Reflection 1

What are the main similarities and differences between such ‘traditional’ approaches and the kind of models of teaching and learning associated with ‘web-based instruction’ in the article below (and also in any of the ‘further readings’ below)?

Teaching is a term used to describe a process where an educator helps her learners increases their knowledge of the various subjects. The main objective of teaching has been the same but due to the influence of the various new technologies available today, the STYLE of teaching has sure come a long way.

Traditionally, teachers used only chalkboards and colourful chalks to get the pupils attention in their lessons. This was soon up graded to white boards and colour markers and with the advancement of technology, Over Head Projects were introduced.

All these inventions have most of the time focus on a teacher-cantered teaching. Pupils were also given limited resources where they could refer to for their projects; namely the library service.

But now, the pupils may be as young as K2, are given more options to do self-study or make reference to their projects. Pupils in their early education are exposed to the basic of computers where they learn word processing. As they go higher in level, they are exposed to the computers at a greater length.

Pupils today are given more open-ended questions where their creativity is triggered. Pupils use library, Internet and software versions of encyclopaedia to get their knowledge extended. By creating a world of technology, we are providing pupils not only the basic knowledge of education but we are exposing them to the ever-changing working industry, which in the long term would be run by them.

By focusing in web-based teaching styles, we are giving the pupils the flexibility to work at their own time and speed. As we know, everyone has their own favourite styles of learning; web-based teaching gives the pupil to be comfortable in their environment of learning as they are able to choose that.

We all know that when a teacher is teaching in a classroom, she can bring in limited materials for teaching due to the permitted timing. If we are able to conduct the same lesson on web-based, it allows the pupils to go and venture out to other links available by providing links to other websites which focus on the same topic of the lesson. Since it is on a computer, the teaching aids are more attractive and life like. We can use the various softwares in the market to create animated, sound, colours and graphics. These would help learn the topic more easily and the pupils would be able to keep what they have learnt in their long-term memory (seeing it enables learning to be faster).

Pupils of all ages are able to benefit from such a learning eggs:
- Distance learning made possible
- Time travelling is reduced as this would not require the pupils to leave their houses.
- Pupils are able to share their knowledge and get their doubts cleared faster.
- Feedback sent to the teacher as the pupil may be shy to ask a question or provide feedback in class. Fear of making a mistake and being laughed at is not there.
- Pupils would be able to share a forum (older kids) where they can discuss and thus making their own group discussions.
- Self-discipline is exercised as well. Pupil would have to be disciplined enough to do his self-study.
- Teacher is able to tell the pupils of their strength and weakness.
- Provide suggestions
- work sheets can be marked on the spot of by using java script in the home page?

But to develop an all round individual, we have to expose the pupils to various styles and approaches. A pupil cannot be left alone at home to do self-study as this would deprive him of the social development skill and if vice-versa occurs we are depriving the pupil from getting more information as compared to what a teacher can present in a one hour lesson time. So due to that the education curriculum should be balanced between the two and not just on one. By getting the pupils to interact, we are exposing them to other pupils of the same age group and thus, web forum would be a plus to them.