Internet and the social web
The “social web” received wide acceptance in the academic world only in recent years. The term social web is often used for internet-based interaction between and within groups. Social web or Web 2.0 marks a distinct break from the earlier internet applications of the 1990s and the early 2000s, by facilitating ‘interactive’ rather than ‘broadcast’ forms of exchange, in which information is shared ‘many-to-many’ rather than being transmitted from one to many. The interactive and collaborative nature of the social web helps create new knowledge. This technology provides the means to share information and learn together through the internet.

Social web is an umbrella term for a host of recent Internet applications such as social networking, wikis, social bookmarking, blogs, mash-ups, etc. While differing in form and function, all these applications support some degree of interactivity.

Strengths: There are strong links between social web and socio-cultural theories of learning, which see active and authentic learning taking place best where knowledge can be constructed actively by learners who are supported in communal social settings. As stated earlier the social web is characterized by a variety of powerful information sharing and collaboration features. There are a number of examples of appropriate use of collective intelligence and collaborative skills behind every success story. Academic research shows that student teams achieve higher levels of thought and retain information longer than students who do their work individually.

Students can form a community of interest and share knowledge, put up interesting pieces of information, they can work together. Much of the learning potential of social web is seen to derive from the co-construction of knowledge. Social web enhances peer to peer interaction, teamwork, encourage the attitude to share, inculcate the habit of distributing knowledge and expertise among students. This positive attitude strengthens cooperation rather than competition among students. Thus, learning becomes a collaborative practice on the web.

Digital learners: Social web technologies are also associated with significant shifts in the nature of contemporary learners. A popular characterization of the upcoming generation of learners is that they are ‘digital natives,’ who have grown up in a world of computers, mobile telephony and the internet, and now lead lives that are dependent upon the digital media. These digital natives are seen to stand in stark contrast to older generations who adopted digital media later on in their lives, having grown up without them. Digital natives are thought to expect technology-assisted flexibility in all aspects of their lives, including the ways in which they learn and are educated.

Teachers: The collaborative aspect of social web allows teacher and students to liaise together on a topic. Teachers need tools that enable them to construct appropriate assessments and process them efficiently. These forms of assessment could also contribute to the de-compartmentalization of learning practices, examinations and assessment, at school and in the workplace, and to the validation of informal learning. Several social web applications can be utilized in the teaching-learning process like writing assignments, guiding projects, counseling, etc.

Institutions: There is a clear role for schools to act as initial points of the learners’ exploration of social web use beyond the passive consumption of online content. Formal education institutions should become places of technological exploration rather than of technological restriction. Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach. Educational institutions have to be reconfigured to support the forms of learning associated with the use of social web.

Applications: The social web’s rise to prominence in the lives of learners has prompted enthusiasm amongst educators. Some claim that social web applications share many of the qualities of a good ‘official’ education technology. One of the main educational uses of the social web is seen to lie in its support for interaction between learners facing the common dilemma of negotiating their studies.

In a multitude of ways the social web can be a boon to the academic community. The social web enables students to work at their own place, organize their own learning spaces.

Blogs are developed as online diaries, with users creating an online account of some aspect of their professional or personal life. A typical blog allows a user to post web entries in a journal or diary format, with each new entry inserted at the top of the blog page and all past entries following in reverse chronological order. Blogs can be used as a presentation tool in which students are able to directly comment and revise and give immediate feedback. Publishing posts of an intellectual work can be done quickly and easily through blogs.

Wikis are websites that allow people to add content and edit information on them, providing space for communal documents. The most well known wiki provider is Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia. Wikis are also useful for internal collaboration, as some services offer private workspaces. The wiki is a module that can be utilized to reflect the thoughts and feelings of students. Due to the very low technological barrier and flexible functionality, wikis are winning hearts of the students. In the educational environment, the collaborative nature of wikis enact knowledge building with and for others, with the focus of being on the community rather that on the individual learner. Wikis will sing a success story if deployed properly. As the work is equally represented, wikis can be used to develop research projects as a collaborative authorship. Social networks and collaborative writing in wikis encourage teamwork, provide students a platform to share and cooperate.

RSS (Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary) is a family of formats which allow users to update the content of RSS – enabled websites, blogs or podcasts without actually having to go and visit the site. RSS feeds keep the user informed of any changes. If a group of students is doing a classroom project sharing their bookmarks, a teacher can subscribe to their RSS feed to see the direction of their research.

Discussion forums: Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site. It originated as the modern equivalent of a traditional bulletin board, and a technological evolution of the dialup bulletin board system. From a technological standpoint, forums or boards are web applications managing user-generated content. People participating in an internet forum may cultivate social bonds and interest groups for a topic may form from the discussions.

Discussion forums show that the interaction is effectively facilitated through the use of asynchronous text-based forums, and that participants use the online interaction to build a learning community and to generate knowledge within the learning community.

Social bookmarking is a system where users save links to web pages that they want to remember or share. These bookmarks are usually public, and can be saved privately, shared only with specified people or groups, shared only inside certain networks, or another combination of public and private domains. The allowed people can usually view these bookmarks chronologically, by category or tags, or via a search engine. Bookmarks, which are one of the key components of browsers can be also deposited in specific tools, the social bookmarking applications that we can use when we are not on our own PC. Unintended learning happens through the discovery of resources and information shared by others through their bookmarks.

File sharing is the practice of distributing or providing access to digitally stored information, such as computer programs, multi-media (audio, video), documents, or electronic books. It may be implemented in a variety of storage, transmission, and distribution models. Social web networks allow the sharing of any type of digital content, including songs, DVD-quality movies, computer programs and video games. Students and teachers can share their interests and activities and encourage collaboration. Teaching materials can be offered in advance through online file sharing.

Mashup is a web application that combines data from more than one source into a single integrated tool; an example is the use of cartographic data from Google Maps to add location information to real-estate data. In web development, a mashup is a web page or application that combines data or functionality from two or more external sources to create a new service. Mapping mashups are very useful for subjects such as geography and history.

Microblogs: This is a form of multimedia blogging that allows users to send brief text updates or micromedia such as photos or audio clips and publish them, either to be viewed by anyone or by a restricted group which can be chosen by the user. These messages can be submitted by a variety of means, including text messaging, instant messaging, email, digital audio. Micro-blogging has the potential to become a new informal communication medium in the academic environment, especially for collaborative work.

Webcast is a media file distributed over the internet using streaming media technology. A webcast may either be distributed live or on demand. Essentially, webcasting is “broadcasting” over the internet. The generally accepted use of the term webcast is the “transmission of linear audio or video content over the internet”. A webcast uses streaming media technology to take a single content source and distribute it to many simultaneous listeners/viewers. Webcasting can be used in e-learning (to broadcast seminars), and for related communications activities.

Podcast is a series of digital media files, either audio or video, that are released episodically and downloaded through web syndication. The mode of delivery is what differentiates podcasts from other ways of accessing media files over the internet, such as simple download or streamed webcasts. The podcast, usually prepared as an MP3 file, can also be presented on mobile devices (like iPods), e-readers and notebook computers, media that are largely used in e-learning.

Social networks build online communities among people who share interests and activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. Social networking in the workplace, universities, and schools is most popular online. This is because unlike most schools, colleges, or workplaces, the internet is filled with millions of individuals who are looking to meet other internet users, to gather and share first-hand information or experiences about any number of topics, developing friendships, or to start a professional relationship. Through social networks members can learn about new cultures or new languages and their interesting subjects. Classical face-to-face teaching can be mixed with collaborative learning. Learning can be continued over web: Open content, permanently actualized materials.

Practical issues: The social web may offer educators a set of tools to support forms of learning that can be more strongly collaborative and more oriented to the building of classroom communities. All of this has the potential to empower the student to become an independent learner. But it also brings challenges to both learner and teacher. The knowledge structure of the social web is not navigated with the same tools or the same ease as traditional teaching methods. It may pose problems if it is not properly managed.

Conclusion: Educational institutions can offer immense value to their students by familiarizing them with the technologies of the social web. Rather than being limited to today’s skills, students must learn the skills of the future. All of these issues demand adjustments in the teacher’s role. The richness of the internet arena and the sophistication of social web tools should not conceal the significant distractions and obstructions that the learner must confront. The educational potential of the social web is often associated with the philosophy of ‘learner autonomy’, which might suggest an increasingly less role for the teacher in the learner’s experience. But social web does not somehow simplify knowledge building and thereby set free the learner. Undeniably its intricacy brings significant challenges. Teachers should be positioned to play a crucial role in managing this experience.

Key Resources
Thompson, John. “Is Education 1.0 Ready for Web 2.0 Students?” Innovate: Journal of Online Education. www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=393.
Sotillo, Susana. “Using Instant Messaging for Collaborative Learning: A Case Study.” Innovate: Journal of Online Education. March 2006. www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=170.
Lenhart, A., and Madden, M. (2007), Social networking websites and teens: An overview. Pew Internet and American Life Project report. http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/198/report_display.asp.
O’Reilly, T. (2005), What is Web 2.0: Design patterns and business models for the next generation of software, http://oreillynet.com/1pt/a/6228.
Barnes, K., Marateo, R. C., & Pixy Ferris, S. (2007). Teaching and learning with the Net Generation. Innovate, 3(4). http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=382.

The author is a PhD Research Scholar, School of Social Sciences, IGNOU. He can be reached at eyeroor@gmail.com.

Advantages of the virtual classroom
Until you experience it, it is rather difficult to comprehend the numerous ways in which technology can help ease the teaching process and at the same time reach out to a larger, more diverse audience. The virtual classroom is becoming more and more popular because of its enormous reach and also because it enables students, sitting in the comfort of their college/school premises, to interact with experts in various fields. It also cuts down on travel time both for the students and the teacher. Satellite education, as it is otherwise known, can reach students across thousands of miles, simultaneously connecting various states in the country. It is also a medium whereby students understand that they are not alone in their struggle as they listen to fellow students from different institutions voicing the same doubts and fears. At the same time, it induces the so-called slow learners to chug faster because in this varied interaction, they can see that they are not doing their best.

The virtual classroom requires the teacher to face a camera in a studio that is equipped with a computer system and a Power Point presentation on the subject to be handled. The studio lis also equipped with a whiteboard which the trainer uses, just as the teacher uses the blackboard in a classroom.

Jitters
The most unnerving feature about online teaching in the studio is getting accustomed to watching your own face! Of course, you can view the students on the side monitor and hear them, provided the end user adjusts the camera accordingly and makes sure that the mike is switched on, and the battery is not weak! Sometimes the camera is focused on the ceiling or on the feet of the students! It is imperative therefore, for the coordinator in the educational institution to be constantly present, rather than just switch on the camera and mike and do the disappearing act! It is here that the studio personnel play an important role in checking with the institution on whether every piece of equipment required is working. Once these conditions are met, the faculty and the students can interact naturally, as in any classroom. Of course, it takes time for both students and the teacher to get used to this kind of interaction.

At a pre-determined time, when the teacher is seated in the studio, and the students are in their college/school studio, all the parties go on air. The image of the teacher is projected on a large screen so that all the students can view the teacher. The teacher announces the topic and goes on to elaborate with the help of the whiteboard and the power point presentations.

Students interrupt to raise questions or get their doubts cleared. Occasionally, when the mike does not work, students use the chat mode to get their questions answered. The teacher then reads the question and answers aloud so that other educational institutions that are tuned in may also benefit.

Student participation
In a classroom situation, the teacher is sometimes greeted by a sea of puzzled or frowning faces, leading her to elaborate on the topic. In the virtual classroom, the onus is on the students to get their doubts clarified because it is not possible for the teacher to get a view of all the students and read their expressions. Students, therefore, become more responsible for their own learning since they are conscious of the fact that they cannot go into the staffroom, or bump into the teacher in the corridor to get their doubts cleared. This actually helps them develop their listening skills. It also helps them get over their nervousness of communicating with a stranger. However, trainers must also be prepared for marathon sessions when they are forced to perform solo because the coordinator has not checked out the mikes prior to the session or because of some technical snag. Such occasions can be stressful because the only mode of interaction with the students would be via chat or email.

Shy or nervous students occasionally open up in the virtual classroom because they do not feel as threatened as they do in the conventional classroom since they are miles away from their teacher! Students get exposed to a peer group from another region. This sometimes gets them to vie with one another during group discussions, and it also gives them an opportunity to assess their own weaknesses and strengths.

Schedule
A teacher normally interacts with a particular batch of students for a minimum of 30 hours. During this period, a rapport develops between the teacher and the students despite the absence of physical contact. This is managed by the teacher being empathetic, answering student queries and also by being as natural as possible. The teacher has to make sure that she takes down the names of students who answer her queries because these are the students who will make the sessions easier to handle. She can try and coax the silent spectators to speak. If the coordinator at the student end is alert, and focuses the camera on the student concerned, he/she is compelled to answer. The shy students always have the option of sending a mail to the teacher and getting their query answered.

Role of facilitator
The facilitator in the respective colleges collects the assignments and couriers them to the teacher, who in turn, corrects them, sends them back, and comments on the tests during the classroom teaching. These assignments form the basis of the internal assessment. In that respect, there is no difference between the traditional and the virtual classroom. For virtual classrooms to be a success, the trainer needs to be not only knowledgeable but also a little more flexible and enthusiastic. Students must be coached by their colleges/schools to actively participate rather than be just dull spectators!

Skype it
Many of us use Skype to talk to relatives and friends. The current trend is to use it for online teaching as well. This can be done from the comfort of the home! It is done one on one basis or in groups, primarily depending on the kind of connectivity that students have. If the video mode is turned on, students can see the teacher and vice versa. Students get individual attention and occasionally the teacher resorts to the chat mode to teach the written form of the language. It is a challenging method of teaching, both for the teacher and the student, so it is for those teachers who know how to motivate students and those students who can remain motivated!

Teacher remains most important
However much technology has advanced, it still needs the human touch. Students need to feel appreciated or at the least, noticed. So, whatever mode of teaching is adopted, one needs to have a teacher with the right attitude and soft skills so that the learning curve takes place faster and smoother!

The author is a teacher educator and language trainer based in Chennai. She can be reached at manaswinisridhar@gmail.com.

Every alternate Sunday, about 50 students meet at a college in Mumbai, for their course in Teacher Education. They meet in three groups, geographically distanced from one another, yet intellectually very close, as they are linked through a software that enables interaction with one another and their tutor. They are referred to as a distributed classroom. On-line workshops and interviews, podcast of lectures, blogs, discussion forums and whiteboards, along with face-to-face interaction at their study centres are part of their routine interaction. This sort of e-B.Ed (as the course is referred to) is perhaps a pioneering effort in teacher education in India. The course is being offered by the Yeshwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University. The participants vouch that this is a very interesting learning experience.

E-learning, on-line learning, and blended learning are terms that have penetrated the system and in a way have changed the face of traditional teaching.

Concept of blended learning
Blended learning is a much sought after approach used in corporate training. However it can be successfully utilized in school education as well. Blended learning involves blending of different learning methods, techniques and resources and applying them in an interactively meaningful learning environment. The goal of blended learning is to provide the most efficient and effective instruction experience by combining different delivery modalities, both on-line and off-line. Heinze and Procter* say that ‘blended learning is learning that is facilitated by the effective combination of different modes of delivery, models of teaching and styles of learning, and is based on transparent communication amongst all parties involved with a course.’

Some tips for incorporating blended learning
Here are a few ways in which one can be an e-savvy teacher with just some basic knowledge of computer networking.

Using blogs: Just as you make a note or a log in say a diary, a weblog or a blog allows you to make a comment, discuss or share something through the Internet. To create a blog, try using www.blogger.com. All you need is an email account and the site guides you through the necessary steps to create your own blog. This writer has created a blog for her students, where they upload reviews of books they read, share thoughts, analyze matters and get to know of new books. A blog named pushpanjaligames.blogspot.com (created by the writer) features several classroom games that can be used to teach. Readers are free to access the same, sign in as a member and upload their own ideas. All such blogs are absolutely free.

Creating online communities: Social networking sites like Orkut can be effectively used by teachers. Create a community for your class. Invite your students to become members. You can share information, upload questions for facilitating thinking and invite the views of your students. A threaded discussion (where thoughts and views are linked) ensues when students reflect upon the comments of their classmates and respond with their own comments. Useful links in the form of websites can be uploaded. The internet is a whole library just waiting to be accessed. Doubts of students can be solved through such sites. Another use of such online communities is that they help to stayed linked to one’s alumni. The writer has sought feedback from her past students on several curriculum related matters and this gives her better insight while planning for the subsequent year. It involves students in curriculum planning. Blogs and on-line communities are functional during out- of-school-hours. Thus, they complement learning that occurs on campus.

Use of e-mail: E mails are used so easily by most of us today. Can we harness this means of communication to foster life skills as communication, trust building or sensitivity training? Try finding a class from another nation that can correspond with your class. Sharing views, news, feelings and emotions will help build an atmosphere of trust. Students who participate in such a communication linkage develop a sense of empathy towards one another. They can identify with each others’ feelings and thus foster amity. Investing in such trust will reap benefits of peace for the future.

Using a webquest: A web quest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. The model was developed by Bernie Dodge at San Diego State University in February, 1995. Thousands of teachers have embraced webquests as a way to make good use of the Internet while engaging their students in the kind of thinking that the 21st century requires. The site www.webquest.org helps one search for webquests related to a topic. One can also be a contributor by creating a webquest. Webquests do not have to be developed as a true website. They may be developed and implemented using lower threshold (less demanding) technologies, (e.g. they may be saved as a word document on a local computer). Sites like www.teach-nology.com offer some very interesting webquests. A good webquest has the following aspects:

1. Introduction: Providing the students with background information that is intended to be a springboard for them to begin the process of inquiry.
2. Task: A single question is posed that requires students to analyze some information.
3. Process: The teacher leads the student through the task. The teacher offers advice on how to manage time, collect data, and provides strategies for working in group situations.
4. Resources: Students are provided with tools (usually websites), or leads to tools that can help them complete the task. In order for this to be valuable, a teacher must thoroughly review each source. Avoid too many resources. Pick and offer the best sites only.
5. Evaluation: The outcome for webquests is usually a product, in most cases, in the form of a written/oral report or multimedia presentation. A rubric for evaluation can also be provided.
6. Conclusion: Effective webquests have a built-in mechanism for student reflections. To receive feedback, you can survey your students about their experience, or have the students send you an e-mail sharing their thoughts.

Example of a Webquest
Topic: Recycling

1. Introduction: Your school faces a little problem. A great amount of waste is collected in the bins daily… leftover food, paper bits, plastic pens, peels of fruit, cardboard waste.
2. Task: You have to find some way to put it to good use.
3. Process: You have to form groups of five students. You are to refer to the sites that are provided to you, collect data, do some brainstorming within your group and then present a plan of action to deal with the waste generated in the school. Present your plan through a PowerPoint presentation highlighting the impact of each action you suggest.
4. Resources: Read through www.kidsrecycle.org. Go through action plans followed by different schools listed there. Go through
   www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in to understand recycling measures in India. Skim through kids.niehs.nih.gov/recycle.html. There you will find some colouring activities that also highlight the importance of recycling. Download one page per student and use it to create posters on recycling for a class display. Add a slogan to each picture. You may use ideas from these sites to create your action plan for dealing with the waste generated in your school. But see that it is suitable to your situation.
5. Evaluation: Your plan for recycling will be evaluated on the basis of feasibility of action, effectiveness and economy. Your posters will be evaluated on basis of their attractiveness and message.
6. Conclusion: Write a fifteen line paragraph on ‘Recycling of household waste’.

Besides the above mentioned activities, a teacher can use some sites to download readymade presentations that are sure to enliven any classroom. Useful sites include www.kidinfo.com/Powerpoints.htm,
http://presentationsforteachers.com. and www.worldofteaching.com. Similarly
www.tommyswindow.com has some really good presentations that you can use during the morning assembly. There have been instances of intelligent but noisy students being literally tamed by teachers who used presentations in class. The extra input, the animations and the effects will have a mesmerizing effect on the otherwise undisciplined lot and they will enjoy such classes without resorting to their usual mischief.

The internet is often referred to as the town square of the global village. It has pervaded every sphere of our lives. A virtual gold mine in terms of information and ideas, the internet will help every teacher enthuse excitement in learning. It may sound a bit exaggerated, but there is truth when we say ‘If you are not e-literate, you are close to being an illiterate’.

The internet, however, is a double edged sword. The threat of accessing undesirable sites is always there. Dealing with information overload is another challenge. Responsible behaviour is the only answer to such questions.

Many teachers are threatened by the amount of information the present day learner possesses. Sometimes the teacher is disarmed due to his barrage of questions. Many classroom teachers are insecure about using technology, because they don’t know how to use it. Often they think that this involves being a programmer or a technology instructor. The classroom teacher is not expected to be a technology hardware/software expert, but is expected to use technology as an effective tool for curricular instruction. An easy way out is to give your ideas to a tech savvy person, who will in turn convert your ideas into the digital format. All you have to do is use them in class. Time then, to be up and doing, to get familiar with the world of e-learning, so that learning is a joyous experience for the student and a delightful journey for the teacher. All said and done, the worth of a good teacher still remains. A good teacher can enhance her effectiveness by being e-savvy. All the same, her ingenuity and creativity still hold. It is most unlikely that good teachers can ever be replaced by computers. After all, computers aren’t magic, teachers are!

The author is a teacher-educator at Pushpanjali College of Education, Maharashtra. She is closely involved as curriculum designer and resource material generator for an e-B.Ed course. She can be reached at c.dcosta@rediffmail.com.

Hi, I am the Calculator. In the adult world, I’m fairly ubiquitous, in fact quite indispensable for many. But I miss children terribly. Also, I feel sad because when a child picks me up (a calculator), immediately I am put down as somebody who will spoil the child’s mathematical abilities and habits.

I do not really blame the adults for such a biased perception of my role in life and utter ignorance of my role in learning. After all computation, mental math and speed are considered of prime importance by many. However, in my opinion, the essence of mathematics is in conceptual understanding (and not in procedural competence). Hence, a mere tool like me can only aid in understanding of concepts. Also, used judiciously I can also help build procedural abilities.

I am not going to argue the above case – instead, I will show you examples of how you can use me to build both – conceptual understanding and procedural competence in children in their pre-primary and primary years. Once you see real examples of how valuable I can be I hope I will find my rightful place in mathematical development.

Before we start – please realize that I will be required to be given to and used by children only when they are doing these activities/games. They need not have a calculator at their disposal all the time. Also, for most of the activities mentioned here, a simple calculator is what is required (not the advanced one or the one available in mobile phones). Typically a school can have enough common calculators as activity resource in their math labs.

Games for children in the age group of 3-5

1. Explore calculator: This is more like a pre-activity. The idea is to give me (the calculator) to children and allow them to press the different keys and see what happens. Obviously, you’ll know – no matter what key combination they press – they cannot harm me!
2. Counting scorecard: This is used for simple counting (up to 8). For example one child aims a ring over an object and every time he succeeds, another child records success (score) by pressing any digit once. So if the child presses the digit 8 five times, he can count and call the score as “five”. We have played similar interesting games with the children coming to our learning centre often.
3. Dice digits: A game to reinforce the count (quantity) and digit (symbol) relationship. Use a dice with dots only. Child rolls – counts – and then enters the corresponding digit in the calculator. Since they are not forced to write – the children here can focus on the correct digit rather than correct way of writing it. If required, once the digit is confirmed – they can copy it on their note book.
4. Guess my number: A child presses any digit a few times. Ask the other to guess, “how many”. The other child presses some numbers in his calculator to show his guess. Then both compare. If both the quantity matches – they dance together

Games for children in the age group of 5-8 years

1. Reach me: Each child (or team) plays on their own calculator and speed is of essence. Everybody starts with same number (say 4). A target number is announced – say 71.Level 1 – Children (or team) have to add or subtract any number(s) to the number (4) and reach the target (71) as fast as possible.
   Level 2 – Children have to reach target number is exactly five steps.
   Level 3 – To bring in subtraction let your starting number be big (eg: 198) and target number be small (eg: 13)
   Level 4 – Multiplication and division can be brought in and target numbers can be much bigger numbers.
2. Got it: (Two players) After clearing the calculator’s memory, two players select a target, (say 23). Each child takes turns entering a number of their choice from 1 to 5. Every time a child chooses a number, she presses the memory-plus (M+) key. This stores the cumulative total in my (calculator’s) memory – while the children have to add and keep the total in their mind. When one of the players thinks she has reached the target (23) – she says “got it” and presses ‘Memory Recall’ button (MR) to check and, if correct, wins.
3. Score card: One simple way to use me (calculator) is to keep scores (for any other game). Children simply enter the number to be added and press the memory-plus (M+) key. Pressing Memory Recall button (MR), at any point gives the current cumulative total.
4. Checker calculator: One player rolls two dice, mentally adds them, writes down the sum. The same player rolls the dice again and adds it to the previous sum. The other player uses me (calculator) to check the sum. Switch roles. No time limit. No winner. This is just to reinforce addition skills using regrouping.
5. Table manners: Multiplication or multiples of any number is relatively easily available in me (calculator). All you have to do is to
   ~ enter the base number
   ~ press the + (plus) sign
   ~ followed by = (equal) sign.
   Now every subsequent press of = (equal) sign gives the next multiple of the base number. This simple way of getting multiples explores tables in many ways. One way is to determine – which number (between say 1-12) has how many multiples.
6. Except 1: A target number is taken (say 28). Using all the numbers on me (the calculator) – except 1 – find out in how many different ways you can reach the target number. The one who finds more ways is the winner. Or as a class try to find many ways. Variation: make different exception rules – like reach 55 – without using 5 – in minimum key presses.
7. As many: Take any two (or three) numbers. Now using any mathematical operations and only the chosen numbers (as many times as you want) – try to make as many different numbers – between say 1 and 50.
8. Number golf: Few target numbers (each number representing a hole on the golf course) are decided – say 52, 124 and 201. Now each player chooses any three (or two) numbers as ‘my numbers’ (Players can choose common numbers also). Now they add or subtract only their numbers to reach the first target number. The number of times they add or subtract is their score. They use me (calculator) to work this out (all the while) recording the number of ‘shots’ on paper. Whoever covered all the target numbers with the minimum steps is the winner, just like in golf!Eg: Player Mr. X chose 2, 5 and 50 >> Mr. X got 52 (1st hole) in 2 steps (50+2); Got 124 (2nd hole) in 8 steps (50+50+5+5+5+5+2+2); and got 201 (3rd hole) in 7 steps (50+50+50+50+5-2-2); So Mr. X’s total score is 17.

   But Ms. Y chose 1, 25, 100 >> Ms. Y got 52 (1st hole) in 4 steps (25+25+1+1); Got 124 (2nd hole) in 3 steps (100+25-1); and got 201 (3rd hole) also in 3 steps (100+100+1); So, Ms, Y’s total score is 10 (wins over Mr X). Can you beat both Mr. X and Ms. Y? Use me (calculator) and try.

9. Finding factors: Play this game, individually, in pairs or as whole class. Put any number (say 42) into the memory of your calculator and find which numbers divide it exactly. How many factors does 42 have? Try with other numbers up to 100. Can you find numbers with only 2 factors? (tabulate them). Can you find numbers with an odd number of factors? Is there a rule?
10. Meeting all friends: Using only 2, 3, +, -, x, and = (7 keys) can you make all the numbers till 20. Show how you did it. Try with other combinations and range.
11. Got it: Draw a grid of say 10 x10 and fill each square with numbers between 1-100. Each child tries to take turn and grab a square by showing on his calculator using only multiplication of two numbers. (x 1 is not allowed). (Use a specific colour token or crayon to grab a square). The player who grabs four squares in a row is the winner.

It’s quite obvious – that all the above games can have many variations. Encourage children to come up with their own variations and even their own games when they work with me (calculator). I enjoy being in the hands of children and making them think, analyze, guess, predict, win and yes, enjoy numbers.

The authors run Geniekids, a learning centre in Bangalore that works with children. To know more about their work visit www.geniekids.com.

The best way to learn is to teach! Children love to share, to show, to explain and to exhibit – to peers. This is what PowerPoint (Microsoft) or Impress (open office) is all about. With pictures, diagrams, animations, funky text et al – slide shows are an educator’s dream come true in terms of “engagement” and a child’s delight.

When this technology entered the classroom, many teachers got excited with its potential and took to making their own (subject) presentations. While this is excellent – slowly teachers have realized that the presentation tool is actually more potent in the hands of children. So all the teacher needs to do is to sit back and enjoy – while the children sweat it out and in the process learn in dollops.

Some notes from our experience:

• Preferably make small working teams of (2-3) children).
• Do not “teach” children PowerPoint or help them out with “hows”. Only inform them what is possible in PowerPoint – if required show one of your slide shows as reference. But let them figure out – how to work with PowerPoint – themselves. Let them explore the menu, buttons, and use the help menu. The task of learning a computer application on one’s own is not only fun but also helps develop a complex set of critical and logical thinking skills, reading and comprehension skills, social and self skills.
• If browsing is not possible, (or time is a constraint) you can collect pictures, music and audio files from the Internet in advance. The children can also use the digital camera and the mike recording with great effect.
• One of the best ways to make interesting presentations is to put constraints on the slide shows – like – each slide can have only a maximum of four words, or two lines, or a minimum of two visuals, or text left and visual on right, etc.

Presentations in assembly
If the school has a projector in the assembly area – then this can work wonders. Otherwise a pre-recorded presentation can be put on a computer in a common area of the school. This will give the children practice in using audio (or their own spoken words) to only complement the presentation and not repeat it. The idea is that children take up any “issue” and make a presentation of exactly 12 slides and of duration exactly 120 seconds (2 min). Obviously with this short duration, it can only be a dominant visual presentation and what children speak is crisp and succinct. Interesting topics can be chosen like, 12 wonders of our body, 12 things our city is famous for, 12 things I learned from xyz movie, 12 ways to save water,

12 things children are afraid of, and so on. The focus of these presentations makes them an awesome learning experience!

Presentations in maths

• Since maths can be understood better by visuals, making graphical models of mathematical concepts is the most important contribution of presentations.
  
  For example, show fractions, addition of fractions, decimals, area of a figure, show factors, or concept of HCF or algebraic equations visually: show what does 3a+4=24 mean.
• Make slides in the form of Jeopardy game – where answers are given and the respondent has to make question. (E.g.: Give a situation where the answer would be the mixed fraction 53/4) – this kind of reverse thinking is great fun and works on conceptual understanding. So each slide has the answer and each child writes his question for that answer.
• Children like throwing puzzles at each other and using animation to make math puzzles is even more fun. Then they give the puzzle slides to each other to solve. Some eg: which prime numbers add up to 75? or which of the rotated shapes is odd one out or in how many ways…
  

Presentations in language learning

• Make Story maps, make character maps.
  
• Story’s sequence of events – use animation – when you click on event A – it vanishes and event B appears and so on.
• Draw visuals, click them with a digital camera, add these visuals to each slide, type text on each page and then record the story in own voice and animate the voice and visuals to make your own animated story.
• Type a story – few lines on each slide. Now animate to change some of the words and make a real crazy funny story. (Depending on learning objectives – Change to opposites, change nouns, verbs, adjectives, prepositions).
• Choose adjectives from the story – one on each slide and search the Net and put pictures on each slide that are related to that adjective.
• Write a review of a story or book in just three slides – the beginning, the middle and the end.
• Make an ongoing common “Books this class has read” presentation. Make only one slide for each book that you have read. Put the title and author of the book at the top and then summarize the book into four key points (not more, not less). As you read more books keep adding more slides.
• Create a story of choices – Story starts with scene 1 which ends with choice A and B. Depending on which choice one clicks you are taken to the relevant slide. So the story flows as per your choice.
• Children create games/quizzes based on grammar rules – each question has two or more choices and if one clicks the wrong choice – one is taken to a page which explains the correct answer.

Presentations in sciences

• The best use of PowerPoint in science is to animate static diagrams, illustrations, etc. Not only is making animations fun, it also helps children understand the basic process of the scientific phenomenon. So children can animate how food goes down, how the rain cycle happens, how leaves make food, how levers help lift a big box and so on. (Tip: use ‘custom motion path’ in the “animation” menu of PowerPoint to move diagrams or letters along the path that you want).
  
• Also the good old “observation presentation” is a favourite way of learning science through observation. Children observe a process (say a piece of bread left in an open box over a period of one week). Every day they observe the loaf of bread. Write down their observations (how it smelt, how it was to touch and so on) and then at the end put photos plus text as a presentation of their observations. Digital camera is a huge boon, but if not available, direct drawing in PowerPoint is also okay.
• Visual Quizzes: In PowerPoint one can hide a part of a visual and then using animation, show another part hiding the first. This kind of visual manipulation helps to create interesting visual quizzes. (Use for parts of things, usage of things, application of concepts, etc.)

Presentations in culture, history, social learning

Presentations for social, self and emotional development

• Perspectives – Part of social and self development lies in realizing that there are multiple perspectives to everything – with all of them “right”. Children are given a visual or a situation in the first slide. This slides leads to four slides – in each children see the same picture differently.
  
• Emotional timeline – After any school event (say sports day), children chart the event over the time period and at each stage use animation to show the changing emotions.
• PowerPoint is an excellent way to make charts. Children can learn social interdependence and relationships; make family trees, dependence charts (journey of a biscuit packet), who helped who (again using any school event as basis).
• Goal setting, planning charts – Think of a goal you would like to achieve and map that out using the slide layout, chart options, cycle chart and steps towards achieving that goal – things that are needed to do that (e.g.: Learning new skills).

To summarize, the key is to give children exciting projects and then leave it to their ingenuity to make the presentations. The more they use this tool – the more comfortable and expert they will become – in making powerful points!
Actual animated examples, for this article, can be downloaded as PowerPoint presentation from www.geniekids.com/using_powerpoint.

The authors run Geniekids, a learning centre in Bangalore that works with children. To know more about their work visit
www.geniekids.com.

If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our students of their tomorrow
– John Dewey

The principal goal of education is to create men who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done
– Jean Piaget

In my opinion, integrating technology into classroom teaching is a great way to ensure this. I have used technology successfully in my classroom and have realized that this kind of teaching helps my students better understand what I teach. Any kind of technology helps

• bring a student into direct contact with objects and things
• make concrete what is abstract
• bring near what is distant
• bring the world into the classroom

My experiences with technology in the classroom
PowerPoint presentations are the order of the day. So when I decided to use technology to teach my class I first tried the PowerPoint. Once you show your students what a PowerPoint presentation is and how it is done, you can actually get your students to develop presentations that will help impart concepts and ideas to the entire class. I got my students to form teams of two or five and develop PowerPoint presentations on various concepts in the English language (the subject I teach). I found that learning this way:

• Helped make language practice lively.
• Reduced dependence on mother tongue.
• Helped in the formation of language habits by repetition, drill and constant practice.
• Increased students’ knowledge of the English language by providing better quality language material.
• Boosted students’ self-esteem and confidence and improved their presentation skills.
• Encouraged team work and harmony.

As a teacher, I too benefited from this kind of teaching.

• It helped me save time.
• Reduced the strain on my vocal cords as I could revise a topic by repeating the presentation.
• Difficult terminology is easily taught using technology enabled graphics.
• Gave me scope to give out different home assignments.

Besides developing PowerPoint presentations, I have encouraged students to use Microsoft publisher to design greeting cards, pamphlets, news letters, brochures and posters with useful slogans. Microsoft excel allows one to create drag and drop exercises, word search, and puzzles. These exercises are a much better way of assessing your students’ comprehension and understanding. I have also used audio and video files in my presentations to teach music and songs.

Technology has proved effective to promote a variety of 21st century skills such as healthy competition, teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking, and communication skills.

My innovative use of technology led me to win INTEL National award 2004 for Best Integration of technology and project based learning for the topic: Neighbourhood-At Our Service.

When you talk about integrating technology with your classroom teaching can the internet be left behind? I have encouraged students to use internet resources to collaborate with the global community using teacher monitored websites like through www. Think.com, www.epals.com, www.intel.com/education.

You could also get your students to do interesting projects using the Internet. In order to generate interest in philately, I got my students to first use the Internet and do some research on philately as a hobby, its history, etc. My students then visited philately exhibitions and post offices, spoke to post masters and people who worked in the different departments of a post office . I then got them to put all the information they collected on slides and create PowerPoint presentations. To encourage my students, I sent the best presentation for the 2005 National Graphic Championships. Two of my students and I were declared the first runner up at the national level.

I have also used online thinking tools in my classroom like the visual ranking tool, seeing reason tool and showing evidence tool which helped my students think critically and act globally. Five students participated in the web-based Volvo adventurer environmental programme under my guidance and they received a diploma from the United Nations Environmental programme for their project “Hospital waste-Our concern”.

A teacher is a life-long learner and so I updated myself with the usage of macromedia flash software which helps the teacher present his or her lessons with best animations that are useful for the concepts.
I am now able to do web designing and have participated in an International web designing contest along with my students on the topic Culprit Chemi VS Omni Organi.

My next project is to use Windows Media Player to develop presentations and this is turning out to be an enjoyable learning experience.

My journey of using technology helped our school to recently win ICT enabled school of the year in the 5th India’s Largest ICT event from digital learning held at Hyderabad International convention centre.

I strongly believe that learning can not only be made easy, but also an experience that is rewarding in itself. The joy, we trust, is not only in acquiring knowledge, but in the very process. Thus, we strive, in every single endeavour of ours, towards enabling the learner to not only learn effectively, but also discover the inherent ‘joy in learning’.

The author works with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Public School, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. She can be reached at aglsujatha@yahoo.co.in.

In ancient India, knowledge was imparted to students through the spoken word. That is how scriptural, sociological and scientific knowledge was transferred from one generation to the next, long before the Western world dispensed their animal skin costumes. Then came the palm leaves to write on.

During the past century, scientific and technological revolution introduced Over Head Projectors (OHP), 35 mm and 16 mm film projectors, audiotapes, videotapes and the computer. If we look at things from the information and communication technology perspective, the knowledge base on which a person can rely seems to be inversely proportional to the size of the technological gadget! We can see it very clearly from the continually decreasing size of communication devices.

Gone are the days when videotapes were used as teaching resources. Today, a digital camera or even a mobile phone camera can effectively replace the VCP or the VCR. I have used a very handy combination of my mobile phone and a cable that comes with it, to display movies for my teacher development workshops, simply by connecting the camera to the TV. This doesn’t need any specialist training. Today, we can get connected to the Internet without using modems and cables just by using a data card, which is no larger or heavier than a flash drive.

In spite of years of communicational metamorphosis, in school systems, teachers have stayed on. They will continue to play central roles in classrooms, to deliver the desired knowledge, skills and attitudes to children, for years to come.

But then why do we need to use modern gadgets to deliver knowledge? The answer is simple. We have to move with times. Today’s children are exposed to a wider knowledge base than ever before. If we have to teach a lesson on the Arctic Circle, a blackboard can be used, but certainly, never as effectively as an up-to-date visual presentation from an Arctic science lab that can be downloaded from the Net and presented right in the classroom.

There are hundreds of virtual teaching resources developed every day the world over. In fact, it is a norm rather than an exception in education faculties of universities in the West to develop virtual lab modules for use in schools and colleges. One such is the Remote Labs (iLabs)1 project developed at the famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Without using some means of electronic delivery, we may not be able to do justice in imparting proper knowledge, skills and attitudes to our kids in the present context.

The term “education technology” is so broad based that it includes the use of a wide range of tools and communication media. The tools can be as small as a mobile phone or as large as a home theater.

In this article let us confine ourselves to the internet, due to its increasing popularity in schools today.

Schools all over the world use printed textbooks published by traditional textbook publishers many of whom also develop digital content. Here in India, as far as digital products are concerned, whether produced by Indian publishers or those from abroad, important issues remain to be resolved. The technical quality of presentation (richness in audio visual content, ease of maneuvering, etc.), academic quality of presentation (relevance of lesson concepts), synchronization with specific syllabus requirements, transferability of skills and the scope of following up the content in assessment (classwork quizzes, unit tests or terminal exams) are some of the issues that have always bothered me, before letting my colleagues decide on using any digital resource material.

In my experience, digital resources often fall short of pedagogic objectives. There are specific examples, too numerous to explain in this article, that I can quote, to prove this point. Most of the resources available locally neither include clear instructional strategies nor satisfy cognitive requirements of children. One reason is perhaps that the publishing industry doesn’t look into educational research evidence before embarking on producing and marketing educational material. (When I was working in the editorial department of the India subsidiary of a British textbook publishing firm, I had the opportunity of carrying out an informal, but at the same time, structured observation. I found that many of the CEOs of educational publishing companies in India had never been teachers).

It is very easy to think that producing digital lesson content within schools, if they can afford, is the best. But is it that easy to implement? I have tried to implement this idea into action in a few schools I have worked. In each of the schools, we developed a multimedia team that comprised a team of subject teachers and computer programmers (with knowledge of MS PowerPoint and the animation software “Flash”). The fact that the former had no technical knowledge and the latter had no subject content knowledge resulted in problems such as delays and lack of quality products. However, we tried to resolve the problem by developing a mutually agreeable rough draft, which would be used to write the storyboard. But things could not continue, as teachers were never free. In some schools, programmers were free during some periods, but they were asked to act as substitute teachers. Very often I had to convince the school managements that animation sequences took a long time to develop and hence programmers should be left to do their work. I have found that the system didn’t work in situations where economics took precedence over lesson quality. Is there a solution in such circumstances?

The answer would be “Yes”. The solution comes in the form of the internet. Almost all North American universities and an increasing number of K-12 schools develop digital resources and make them available on the Net so that materials can be downloaded and used in classrooms. But then, all websites are not authentic. I have come across several websites that contain misrepresented concepts. For instance, once I came across a beautifully animated version of Rutherford’s famous experiment on alpha particle scattering (Higher School Physics). The sequence was captivating but the alpha particles were “negatively” charged.

However, if we are cautious in our choice of material, web-based contents are very feasible and cost effective with all the broadband connection facilities today. But then, teachers should be trained in search engines and techniques in order to select the appropriate web content. This can save time enormously.

Although web based teaching-learning can look very exciting, any experienced professional will easily find that sometimes materials from abroad cannot be used directly in a local situation (a website hosted by an Australian site may be irrelevant to our kids), for reasons such as the language used, graphics of unfamiliar situations, etc. Here, the subject teacher’s role is paramount. He or she has to preview the material, edit it and possibly dub using his or her voice before using the material in the classroom. All this can be done offline, without the system being connected to the Net.

Once a few important nuts and bolts are fixed by duly considering copyright, ethical and pedagogic issues, web based resources are cost effective. This requires teachers to be specially trained.

From my experience, I have found 5-day (Monday through Friday) workshops, as documented below, held during school holidays, to be very useful. These workshops allowed teachers to carry home the knowledge, skills and attitudes that they gained in the workshop, work on it if possible over the weekend and get back to me for any further clarification or guidance.

Day 1:

• Understanding the role of educational technology in the classroom.
• Technical requirements.
• Internet as a classroom resource, copyright issues.

Day 2:

• Search techniques.
• Issues involved in selecting appropriate Net resource.

Day 3:

• Downloading and saving Net resources.
• Internet resources, file management.

Day 4:

• Editing the files.
• Developing PowerPoint presentations with voice-over possibilities.
• Folder management of PowerPoint presentations.

Day 5:

• Pros and cons of using the Net as a resource based on global, national and local perspectives.
• Pedagogic issues.
• Copyright issues and ethics.

Having said all this, we must remember that web based teaching should not replace activity based teaching, field visits, etc. unless the latter are inaccessible or not practically advisable. This view is endorsed in the following excerpt from a report2 by the US Department of Education published last year:

“We have seen our world change around us and now need to retool our education system to respond. Part of our challenge has been that technology has been applied to the outside of the education process, rather than as a critical tool in revamping the process itself. Personalizing instructional delivery through the strategic use of technology is a key part of that transformation. However, educational technology should not be implemented in a vacuum – it must be tied to the principles of learning and high-quality teaching, all of which must align with challenging content and skill standards”.

References

1. http://icampus.mit.edu/ilabs/
2. US Department of Education: Harnessing Innovation to Support Student Success: Using Technology to Personalize Education, Washington, D.C., 2008. http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/reports/harnessing-innovation.pdf

The author is currently a freelance writer and has formerly been the Technical Advisor to the Ministry of Eduation, Youth and Sports, Government of Cambodia. He can be reached at panamalairguruprasad@gmail.com.

Technology is not transformative on its own. But when used effectively, computer applications can support qualitative thinking by involving students in multifarious tasks within the realm of their learning.

Here the teacher turns a facilitator, guiding the student with various projects. Students learn to obtain, analyze and display information. They improve their decision-making skills, and are able to set goals for themselves and work towards achieving them. A survey conducted in this field revealed that there was remarkable increase in the motivation levels amongst students. To cite a real life situation – there was a child with dyslexia who was thoroughly comfortable with all the developments in technology. He was adept at making high quality presentations. Due to his ability to work with technology, he gained recognition amongst his peers and was given due importance.

Technology also provides an excellent platform for teachers to upgrade their professional skills. An otherwise monotonous classroom session transforms into an interactive one, thus bridging the gap between students and teachers. When children are assigned group projects, they learn the art of sharing and interact in a better way with the peer group. This gives scope for exchange of ideas, group discussions, presentation skills and interaction with audience.

In this scenario, an ideal school would have computerized classrooms, a Wi-Fi enabled campus and well-equipped labs thus providing students the necessary infrastructure. The role of the teacher would entail amongst others, forming teams of students, and allotting them diverse topics for intensive studies. Students would be trained to gather information from various sources like the Internet, electronic libraries and other authentic sources to create high quality presentations. The end product could serve as a teaching aid.

Teachers can ensure optimization of technology by inculcating the practice of interaction with experts in a subject through teleconferencing and email. They can guide and assist the students in opting for many online courses.

Search engines facilitate fast retrieval of information. Primary level students can be trained to use the various general knowledge and other educational sites. A plethora of information in various subjects beckons the students through the medium of E-libraries. Through this medium, the student can locate and read many books of his choice.

Cameras installed in classrooms and other vantage positions help authorities monitor the movements of the student and the teacher which assists in improving the quality of education. Computers have also been effectively used by physically challenged people to pursue their education. A deaf-blind person will rely exclusively on a Braille display. Nylon or metal pins controlled by software protrude upward through a grid, forming the cells used in Braille writing. There are screen readers that read out the text on the screen which can be effectively used by the visually impaired.

Another related innovation is the digital boards, which are fast replacing the conventional boards prompting a teacher to remark, “It makes the lesson so much more interactive, so it’s not just a presentation, it’s a learning experience”.

This board is the electronic version of a dry erase board, connected to a computer. A dry erase marker or a virtual marker can be used to write on these boards. They can be used for playing presentations, adding more effects to existing presentations. The teacher or student can draw on the digital board, giving different colour effects to the diagram which can be saved in a computer for future use. The previous contents of the board can also be retrieved. To illustrate –

A teacher while explaining the working of the heart with the digital board, will be using a single marker to generate different colours for the veins and arteries. The flow of blood to various parts of the body can be shown as an animation. Such techniques will make the sessions interesting and enjoyable. Students can be taught the art of web page designing and hosting of websites – both of which give information about the owner thereof. Information about the happenings around the world can be had at the click of the mouse.

Computers can also be used as an effective means to enhance the inter-personal relationship between the parent and the institution. Specific software can be installed for enabling the teacher – parent communication. Parents can have access to matters of importance such as homework, attendance, exam schedule, etc., which are uploaded on a regular basis. They could also be given the option of posting queries to teachers to clear their doubts.

Computers play a vital role as an effective means of communication, both in speed and clarity. Their importance in the field of education is immense. Institutions – both government and private should do some “out-of-the-box “thinking and devise ways and means to introduce computers in every school as a teaching aid thereby providing its benefits to all the children.

The author is faculty in computer science associated with Niraj Public School, Hyderabad. She can be reached at rama_amarnath@yahoo.co.in.