How+the+technologies+were+used+in+lessons


 * How the technologies were used in lessons **

ICT offers teachers a range of ways to challenge and stimulate learner’s thinking. This could be through whole class demonstrations and discussion, by planning activities which use existing software creatively, by using particular software tools such as those for concept or mind mapping, or by using games and adventures which aims to develop aspects of thinking (Higgins & Packard 2004, p. 150).

During my recent Teaching rounds in a grade one classroom I had the opportunity to observe some math lessons where the classroom teacher used the IWB for an introduction to the session and having students taking turns to play a maths game called Give the dog a bone. The game is constructed on a blank 100s chart and the students have to find the bones by scanning the blank number chart to find the number given that corresponds to where the bone is hidden. In the body of this lesson students used the internet to access Mathletics and other maths games that can be found at [] []

As well as observing the use of ICT in the maths lessons I planed and tough three maths lessons in which I integrated the use of ICT. In the first lesson I Used the interactive white board to demonstrate the use of think boards in maths (see Appendix a). The interactive white board had a pre prepared think board on the screen and using the interactive tool one could show how to complete their own think board, Unlike regular white boards great advantage of using the interactive white board is that one can save the example of the thing board for easy access for a future lesson. In another lesson I use both the IWB to play the give a dog a bone game in the intro to the lesson and use the internet so student’s could access their Mathletics online activities (see Appendix b).

In a third lesson the internet was again used for access to Mathletics (see Appendix c). It seems that the use of ICT in teaching can support the learning processes by supplying additional information or visual displays that may not be available with the traditional paper worksheets. By using ICT such as the IWB and the internet to support teaching students have the opportunity to absorb extra information on tasks apart from just the verbal instructions from the teacher. The use of ICT in the maths room can encourage students to engage in their own learning by experimenting and exploring new ways of learning while working with technology, communicating with their fellow peers and creating new knowledge (Millum 2003).  Millum (2003, p. 1) also states that 'ICT seems to encourage positive discussion and group decision making amounts students'.

There are a number of ways that ICT can support teaching. When teaching in front of the whole class and one wants to focus on developing particular aspects of student thinking, the IWB allows you to display text or pictures that you can then talk about and ask students specific questions about. This can be helpful as while you are asking questions about what’s on the IWB students can also see what you are talking about and refiring to, rather than just having to remember what you said (Higging & Packard 2004, p. 142). For example when I used the IWB to do a lesson using think boards I was able to explain the activity while walking through the example on the IWB and students could both listen to what I was saying as well as visually being able to see what was expected from them by the end of the lessons on think boards.

According to Kravitz (2004, p. 21), ICT in the field of educational technology has advanced itself far enough at the beginning of the 21st century to show that computers, particularly those equipped for internet access, are a worthwhile investment for most teachers and learners.

The Technology Anticipated learning through the use of ICT