IMPORTANCE OF EXPERIENCE IN MY TEACHING AND LEARNING

It has been said that, "the greatest resource of any society is her children or her people." People learn best by "doing". Therefore, teachers are called upon to "plan activities". In a teaching-learning environment, activities create experiences. Experiences are always firsthand. They make more lasting impressions in peoples' lives than what is read in books or what is learnt theoretically. It is these that help learners to "internalize, respect and follow" content. Experiences can be physical, mental/intellectual or emotional. The best activity in a teaching-learning environment is one that creates the three types of experiences (physical, intellectual, and emotional). This implies that, the best teacher is one who plans activities that are hands-on, exciting and relevant to the learner in particular and to society in general (activities that learners will respect and follow). However, learners are unique. They will always have different experiences even from the same activity. That is why we need to understand them - their strengths, mix of intelligences, talents etc. When we do, we can motivate them using different approaches.

Personally, I am a traditionalist in my educational practice. But I would like to adopt more progressive approaches in my subject area of chemistry. However, I expect the following hurdles and roadblocks in my way:

1. Limited knowledge of the approach. I admit, I still do not know how to plan  hands-on, exciting and relevant activities all the time. I need more help in this area. In addition, I can't seem to find the right kind of questions to satisfy learners' curiosity through a problem or project based inquiry. They seem to apply more to field and/or environmental inquiries than to abstract subjects like mine. To overcome these, I presume I need to: 

1. Stick to this training. I've got a lot from it in a short time that I missed in my pre-service training and long time teaching experience.
2. Follow and collaborate with colleagues in my professional learning networks who teach chemistry and have made strides in this direction.
3. Try out the approach, possibly in short sessions, and experience and evaluate what happens. 

2. Opposing attitudes from other stakeholders in education in Uganda:
1. The learners. Although man has an instinct to explore, our learners are so much used to the traditional methods that, any attempt to over provoke them in a teaching-learning session is interpreted as; teacher unpreparedness, lack of enough subject knowledge or malicious tendencies (teacher doesn't want his students to know what he knows and to pass well). To overcome this hurdle, I presume, I need to work with a small group of students (outside normal class time) first, instead of involving the whole class from the start. When the group achieves success, more and more learners could be persuaded by their colleagues to the scheme.
2. Fellow teachers. All human beings fear and resist change. This is part of the "fear of the unknown". Up to now, teachers in Uganda have only implemented what is laid down by curriculum developers and government (through the MoES). Therefore, initiatives by teachers are looked at as "small ideas that may not go anywhere". Some teachers could even incite students against me, saying "I am wasting students' time". Many teachers do not want to take a lot of time planning their teaching, preparing lessons and engaging learners during instruction. They fear the success of my initiative could mean getting more engaged. To overcome the above, the best way is to involve them into and work with them through the initiative. This, of course, will take a lot of persuasion and time, but it seems the only way with fellow teachers.

3. Institutional managers. These are teachers who are promoted to administrative positions. Their work is to supervise the implementation of the curriculum on behalf of MoES. Initiating the use of progressive approaches as an individual teacher could be interpreted as diversionary or insubordination, and might attract disciplinary action. To overcome this hurdle, the progressive approaches must be discussed in advance with the administrator, so that he knows exactly what is going on in the small groups mentioned above. Later, the results of the project could be unveiled to the entire institution in a "ceremony". 

4. Parents. In Uganda, not many parents follow what goes on in institutions. They tend to rely on the institutional management and MoES to give their children the best that can be offered. So, if an initiative is well spoken of by the administrators and students, parents receive it.
5. Curriculum developers. The adoption of progressive approaches would warrant a curriculum change. The present one is largely theoretical and examination oriented. If it was used, only a few practical sections could be handled, students would fail examinations and this would attract a lot of resistance from curriculum developers. Curriculum change requires a lot of time, resources and research and collaboration with stakeholders and development partners. To overcome this hurdle, I would need to work backwards, first with the teachers, then institutional management, curriculum developers and finally MoES.

6. Ministry of Education. Implementation of the progressive approaches to teaching and learning would need many government policies in institutions to change, especially with regard to students' freedom and attendance. Fortunately, when all the stakeholders above are convinced, then audience with the MoES officials can be arranged and a way forward chatted.

3. Large classes. Progressive approaches to teaching and learning are normally arranged around learner groups. But there is a limit to the number of groups a teacher can handle. Large classes (which are characteristic of our education program) could be a hindrance to the application of progressive approaches.

4. Lack of resources. Unlike the traditional approach to teaching, progressive learning is experiential in nature. This requires a lot of teaching-learning resources and material (facilities like many classrooms, equipment etc). Such provision require a lot of funding. This could be a hurdle. However, to overcome the ned for a lot of money, local materials from the environment could be used.

5. Limited teaching personnel. Progressive approaches may not be simple without a coherent team to manage activities. At first, implementation cold be difficult. But involving others will soon overcome the hurdle.

6. Lack of adequate time to prepare exciting activities for the learners. Using the present curriculum, the workloads per teacher are too big to allow enough time to prepare real exciting class activities. However, change of curriculum to eliminate irrelevances could help to overcome this hurdle. 

FEELINGS ABOUT TEACHING

I am a product of the Victorian school system and one advantage with that system was their emphasis on good reading skills. These days students do not want to read widely. But I think that one will need to, especially during research work, which is basically what constructivism advocates for. Therefore, I have no regrets when I emphasize wide reading in my class.

Most of the time, we teach the way we were taught. But that might have had limitations. It takes a reflective teacher to seek a better way. The other alternative(s), of course, are professional development courses of this nature. Before I got introduced to constructivist approaches like “Problem solving and learning stations”, I always felt, “Surely there must be another way to engage learners better.” Even now, I have difficulties answering these questions sometimes (depending on the abstractness of the content):

• What do I want my students to learn? If this refers to content, then it must be relevant and appealing to students’ interests. It should also apply to real life situations as much as possible.
• But what specifically do I want them to do? This calls for the skill(s). These skills must have immediate application in life. Otherwise there may not be any motivation for students to engage in them.
• How do they go about the skill? What hands-on step-by-step activities do they need? What specific methods do I apply? These steps must be new and simple. Learning is deemed to have happened when students get “something new”. 
• What resources best help to create that reality?

Constructivism requires that learners hypothesize, question, investigate, imagine and invent knowledge. In addition, learners must reflect and make associations with previous knowledge to reach new understandings. I still find it difficult to prompt my students and then step aside to observe how they proceed. It can’t be done all the time. This is because very often students exhibit little knowledge of the subject due to limited exposure. Students need a lot of motivation and facilitation; time to study on their own, space to reflect on what they learn etc, in order to construct knowledge.  

As a caring teacher, I have always tried to understand my students – their strengths, weaknesses, and interests. But only a few of these and for a few students can be known because the mix of intellectual strengths and interests are too diverse. However, it is an interesting challenge that teachers have got to take up.

In light of the “big philosophical questions”, I observe that in order for constructivism to be embraced in Uganda, we need to review the curriculum and re-structure it into matching subject areas. That is not a short term venture. Fortunately, National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) has started on the project. We hope with technology integration and collaboration through Web 2.0 and social media it will be possible to use constructivist approaches to teaching and learning. One other thing is also inevitable, ‘re-tooling the teacher” in Uganda.

In constructivism, the teacher should not give learners the right answer. Of course that would terminate the debate. And surely that's why there is little search for answers in our classes. I hope to change this in future. 

In constructivism, the curriculum is not fixed. It is the students' interests and questions that are pursued. much of our present curriculum is dictated on the learner e.g. with a combination like Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) a student cannot be good in all the three subjects. That has been unfair on them. 

In constructivism learning is interactive, building on what the student already knows. This method cultivates the teacher-learner friendship required for learning, unlike mere dissemination whether learners enjoy the subject or not. My teaching has been interactive but not always building on what learners know.   

To me, assessment including students' works, observations, points of view and tests is a welcome idea because both the process and product are important.  We once had this type of assessment. I do not know what happened. Currently, our assessment style encourages cheating of examinations. It looks at the end product without assessing the effort of the learner into the product. That is unfair. I'd rather embrace constructivism.

This topic is on "Designing Learning" and I think our unmaking as Ugandan teachers is in failure to "design engaging learner activities" and to "formulate the right kind of questions" to keep up the dialogue (students' quest for more knowledge). 

USING MY STRENGTHS IN MY TEACHING

2.2.3: REFLECTION

Looking at my Multiple Intelligence assessment score, I can see and rightly so, that my unique mix of intelligence include:

1. Naturalistic intelligence (100%) - the ability to identify and distinguish between different types of plants, animals, and weather formations found in the natural world. Being naturalistic, I help my students to use process skills to obtain scientific data by observing specimens in their natural environment. 
2. Intra-personal intelligence (94%) - people's ability to recognize and assess their own moods, desires, motivations, and intentions. this is important in helping students studying at their own in order to make sense of content on their own.  
3. Visual-spatial intelligence (83%) - allowing people to comprehend maps and other types of graphical information. My specialist area of Chemistry requires conducting practical experiments and research. Often data is presented graphically, and visual-spatial intelligence is important in analyzing and interpret it. Without this, my students would find the subject quite abstract. 
4. Logical-mathematical intelligence (81%) - describing the ability to develop equations and proofs, make calculations, and solve abstract problems. Logical-mathematical intelligence also helps me explain calculations and solve abstract problems with my students. 
5. Verbal-linguistic intelligence (75%) - referring to an individual's ability to analyze information and produce work that involves oral and written language, such as speeches, books, and memos. The greatest work of a teacher is to explain issues. Here, the verbal-linguistic intelligence is very important especially where the content is abstract. 
6. Musical intelligence (75%) - that enables individuals to produce and make meaning of different types of sound. 

We can know students' mix of intelligencies by interacting with them during classroom instruction and out of class activities. Another way is to make visits to students' homes and interact with parents. Additionally, it can be done through discussion with fellow teachers and monitoring learners' performance in specific areas. However, we could also subject our students to the same assessment scores as we've done too ourselves. 

We can use the knowledge of students' mix of intelligence to benefit them in the following ways: 

1. Make sure your students know why the material is worth learning.
2. Create a classroom where student input about content and pedagogy is welcome. 
3. Vary your presentation style.
4. Highlight critical concepts and skills. 
5. Approach the material interactively. 
6.  Create a support system because some students need additional help if they are to succeed. 

REFLECTION ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (1.6.4)

DEFINITIONS

1. Technology integration is the infusion of technology resources into classroom instruction, where the teacher effectively focuses learners on what needs to be learnt.
2. Professional development is a process of improving and increasing the capabilities of staff through access to education and training opportunities in the work place. Its purpose is to build and maintain staff morale. It may also be used to attract high quality staff to organizations.

Having done a technology integration professional development needs assessment for my colleagues; I can summarize them here below:

1. Need to use subject specific software for integration into lectures.
2. Need to use social media to interact and share with learners beyond the classroom. 
3. Skills to electronically communicate with their students. 
4. Need to use information accessed through CD/DVD ROMS as source materials during lecturing. 
5. Need to acquire communication and presentation software for lecturing. 
6. Need to use internet or web as a source of information during lecturing. 
7. Need to use computer to process collected data. 
8. Need to use different media to create appropriate products. 
9. Need to use computer to communicate with others (locally or globally). 
10. Skill or ability to gather information from electronic databases. 
11. Work with the computer to orientate themselves to a new subject. 
12. Need to use Word processing for production of documents

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO MEET THE ABOVE NEEDS

1.  They need to have a positive Attitude
2. They need to desire professional growth and development 
3. They need to set up personal learning goals 
4. They must collaborate with peers (participants with CCTI online course) 
5. They should seek technical and leadership support from the college and MoES
6. They must undertake ICT training to better their skills 
7. They should acquire technology devices 
8. They need to sign up to social media to expand their personal learning networks. 
9. At some point, they should record their lectures for replay and use in teaching and learning.
10. They must understand and do technology integration  in teaching-learning process. 
11. They should have faith in themselves (Self-belief). 
12. They need to get committed to training opportunities – find time to practice their skills. 
13. Finally, they should share their experiences with others.

MY STAFF DEVELOPMENT GROWTH JOURNEY

Before the commencement of this course (CCTI ONLINE), my rating with the UNESCO ICT COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK FOR TEACHERS was low within technology literacy. I was only using technology in classroom instruction but not integrating it. 

• I could use MS Word to produce documents.
• I could use MS PowerPoint to create simple presentations.
• I could use a projector to display content o my students.
• I could use information on CD/DVD ROMs as source materials during lectures. 
• I could use a computer to process collected data e.g. drawing graphs and charts.
• I could use a computer to communicate with others locally and globally, but only through email services.  

BUT AS A RESULT OF THIS TRAINING; 

• My technical skills have improved greatly.
• I can use subject specific software from sites like YouTube for integration into lectures. I can also record and upload videos to YouTube. 
• I can use social media to interact and share with learners and friends beyond the classroom.
• I can now electronically communicate with my students using Google docs and educational blogs. 
• I can use the internet as a source of information during lecturing.
• I can use a computer to communicate with others locally and globally through many social media networks.
• I can now gather information from electronic databases anywhere.
• I can now work with the computer to orientate myself to a new subject.
• I can make more complex and interactive (multimedia) presentations that engage more of the learners’ senses resulting in active teaching and learning. 
• I can now evaluate websites, blogs and wikis for content validity and reliability.
• I have a content curation site where I’ve accumulate non-video resources for use and for sharing with my personal learning network.

SPECIFIC ACTIONS I NEED TO TAKE TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF MY COLLEAGUES 

1. Allow them to sit in my class to witness firsthand the integration of technology in the teaching-learning process. 
2. Guide them through the sign up processes to different social media sites. 
3. Teach them how to evaluate sites, blogs and wikis for valid and reliable content 
4. Share resources in my YouTube playlists and content curation site with them. 
5. Train them in how to make interactive multimedia presentations for more learner engagement.

REFLECTION ON LESSON 1.5.4

Still feeling lost as an individual seeking professional development? 

No! I no longer feel lost because: 

• I know how to navigate the web to source for information and other resources using different search engines.  
• I have a personal learning network comprising of my CCTI online course-mates, several other people and organizations and their resource sites. 
• I know online sites where I can go for immediate help at the time of difficulties in my professional journey.

Progress of my participation personal learning network 

• I am currently following quite a number of people and communities especially in Google plus. I am also sharing my work with friends on face-book and challenging them to use social media for professional development instead of just social issues. 
• Having opened up my a YouTube channel, I have some people who are following me, viewing my videos and making comments, asking questions etc. it is interesting answering some of their questions. It is reassuring that to see myself helping someone online. 
• My curation site is also attracting attention right now. I’ve already received an email from Gina Tucker, sales department manager at Scoop.it, asking if she could offer help to make my brand recognized on social media, to increase my search engine ranking, and to demonstrate thought leadership online.

Some of the professional development sites I researched e.g. TES in Teachers TV, required me to subscribe to or join them first before accessing and curating their resources. This did not only allow me to complete the tasks in this lesson but increased my personal learning network.

Collaboration is very powerful. With it, many sites were researched, implying that by visiting our general wiki, one has access to a good number of professional development resources and insights. However, it is not possible to know who contributed what in the wiki. That is a big pitfall. 

SITES THAT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR INNOVATIVE TEACHING

WEBSITES 

 Educational Technology and Mobile Learning (http://www.educatorstechnology.com/)

Educational Technology and Mobile Learning is a website whose aim is to provide the education community (both teachers and students) with a platform where they can have access to the best curated educational technology content. Most of their posts are reviews of educational web tools and mobile apps, app suggestions, educational info-graphics, posters, guides, video tutorials, and tips on integrating technology into education.

It is connected to many other websites that greatly contribute to professional development such as: 

• “Tips on close reading and research paper writing (http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/12/10-important-tips-for-successful-close.html).  
• Success features of the 21^st Century teachers (http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/12/new-visual-25-success-features.html). 
•  Integrating technology Vs using technology in class (http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/04/using-technology-vs-technology.html). 

The 13 MUST Know Professional Development Websites for Teachers

Professional Development is a life-long learning process that involves different activities including individual progress, continuing education, in-service education, peer collaboration, study groups, and peer coaching or mentoring. The importance of professional development lays in the fact that it is closely related to the overall quality of education and students achievements.

Link: http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/07/the-13-must-know-professional.html.

Edutopia: What works in Education

The website shares evidence- and practitioner-based learning strategies that empower users to improve K-12 education. It explains tech integration, why we need to integrate tech in classroom, different types of integration and how they can be done.

In Edutopia, you find resources to help you implement project-based learning, social and emotional learning, comprehensive assessment, teacher development, integrated studies, and technology integration.

Edutopia is dedicated to transforming the learning process by helping educators implement the strategies below: empowering students to think critically, access and analyze information, creatively problem solve, work collaboratively, and communicate with clarity and impact.

Link: http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-description

Technology Integration for Teachers

The purpose of this site is to take an extensive list of websites that are considered high quality, reliable, and valuable and organize them in  a way that even "non-techy" teachers can utilize them. The information and resources in this site includes lists of apps for various learning objectives, blogs and wikis created and maintained by experts in using mobile technology, and lists of tips and tricks. 

It’s connected to many other websites such as: 

• What is Successful Technology Integration? Edutopia: (www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-description), 
• Technology Integration Ideas that Work - Education World (www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech176.shtml) 
• Technology Integration Strategies, Teaching Today… (www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/subject/tech_integration.phtml).  

BLOGS 

6 SMART Tips for Effective Professional Development

The author, Lisa Nielsen found school boring and irrelevant. She wrote this blog to share ideas to help change that for others. She has formed a group that is interested in taking action to ensure innovative learning options exist in their communities.

This group is a place for parents, students, and teachers frustrated with traditional schooling to come together to discuss the more effective options they are pursuing.

Link: http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2014/10/6-smart-tips-for-effective-professional.html.

Scaling up innovative professional learning systems for teachers | CTQ

This is a community blog whose mission is to provide high-quality education system for all students, driven by the bold ideas and expert practices of teachers. They do this, by connecting, readying and mobilizing teacher leaders to transform schools.

Link: http://www.teachingquality.org/content/blogs/barnett-berry/scaling-innovative-professional-... 

5 myths about teachers that are distracting policymakers

Teaching in the 21st century is complex, challenging work and the fiction that “anyone can be a teacher” threatens our future. We have entered an era of rapid and inexorable change, where the real “high stakes” must be measured at a global level. Our students deserve nothing less than result-oriented teachers, and myths cannot be entertained.

Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/5-myths-about-teachers-that-are-distracting-policymakers/2011/03/24/ABNuyBMB_blog.html.

Friends! 
They say "knowledge is power". I feel confident right now. Content curation and sites evaluation have been extra-ordinarily relevant to me and a worthwhile experience. Thank you all. 

CONTENT CURATION

THE VALUE OF BEING A CONTENT CURATOR

Since I began this CCTI online course, my greatest desire and need has been, finding needed resources and information without opening so many sites. Today, I realize that all I needed was well thought out and curated sites.

Therefore, content curation serves the following purposes:

·        Many of us go online to find help from others, just to consume knowledge. Content curation gives us an opportunity to give back to the online community.

·        It helps one to develop and expand one’s personal learning network. One’s friends, connections and followers don’t have to plough through large volumes of searches to find quality content when one has already done that for them.

·        Value is added to a resource. By organizing and annotating content, it improves the quality of the resource.

·        A curator stores resources in the clouds. S/he has no more worries of losing them in case of a computer crash.

·        A content curator takes time to think about what to include in the resource and how. This helps him to be a better planner, better communicator, and amore organized teacher or student.

·        Sharing curated content online markets one as an outstanding researcher, scholar and/or entrepreneur and be sought after for his service.

·        It helps one to grow professionally (in achieving one’s professional growth goal).

·        It helps one to be more organized and efficient in his work.

·        It helps one stay informed and up-to-date with info in his or her field because it involves wide searches.

·        It increases confidence knowing that one is sharing well researched out and organized work with others.  

I am ready and confident about the role of a content curator. It takes a decision (which I have made), commitment, and time; all of which I am ready to offer.

THE VALUE TO ME OF ORGANIZING AND SHARING RESOURCES

·        It helps me to remain focused in my subject (chemistry).

·        It keeps my teaching simple but systematic

·        It enables me to integrate technology during lesson instruction.

·      I am able to direct my colleagues and students to more relevant and reliable sites for reference.

·    I am able to help my students and colleagues to develop in their academic and professional growth.

I have personally signed up with Scoop.it for content curation in chemistry. It is beneficial for my professional development. I am satisfied with its services and I recommend it for all teachers interested in professional development and in systematizing their class work.

My scoop.it link is: http://www.scoop.it/t/ict-use-in-teaching-chemistry.

My blog address is: http://jamesmuhwezi.blogspot.com

My YouTube address is: https://www.youtube.com/user/JamesMuhwezi/playlists?