My Last Week at Building Teacher Skills through the Interactive Web course.

Thursday, August 25^th, 2011.

WEEK 10

Technology is more relevant every day in people’s life because of its fast increase and social impact with a number of different advances and, these advances open possibilities of innovation in the educative area too. Therefore, it is necessary to rethink in the teaching – learning processes and to promote the permanent updating on them around technological resources.

 

Building Teacher Skills through the Interactive Web course is coming to the end.  Thank you very much to everyone who made it possible I can be part of this nice experience. 

 

This is a great opportunity for any teacher whose desire is to get better.  Education needs to change, we cannot continue teaching in the same traditional way, technology is all around us and we cannot stay apart. Our students belong to the technological era and we need to learn about it. Then, our role is to use effective technological tools and resources in the classrooms which are basic characteristics of 21st Century teaching and learning.

 

This is a unique occasion everyone should improve.  It really deserves time to surf in the wonderful range of possibilities this web course offers and the tutors are very nice, especially Donna.

After a year of applying these new tools, I hope to be in Level 4b – (Integration: Routine), based on “LoTi” (Levels of Teaching Innovation), where students are fully engaged in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources such as: web quests, bloggers, delicious, interactive power point, Nicenet discussions, virtual classes and online assessment, where the teacher is promoting an inquiry-based model of teaching that involves students applying their learning to the real world.

All the topics presented in this course were really interested, but considering the short time which is assigned for English class in my University (this is two classes a week) I will only apply the tools I considered more important.

All in all we have had a very good on line course, I hope the best for the new participants and I look forward to put in practice and share what I have learnt.

The whole art of teaching is only the art of awakening the natural curiosity of young minds for the purpose of satisfying it afterwards.  Anatole France

 

Greetings,

Monica E. Vaca Cardenas

 

Learning Styles

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Week 9

Using learning styles in our learning process provide better learning opportunities. They give fresh direction to alternative teaching, because students will learn better when using preferences in which they're successful and they will be better learners when they can expand their preferences. As teachers we need to identify not only student’s needs and interests, but also students learning styles for multiple intelligences, there are many classifications, so I think we should identify the most common. 

Technology can be used to facilitate learning in each intelligence area. There is no "right way" to integrate intelligences or technology into the classroom. The key is to provide the most effective learning environment for students.

In my opinion it is important to help learners to explore all the multiple intelligences.  And the resources we can find using technology are incredible, but demand a hard work from the teacher.  It is a challenge we have.

"Teachers bring enthusiasm and varied teaching and assessing approaches to the classroom, addressing different student needs and ensuring sound learning opportunities for every student"

During these weeks I have learnt a lot and I still have so much to learn in order to provide my students a better learning process.  My goal is that my students learn to learn. 

Thank you very much to Donna and all e-friends for sharing with me these weeks full of friendship, love and knowledge.  My desire is to put in practice what I have learnt and share the little I know with others.

Best wishes,

Monica Vaca Cardenas

ENHANCING LEARNING

Students need motivation to learn, but that is a difficult task for teachers since, every person is different, they have different interests, different backgrounds and different intelligences.   Using technology in our classes can help us to provide our students with different material where they can develop their skills, interact with others, find their interests, and become into autonomous learners, while we accomplish with our learning goals.

This week I had to work very hard writing the draft of my plan, trying to put in practice everything I have learnt so far.  I have a positive feeling it will help me a lot.  Have a nice week everybody.

Sunday, August 7th, 2011

WEEK 7

LEARNER AUTONOMY

We never stop learning and we learn something every day.  This week we were reflecting about the importance of learner autonomy, which is the ability to take charge of one's learning, which in my opinion is the most important aspect we should teach our students in order to have competitive leaders, who do not depend on teachers but on themselves.

The teacher plays an important role here, we need to adapt resources, materials, and methods to the learners' needs and even abandon them if necessary.   The teacher can help students to take responsibility for their own learning, making them read for pleasure and suggest them to listen to as much English as possible, e.g. english programs on TV or radio, make them to form groups to share their experiences. This could encourage those who are less motivated to learn by choosing and doing what they wanted and liked, and sharing with their friends.  And nowadays with the use of technology it is easy to find interactive tools for learning English language and students can access to them anytime of course if they have the resources.  Unfortunately, in my country, no many people can have access to internet very often, but if they get the opportunity it is an advantage for them to learn.

And finally my suggestion is to continue learning the advantages of technology in order to share them with our students.  Most of the students don't have access to internet, but we can share with them what we have researched by the use of a computer, speakers and a head projector in our classes.

Let's get better for our students.