way forward by the Ministry of Education in wanting to implement I.C.T in the classrooms. Under the I.C.T. programme, I must say that today was indeed interactive, sharing, fun and exciting. I do look forward for next session.

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PRESENTATION

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Spreedsheet
1.The following spreedsheet shows a child performance in seven (7) subject areas when compared with the average performance of the rest of the class in each of the subject.

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Reflections
Consider the feasibility of didactic instruction and give your reflections on its sustainability. Discuss how the use of technology might impact didactic instruction.
Didactic is a theory of teaching both theory and practical applications.This theory can be used to open learning or experimental learning in which students learn by themselves.This type of instructions is effectively used on students who are unable to organize their work, have problems in basic reading and writing skills.
The use of technology can have a great impact on didactic instructions with the use of power point presentations. The use of videos and presentations through these slide shows can have an impact with students performance and the way they listen to the instructions and pay more attentions to the videos and slides.

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Spreedsheet
2. The following spreedsheet is comparing and displaying the academic performance of two (2) groups of students of the same form level.

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Spreedsheet
The following is a spreedsheet showing a master sheet for a class.

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Reflections
There is always a link between teaching and testing. The connection between ones teaching and ones testing is critical, if properly understood, can lead to an increase in instructional effectiveness.

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1. Group Presentation
The following is a presentation showing a given area of curriculum selecting the concepts and processes used in I.C.T.

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2. S.A.M.R. Model
Using the SAMR Model and given a topic/ concept, identify the use of technology at each rung of the model, culminating with innovative modification for teaching and learning.

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Group Assignment question 3
Analyze students’ outcomes from a project/lesson and their use of ICT during the project/lesson, with specific reference to:  The student’s level of understanding of the key concepts  Whether ICT was essential to the activity  The appropriateness of the ICT selected and whether a different option might be used in the future to improve the effectiveness  Obstacles encountered in the selected ICT and how they were addressed  How ICT integration in the activity might be strengthened

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Reflections
Give your perceptions of how ICT is used in your subject area. Is there merit in using ICT for substitution and augmentation? How do you see yourself using ICT more meaningfully in the future?
In my area of Mechanical Engineering Technology  I use I.C.T. by showing students videos and images through power point presentation because of the limitations of equipments in the workshop. Yes there is much merit in the use of I.C.T. for substitution and augmentation. I see myself using these I.C.T. learning tools in the classroom more regular in the future.

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Group Assignment - V.A.R.K.
How should the V.AR.K. theory along with the theory of multiple intellegency impact on curriculum delievery.

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1.  Develop a lesson plan to deliver a topic to a class of students. Focus on addressing any two learning styles or multiple intelligences

The two learning styles used are :
1. kinesthetic - practical demonstration
2.visual - power point presentation

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Reflections
1. Share your perceptions on the session with particular reference to the needs of learners with special needs? How can you and your school make a greater effort to assist such students?
My perceptions on students with special needs particularly with reference to needs of the learners is of great importance to me as an educator. Particular attention and individualized attention most be given to these students in order to see positive results.
In my school we can make a greater effort to assist these students by:

Maintain an organized classroom and limit distractions. ...

Use music and voice inflection. ...

Break down instructions into smaller, manageable tasks. ...

Use multi-sensory strategies. ...

Give students with special needs opportunities for success.

2.  Describe a scenario, real or imagined, where you were asked to deliver a concept/topic to a class that comprised students of predominantly two learning styles (or intelligences). Describe the methodology (ies) used to ensure that students understood the concept/topic.

In a class of fifteen students where I am assessed to teach Mechanical Engineering Technology which more so a practical and theory area, my teaching style varies. I ask the class firstly to conduct a simple practical demonstration.
I observe each individaul student perform the task at hand . I then proceed to have the students view a video of the same task via power point presentation, to allow them to indicate there errors and mishaps, so that each individual will recognize there faults. In doing so students can better understand the concept being taught and learn from their mistakes.

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                              MODULE 6 - Teacher Professional Learning                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Cyberbullying

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                              MODULE 6 - Teacher Professional Learning                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Cyberbullying

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Cyber bullying is the most common threat that you may face while using the internet, especially on Social Networking sites. On these sites spreading false rumors about someone is relatively very easy. Also, people can post anonymous posts about someone on various sites without revealing their own identity. Cyberbullies send insulting and hateful messages to their target, spread lies about them and posts nasty comments on social networks making the bullied unable to face the society

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The internet is one of the greatest inventions of all times.  It allows us the ability to access just about any information readily.  The internet is one of the fastest ways to connect with and  to communicate with people from all around the world.  We require the internet for several reasons and it is used daily by millions of people.  The internet isn't all good though.  It can become potentially dangerous when unwanted information gets to the wrong audience.  Many people have suffered a lot of embarrassment and emotional pain as a result of personal information being shared via the internet.  The internet can be used to hack into the personal files of people, it can be used for internet fraud, cyber bullying, identity theft and to stage other crimes such as drug trades, kidnappings and murder.  People using the internet should be mindful of such activities and should exercise caution when posting personal information on the internet.

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It increases the chances that software will not function properly and increase the risk of viruses

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2. Share with me (your facilitator) a Sway which you created demonstrating as many features of the app as you can.

copy of link for sway

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MODULE 6 - Teacher Professional Learning

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MODULE 6 - Teacher Professional Learning

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3. Use a Web 2.0 tool to design a forum for collaboration with students or peers.

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Reflection:                                                                                                                      Discuss the challenges posed to teachers by use of Web 2.0 tools for collaboration and project based learning.

As an educator, a teacher or professional lecturer their are a number of issues or challenges we face when it comes to the use of Web 2.0 for the collaboration and project based learning to be effective and productive. Some of the challenges we face include
1. Lack of genuine software - teachers always have to update software. To assist in this problem more genuine software should be available.

2.Unstable and unreliable internet access - frequent accessability to the internet. The incorpoation of the I.C.T. in classrooms we as teachers should have easy and quick internet access, and to aliviate this problem we need better high speed bandwidth with high internet speeds.

3. Lack of technical support - The integration of laptops in the educational system poses many issues for only one I.C.T. tecnicians at the various schools. We need to utilize those various support and provide a continued technical support to the teachers and students as well.

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1. Create a OneNote Notebook for your personal use. Share same with your facilitator.

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2.  Share a OneNote Class Notebook with your peers. Have your colleagues complete given exercises and provide feedback.

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REFLECTION                                                                                                                   Give your thoughts on the ICT Teacher Professional Development Programme, sharing the areas you felt were most significant in helping you to use technology in your teaching and learning strategies.