The Computer As The Teacher’s Tool
In the previous lesson, we saw how the computer can act as a
tutor, particularly a long a behaviorist and cognitive at approach to a
learning. But we also saw how certain computer software programs have been
developed to foster other thinking skills and creativity.
In the Lesson, we shall again look at the computer, but this
time from another perspective the computer as the teacher’s handy tool. It can
in fact support the constructivist and social constructivist paradigms if
learning.
Constructivism was introduced by Piaget (1981) and Brunet
(1990).They gave stress t knowledge discovery of new
meaning/concepts/principles in the learning process. Various strategies have
been suggested to foster knowledge discovery, among these, is making students
engaged in gathering unorganized information from which they can induce ideas
and principles. Students are also asked to apply discovered knowledge to new
situations, a process for making their knowledge applicable to real life
situations.
While knowledge is constructed by the individual learner in
constructivism, knowledge can also be socially constructed. Social
constructivism is an effort to show the construction of knowledge is governed
by social, historical and cultural contexts. In effect, this is to say that the
learner who interprets knowledge has predetermined point of view according to
the social perspectives of the community or society he lives in.
The psychologist Vygotsky stressed that learning is affected
by social influences. He therefore, suggested the interactive process in
learning. The more capable adult (teacher or parent) or classmate can aid or
complement what the learner sees in a given class project. In addition, Dewey
sees language as a medium for school coordination and adaptation. For Dewey
human learning is really human languishing in that occurs when students
socially share, build and agree upon meanings and knowledge.
The Computers Capabilities
Given its present-day speed, flexibility and sophistication,
the computer can provide access to information, foster creative social
knowledge-building, and enhance the communication of the achieved project
package. Without the computer today’s learners may still be assuming the
tedious task of low-level information gathering, building new knowledge
packaging. But this is not so, since the modern computer can help teacher-and-students
to focus on more high level cognitive tasks.
Based on the two learning theories, the teacher can employ
the computer as a/an:
- An information tool
- A communication tool
- A constructive tool
- As co-constructive tool
- A situating tool
Informative tool. The
computer can provide vast amounts of information in various forms, such as
text, graphics, sound, and video. Even multimedia encyclopedias are today
available on the internet.
The learner itself provides an enormous database from which
user an access global information resources that includes the latest news,
weather forecasts, airline schedule, sports development, entertainment news and
features has well as educational information directly use to learners. The
Internet on Education can be sourced for kinds of educational resources on the
internet.
Constructive Tool.
The computer itself can be used for manipulating information,
visualizing one’s understanding, and building new knowledge. The Microsoft Word
computer program itself is desktop publishing software that allows user to
organize and present their ideas in attractive formats.
Co-constructivist tools. Students can use co-constructive
tools to work cooperatively and construct a shared understanding of new
knowledge. One way of co-construction is the use it f the electronic whiteboard
where students may post notices to a shared document/whiteboard. Students may
also cover it the same document from their homes.
Situating tool.By means of virtual reality (RS) extension
systems, the computer can create 3-D images on display to give the user the
feeling that are situated in virtual environment. A flight simulation program
is an example of a situating tool which places the user in simulated flying
environment.
Multi-User Domains or Dungeons (MUDs), MUD Object-Oriented
(MOOs), and Multi-User Shared Hallucination (MUSHs) are examples of situating
systems. MUDs and MOOs are mainly text-based virtual reality environments on
the internet. When users log on to a MOO environment, they may interact with
the virtual reality (such as by writing on a notice board) through simple
text-based commands. A school-to-school or classroom-to-classroom environment
is possible whereby the user can choose to walk around the campus, talk with
other users who are logged to the same site.
To caution users, the computer as a situating tool is news
and still undergoing further research and development.