OVER...or...JUST BEGINNING...???

10 weeks...I just cannot fathom HOW 10 weeks have flown so very fast BUT the fact is, they have!

Difficult, frustrating, taxing, mind-boggling, exhausting YET wonderful, amazing, fantastic 10 weeks!

I have learnt and learnt and have had my eyes opened to the WORLD of TECHNOLOGY.  Never had I imagined that this World of Technology was so advanced.  That teachers/educators have selflessly shared so much technology online and I have been missing all these all this while.

From Delicious till Anvill,  ALL the tools I have been using and have been exposed to, have a role to play in my class.  I would use a tool which is appropriate for the learning outcome I have.  Each tool has its advantages and disadvantages.  So choice is vital...every and all tools that I have been introduced to  are important.   Nothing can be deleted or ignored.  As a teacher I need to be smart with my choice of tool.

SO, now WHAT?...

Is this the end...NO, it is just the beginning because now that I have this knowledge, what will I do?...

I feel the BEST way to show my gratitude to ALL who have shared with me is for me now to SHARE with OTHERS especially colleagues who are open to technology as well.

Being a recipient of this course is a great responsibility.  In a way being accountable to all who have helped me during these 10 weeks is not an easy task but the best way of saying THANK YOU is to make sure that I  progress on to keep using and enhancing my lessons with technology!

How to ensure this...I must find a partner who will monitor me...

So, I will not say goodbye...but...

till we meet again, Pam                          

WEEK 9 : The "END" is almost near...

Week 9 is over and I have gone through this week with such a melancholy feeling as this course nears its end...I never imagined that 10 weeks would fly so fast.  BUT good things normally do.

Our project was the major concern this week.  I truly rushed teaching all that I had planned.  The one week of exams and the one week of holidays did not work in my favour.  As I reflect, I have to say I work 'best' under pressure.  I am reminded of a tea sachet...the aroma is beautiful when it is put into some hot water!  I hope my project is also 'beautiful'...

What I really would like to do now is to develop on this project and to turn the writing of it into Action Research and then present it to my District Education Department...hopefully I can share this with others BUT I will wait for my evaluation first...(don't count your chickens before they are hatched...)

My thoughts drift to "what's in store after this?"...will I be different?  Am I going to return to my comfort zone and use 'no time' as the excuse?

Time will tell...maybe I should draw a pact with one of my course mates to monitor and keep tabs on each other.  I wonder if any of my course mates are game for this... we check on each other once a month??

My learning experience of MI this week muddled my thoughts to the point I didn't know how to respond to the Nicenet discussion. I started questioning myself especially after reading my course mates post...their posts were so clear with ideas on technology and learning styles.  

I couldn't answer my own question : say I want to teach summary skills and I have all 9 learning styles in my class.  Does this mean I need to prepare activities for all learning styles just to address one LO? 

Once Donna clarified, I am now less confused.  Thank you Donna...I sure will miss you as you have become my 'wikipedia' ~ every time I doubt, I email you...

Pam

WEEK 8 "HOW FAST TIME FLIES"

Week 8 is OVER...how quickly 8 weeks have flown.  

In the beginning I wondered if I would even complete Week 1 successfully especially when I saw the work Webskills entailed.  BUT I am glad for all the wee hours of work as it has been a satisfying 8 weeks though I wish I had more time to perfect my discussions and tasks and to attempt more than what was required.

I feel bad and sad to have missed the Webinar with Jeff as I had to be away from home due to a personal matter.  There are some things in life you just cannot control.  But I am glad to have had this experiential learning of ANVILL ~ what an amazing journey ~ much better than FROG ASIA!

However, I still have my PROJECT...my draft was not my best effort as I had not tried out my planned lessons yet.  Still have one more lesson to teach tomorrow.  Then I will start on my reflection.  Friday is the dateline...Phew!

I must remember to comment on my two 'buddies' by tomorrow~ 

Time is precious; not to be wasted, not even a millisecond...

Pam

Week 7 : Time is RUNNING OUT...

This week was not too bad compared to last week BUT I fell sick and so my momentum, mood and enthusiasm has been on the 'low'.

I did not have the time to comment on the one-computer discussion though I did read two articles.  I preferred to try the autonomous learning as this discussion created the opportunity for me to 'crack' my head and do some soul-searching on HOW I SHOULD and COULD incorporate this into my lessons.  I realize that this requires a diligent and conscious effort on my part if I sincerely desire my students to be lifelong learners.  The ultimate goal of education should be to make students independent learners.  After going through this online Webskills course  I have had sufficient practice on the true meaning of being an autonomous learner.  Hence Webskills "practices what it preaches".

Now I need to sit on my project...March is a hectic month in school...with a Carnival to raise funds and a Concert to organize.  I always wonder why I get caught in these ad hoc committees.  Before this is over, I have received another email regarding another ad hoc committee I am on ~ Award Ceremony!  I wish I can ONLY teach.  IF ALL the spare time I have in-between teaching periods is used to prepare lessons, I would be a GREAT teacher...I wonder if teachers in other countries are "jack of all trades and master of none"?

So why have I made my blog this Week so COLOURFUL ~ simply because I really feel under the weather and needed some 'brightness' in my life...AND with the pray this 'brightness' will remain bright till 31/3/2013...

    Here's WISHING 

   ALL MY READERS 

    A CHEERFUL WEEK 8

WEEK 6 : And I am WHACKED OUT!!

WEEK 5...and still going 'strong'

Week 5 is done and as I write my blog now, Donna has already sent us information about Week 6.

I have not been successful with either Webquest or Zunal...still have not understood why I am unable to proceed into creating one.  Need to email the others to see where I am going wrong (sigh!).

To be truthful, all the influx of available resourse has in fact 'torn me apart' ~ after 25 years of teaching service, mentoring younger teachers, giving in-house and adjudicating numerous English Language competitions, I now feel 'small', inadequate and 'lost'...on the other hand, I am so one-tracked about wanting to start digital learning in my classes (my kids think I am going 'nuts' ~ so much of mixed emotions).  Not Blog, nor Twitter, or Email, or even PowerPoint Presentations as I have tried these and my teenagers are familiar with these; more familiar than I am!  These just seem to be the tip of the iceberg.

I want to be fully equipped to boldly use Digital Learning where students directly access the given URL and attempt online learning.  Through Webskills, I keep being exposed to all that the internet has in store.  Hence I feel that I am so backward here in Malaysia.  This is what I want to try in my project paper.

PBL is another area I want my students to be involved in.  With ePals, Global School Net and Think Quest, I truly want my 13-14 year olds who belong to the niche English Language group to start on PBL with a class in another country.  I know my girls will be so excited with this.

My head is so filled with ideas but my greatest fear is that I will not have time to implement what I want to try...school work is so entailed with documentation and paperwork that I always feel robbed of time to plan better, more advanced and more interesting lessons.

I am going to invite my Principal to observe the teaching of my lessons that I plan into my project.  I hope this does the trick...

My vision ~ to equip myself. Then to motivate two others, Diana ( a Science teacher) and Faridah (a Biology Teacher) to also bring Digital Learning into their classrooms...wouldn't this be wonderful???

      Pam

Phew...Am I glad Week 4 is OVER!

It has been an exhausting week especially on my eyes.  Sign of old-age, I suppose.  I have been online the longest this week and am still not totally satisfied with my lesson plan.  I feel that I still need to source and checkout more online resource.  I was quite excited when I came across Animoto (something like Dvolver Moviemaker).

The week started with extensive reading which I read intensely.  In fact I read them twice as during my first reading I was interrupted by some household matters I had to attend to.

I enjoyed exploring the websites and analyzing their suitability for my classes.  More and more I am convinced of the fact that the resource for us, teachers, is a goldmine waiting to be accessed.  How wonderful to be exposed to such a wealth of online teaching materials!

My hardest task was writing the technology-enhanced lesson plan ~ a daunting task.  I still have the 'fear' of whether what I wrote is right.  I feel inadequate as to whether I have the guts to use digital teaching aids in class.  I have always downloaded materials for my classes but have yet to try digital learning.  I do feel very strongly about the fact that a technology-enhanced lesson definitely addresses the learning styles in my students BUT I need to get over my own feelings of insecurity...

Well, that's all for now...take care and have a fantastic week 5

Pam