10th Week : Photoediting skills

It's module 2 and it's all about editing photos.

This is what we call the wonders of technology. All we need is to just snap a photo. No need to worry whether it looks good or not because we can edit it later.

So, some of the photo editing software are:

1)  iphoto

2) Adobe Photoshop CS3

3) photoscape

4) Photobucket

5) ACDsee

These softwares are so flexible. All we need to have is just an image. It helps us to add text to the image, crop the image, change the message in the image and everything.

These are cool as we can change anything that we like and people can't even realise that we have edit the photos. So, I feel the module has helped  me so much in knowing one of the important skills as a future teacher.

As a future teacher, i have to edit photos in order to design teaching resources to cater the needs of my students and their level of proficiency. So, this photo editing skills make things easier for me. Thanks to Pn. Foziah for giving me an opportunity to make an attempt for the task.

Ninth Week : M 3 submission...

It's the ninth week and as the time is moving so fast for us and we got 3 modules to go, so this week around, we really need to submit the 3rd module (AUDIO EDITING skill). 

Audio Editing skills ? 

Some might be wondering what's that? OK... To put in simple words it is a skill to edit any audio file such as songs, sounds and podcast to produce a better version of sound files with quality.This is so cool and beneficial as we learn to remove the noise, how to fade in and fade out. These are important skills to reproduce a better audio file that is appropriate for children in an ESL classroom for a listening lesson. A listening tape, for example must be clear for children to listen and comprehend the words pronounced in the recording. Thus, I think this particular skill simplifies our job to record the best audio product as we can just record anything at anytime and edit the file using 'AUDACITY', 'SONY VEGAS', WAVEPAD SOUND EDITOR, etc. 

I prefer AUDACITY because it is more flexible and it is a free, opensource editor software that offers a fully functional and complete suite of sound editing tools which is more user-friendly for a beginner like me. 

Audacity layout

Why AUDACITY ???

1. AUDACITY is easier, the control is fast and smooth and there are fewer buttons for simplicity. 

2. The audio effects available in AUDACITY 1.2.6  is quite extensive, quality and decent. Some of the Built-In effects are: 

- amplify

- change pitch

- change speed

- change tempo

- click removal

- compressor

- echo

- equalisation

- fade in

- fade out

- noise removal

- cut & paste

- MANY MORE !!!

3. Plus, we can extend the functions of AUDACITY by installing the Plug-ins. 

4. One more thing, AUDACITY has been hailed by PC World as one of the 100 Best Products of 2008. This validates its great usability, features, performance and technology innovation. 

Thus, that's why AUDACITY is the most preferred software to edit any audio files. 

eighth week: Audio Editing skills...HELPING HANDS for future teachers !!

It's the week before the FESTIVAL BREAK (Aidilfitri). 

We are attempting Module 3, and it is not as thick as MODULE 1 as Pn. Foziah said that she did not want to put pressure on us as we have one more assignment to do during the break. 

What is Module 3 is all about ??? 

 

It's about editing sounds. Some new softwares that I discovered are really an eye-opener.I have never utilised all of them as I never know that we can actually be a pro radio editor of we use all these softwares. We would never care if we really have recorded a better recording, but what matters is how to edit it. The skills matter. Thus, Audio Editing skills reveal the extent to which a sound is considered to be quality.

Now, I know that how a song can be recorded in a concert full with a crowd, but still there is no noise and the quality of the song is maintained. So, technology proves its effectiveness and efficiency again. For a future teacher like me, I would want to record a listening tape, but, then there is always an issue to find a really quite place without noise. BUT, now I do learn and know how to remove noise from a recording. So, be it anywhere or anytime, no worries as we need our HELPING HANDS a.k.a AUDIO EDITING SOFTWARES powered by TECHNOLOGY.

seventh week : StIlL iN PrOgReSs...

What's still in progress?? Module 1 is still in progress... I have not completed the module as it was quite thick. Yet, i think the module was a very comprehensive source to be referred to while learning the internet and computing skill. This reminds me of some private computer centers that offer to teach this skill. At the same time, they charged a lot too. So, to be able to learn all the skills, especially the uploading skill makes me feel a little bit excited as I can now share almost anything to anybody at anytime. It's like I've learnt all the things within a short glance and still wondering how the knowledge get stucked into my natural CPU. So,anybody's there who is still wondering how they could learn things easily and quickly (like me) while finishing the module, let me say this to you :

Stop thinking how you learn the skills and start using it. Learning technology is an experience-based period. So, experience is the best teacher ever. When we do something, we know how the feedback like and what are the consequences of the actions taken. So, for Puan Foziah, you have done a very good compilation of knowledge and practice on the 'Internet and Computing Skill'.Why I think the module is good??

1. It has a clear, short and easy instructions

2. The steps are so organised and it is appealing for the beginners

3. The subtopics covers multiple needs of using computers and other tools linked to it such as printer, scanner, external drive and camera.

4. It has flexibility as there are choices offered for us to try mastering the skill using either options. So, we can try an error and compare which one is better and easier. For example, using GOOGLE as the main search engine is found to be so popular and effective. 

5. The module is represented in a power point style which makes the step being reflected and counted in the number of the slides for each presentation.

All in all, I'm satisfied with the knowledge gained and this has made me maximise my potential in using the tool efficiently and taking the advantages of internet just for anything.  

WE SHALL NEVER BE LIED IF WE PUT A GREAT EXPECTATION ABOUT WHAT THE VIRTUAL WORLD CAN OFFER US.

Sixth Week: Ready to go!!!

Monday, 16th August 2010..

It's the beginning of the 1st module of 5 in total. So, the project of the course just begins. I guess, I don't have much to say, or perhaps I should not say too much in this entry. Or I won't be having time to complete the task given.

So, in general, the first module is about computing and internet skills. 

Ok... What is computing and internet skills???

Computer operations and concepts, word processing, graphics, multimedia, emails, spreadsheets, databases and downloadable copies. (See all those jargons!!!) Basically, it's about how we understands the basic use of computer. For example, 'How to download pictures?', 'How to download songs?', 'How to search for a journal article via internet and save it in PC to be used later on?', and many more. These skills are essentials for me as I know that practically, I won't be having that much of money to buy resources for teaching. So, I have to know these skills of downloading and exploiting as internet is realistically more affordable. So, this is it... 'BEING SMART !!!'. 

We can use these free softwares to download free songs.

4 shared

 

Limewire

We can use these sites to create free animation and online resources:

Tuxpaint

Glogster.com

We can use these softwares to download and play videos:

Adobe Flash Player

Moyea YouTube Downloader

We can use this software to save pdf file such as online journals. 

Adobe Reader

So... dare yourself to try all these things, the thrill is here... inside this ever virtual world...

Fifth Week: WARNING !!! Future Teachers, start collecting now !!!

Monday, 9th August 2010

  Collecting what??? Your Teaching Aids!!!

As a future primary school teachers, there are lots of preparation need to be done before we teach a lesson. Pupils at this age need something concrete that they can sense through their 5 senses in order to grab new concepts or lesson. So, due to that limitation, we have to be considerate to their needs. Providing colourful pictures, interesting audio recordings and realias are some of the teaching aids that can be used to enhance learning and motivate pupils to focus in classroom.

Now, let's look on the types of teaching aids. How many are there, actually??

1) Worksheets

 

 

2) Textbooks

3) Realia

Look at the pumpkin!!! It's big and it's exploitable. It can be a good teaching resource too!!

4) Multimedia

5) Presentation Tools

Look !!! It's fantastic how the kid is learning in the image above.

6) Administrative Tools 

(some examples are shown as images below)

kids' digital camera

      

These are the 6 major categories of teaching aids that we have. Obviously, there are more to be discovered inside each major category. So, with the presence of these aids, why having a traditional 'chalkboard' as the only teaching aid in your classroom?? Be creative!!! Use and explore new resources from the web. Downloading action songs to teach 'verb', for instance, costs you 'nothing'. It's just need a tablespoon of a teacher's patience to click and explore the invention. 

To shape and bend a tree, it has to be done when the tree is young and supple. A young child's values, attitudes and abilities can be shaped and bent under favourable conditions. Thus, it is good if teachers of primary schools take the roles of shaping students towards embracing a learning by conducting appealing lessons using multiple appropriate resources. They can handle the changes and evolution in education as they are like 'empty cups'

taking in as much information as the outside world  (including schools) can give them. 

So, give the best for something best that we expect from them later on. Give them the latest version of resources, only then we are allowing the entrance of technology in our teaching and learning process. The blend of technology and concrete things applied in teaching is like making the end product to be as ideal as possible.

Fourth Week: Teachers !!! LEARN WHO YOUR CLIENTS ARE !!!

Monday, 2nd August 2010.

Hello again...

The activity for this week is searching a song via internet. This time around, we've got the opportunities to learn how to download mp3 songs and video songs from YouTube. This activity introduces to us many softwares that we access into and download things for free from websites to be used as future teaching aids. It's like we are making collection of things to be used as teaching aids later on. Sounds like preparing for a battle... Yes... In teaching context, this is the real battle. Without a good preparation, we can't be winning. Aa the saying goes, 'WINNING STARTS WITH BEGINNING'. 

' The meeting of preparation with opportunity generates the offspring we call luck' -Anthony Robbins

Like what have been promised...Let's talk about the presentation of other groups regarding the first chapter of the book.

Ok...Let's begin with the second subtitle of the chapter:

'Children's Creative Use of Limited Language Resources'

Children, especially those who learn English as their second language, have a very limited number of vocabulary mastered. BUT, they are creative in manipulating language and this skill allows them to be very creative in building phrases when they communicate. When they make mistakes, they learn by making corrections. Even though, sometimes they might sound as if they are translating certain phrases directly from their mother tongue to English language, but they are trying to make use of English language to express themselves. This will then lead them to use the language frequently and self-correct themselves later on.

'Children's Capacity for Indirect Learning'

Children Indirect learning occurs anywhere at anytime. Indirect learning means 'acquire'. Acquire means something that is just gained without having to understand the rules of behind it. Children are creative and imaginative. Thus, they might notice something out of the of the corner of their eyes. This might be a little bit frustrating for teachers as they have to achieve their learning outcomes and objectives by the end of their lesson. But, don't worry this might be helpful to enhance children to think 'out of the box'.

'Children Instinct for plays and fun.'

Children are motivated to involve in something when there is an element of 'fun'. Perhaps, this is where we as teachers should understand their needs for learning. They can't accept a boring  and traditional style of classroom where teacher gives the input and students sit still without any responses. They can neither pay attention nor sit still as they do not have the ability to just absorb things. They want some space to express themselves and to be involved in activities and discover the knowledge by themselves. So, providing some enjoyable activities may cater to this psychological nature of children.

'The Role of Imagination.'

Children are experts when in comes to imagination. They can never be underestimated in this area. This is where they tend to be spending most of their childhood life. They imagine things that never happens and something extraordinary. They have a powerful brain and this helps them to be able to explore something beyond the reality. Fantasy appeals to their mind as fantasy allows them to be themselves.

'The Instinct for Interaction and Talk.'

Children love making noises, talking and interacting with their friends. They have a very deep interest in expressing and revealing what they feel inside. We have to be able to manipulate their nature and interest in interacting to improve of the skills in language: speaking skill. They love being noisy, yet they learn best within the noise itself. So, use it as a stimulus, then learning a language shall not be that complicated as it sounds to be.

ok.. I shall better stop before I start to repeat things over and over again... Future teachers, see you on the next entry...until then...bye...