PROFESSIONALIZING
PHYSICAL SCIENCE EDUCATION
Module
4 - Using Computers in Teaching
Prepared by
SABARISH-P
M.Sc., M.Ed.,
JRF & NET
Assistant
professor in Physical Science, Arafa Institute for Teacher Education, Attur,
Thrissur.
pklsabarish@gmail.com
Computer Aided Teaching (Computer
Aided Instruction)
Computer
Aided teaching is a broad term which simply means the use of computer in
Teaching. It may be in the form of ppts, videos, graphics etc. It refers to the
use of computer as a supporting device and as a teaching machine* in teaching.
It includes terms like CAI, CMI etc
v CAI, is the use of a
computer to provide instruction.
v Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is an
interactive instructional technique whereby a computer is used to present the
instructional material and monitor the learning that takes place.
·
Definition
BHATT & SHARMA(1992):
“CAI is an interaction
between a student, a computer controlled display and a response entry device
for the purpose of achieving educational outcomes.”
Ø Features of CAI
*
Instruction
for a number of learners at a time.
*
Variety in the
use of methods and techniques.
Ø Technologies of CAI
*
Hardware
*
Software.
Ø Types of CAI
*
Instruction type
*
Drill and Practice
*
Tutorials
*
Instructional Games
*
Simulation
*
Practical work oriented
*
Problem
Solving
Ø Advantages of CAI
*
Great motivator
*
Instantaneous
response/immediate feedback to the answers.
*
Self pacing -
allow students to proceed at their own pace
*
Helps teacher
to devote more time to individual students
*
Privacy helps
the shy and slow learner to learns
*
learn more
and more rapidly
*
Individual
attention
*
Multimedia
helps to understand difficult concepts through multi sensory approach
*
Self directed
learning – students can decide when, where, and what to learn
Ø Limitations of CAI
*
The computer fails to appreciate the emotions of the
student.
*
CAI fails to develop essential features of language
competency
*
It is a sort of mechanical approach to education
*
Expensive and uneconomical in terms of educational
returns
*
Unavailability of educational software.
*
Can't keep set time table schedules, uniform
curricula and examination systems.
*
Over use of multimedia may divert the attention from
the content
*
Lack of
infrastructure
*Teaching
Machines
•Developed by S.L.
Pressy
•It’s a piece of device
designed to be operated by an individual student for self learning.
•The student is
presented with a question by some form of display on the machine.
•The student is required
to respond. Either to write answer or put a button to indicate the correct
response
•The student will inform
the correctness of the answer.
•An account is kept of
the responses made by the student.
Computer as a Teacher – merits
Computer
teachers do have some advantages. The computer teachers can teach more than the
human teachers can in about the books. They have better memory than the human
teacher has because they are computers, computer can memorize anything.
Moreover, computer teachers will be fairly to all of the students. In addition,
students learn from the computers, they can learn more independently because the
computer cannot care when they do not pay attention in the class. Multi Sensory
and multimedia approach makes teaching more effective
Computer as
a Teacher – Drawbacks
Computers have not feeling and therefore
they do not understand the feeling of students, but teachers care for students
and encourage them. Human teachers can do many things to the students but the
computer teachers cannot. For example, the ways that they teach, the computer
teachers just have one way to teach, but human teachers have many ways. The
computer teachers do not have life experience, they cannot talk about life, but
the human teachers have. The computer will not care about the students
emotions.
Human as a Teacher
– merits
Human
teachers make learning fun, and they can be caring and understanding. However,
human teachers with a human touch are more effective than computers in teaching.
The human teacher can teach the students in the best way, they know what the
students want. Moreover, they can make the students know what life is; the
human teachers can talk their life experience to the students, this is very
important to the future of the students.
The
students can learn some things that out of the books from the human teachers.
Moreover, they will care the students, they will care what do the students will
do after school or do they feel happy or not. The human teachers can become
friends with the students. Human values can be inculcated in students only by a
human teacher.
Human as a Teacher
– Drawbacks
Human beings
have many limitations compared to computers. All these limitations are seen in
teaching also. Less memory compared to computers, emotional disturbances, lack
of ability in drawing/explaining etc, personal biases, lack of teaching skills,
lack of knowledge in teaching methodologies/technologies, etc are some of them.
Expert System
An expert system is a computer system
that shows the decision-making ability of a human expert. Expert systems are
designed to solve complex problems and as an aid or substitute for human.
An expert system is a computer application
that performs a task that would otherwise be performed by a human expert. For
example, there are expert systems that can diagnose human illnesses, make
financial forecasts, and schedule routes for vehicles. Some expert systems are
designed to take the place of human experts, while others are designed to aid
them.
Expert systems are part of a general
category of computer applications known as artificial Intelligence.
Expert
system can be effectively used in Education sector also. It can act as an aid
or substitute for Human teacher. Expert System is the major
component of Intelligent tutoring
systems.
e-content
- e-content
(Electronic-content) is Digital content that can be transmitted over a
computer network such as the Internet.
- The
e-content could be in the following type:
1)
Short course / unit / module
2)
Full courseware.
e-content – Authoring/Development
- E-content
authoring means Development of digital content using special authoring
tools.
- Authoring
tool is a software package which developers use to create digital content.
- Eg:
Graphic design software, Video editing software, Animation software,
Programming Language etc.
Special features of e-Content Material
- Technologically
Friendly so as to be downloaded and used on any computer either independently
or in a LAN situation.
- Learner
Friendly for easy navigation.
- Learner
Centric to be useful in self-instructional mode.
- Teacher
Friendly so as to be used in various teaching-learning methods such as
classroom lectures, tutoring to a group, lab session etc.
- Self-evaluation:
It should include formative as well as summative evaluation.
E-content - Significance
- E-content
is valuable to the pupil and also helpful to teachers of all individual
instruction systems.
- The
ultimate aim of the E- content is abolish the disparity among the learners
through effective education.
- It
is enhancing the learner knowledge level which leads to creative thinking.
Module
preparation - E-content Development
A module can be defined as “a set of
learning activities intented to facilitate the students achievement on an
objective or set of objectives. A module is a self-contained, self sufficient
unit of instruction for the learner to work on for achieving a set of
predetermined objectives. A module contains three co-ordinate basic elements of
instruction, i.e. objectives, learning activities and evaluation.
e-Learning
modules take advantage of digital technology to:
•
develop short learning modules that actively
engage the learner
•
include formative assessment so that the
learner can track their progress
•
use simple, widely available software so that
others can adapt the materials for teaching other target groups
The modules
are usually designed to be studied mainly by a single learner sitting at a
computer screen. However, they can be used to generate discussion topics or
exercises that can be suitable for groups of learners. The learner should enjoy
module and feel that they have achieved something valuable by completing it.
Therefore, make sure that the learning outcomes are appropriate for learner and
that the module allows them to achieve new knowledge and skills with confidence.
Factors to be considered- in the development of
e-learning Module
1)
Write
learning outcomes (LOs) that state clearly what the learner should be able to
do after completing your module
2)
Present
content in an interesting way that will engage the learner
3)
Design
an assessment that will allow the learner to assess what new knowledge and
skills they have acquired.
4)
Have
a clear idea of who your learner is. What knowledge and skills do they have
already? How should your module be designed to be most appropriate for their
learning needs?
5)
Always
keep in your mind’s eye a mental image of your learner sitting at the computer
studying your module.
6)
The
module must be self-contained and contain all that the learner needs to meet
its specific learning objectives.
Various stages in the development of e-content
Various steps in the development of e-learning Module
1)
Title : The title should state clearly what your module is about. It is the best
chance to capture your learner’s attention and make them want to study the
module. So make it as attractive and informative as possible.
2) Learning
outcomes (LOs): Writing
down clear LOs needs careful thought and is the essential first step in
module development. The LOs are vital because they
determine precisely the
content of the module and determine precisely the assessment.
3)
Content: The content is the information that you want the learner to acquire.
Clearly, this information has to be accurate and up-to-date. The content should
also be clearly referenced so that the learner is able to check the source of
the information. The subject expert(s) shall also identify points and the Graphics,
Animations & other information that are required to be included in the
module.
4)
Copyright: There is no problem with reproducing other people’s
material as long as you reference its source. If there are existing images,
videos, graphics etc that are exactly right for your purpose, then you must get
permission from the author or publisher to use it in your module.
5)
Engaging the learner: Provide the resource to actively engage the learner.
The learner should be an active learner than a passive listener.
6)
Assessment: In most cases, the assessment for the module should be
“formative”. This is purely for the learner’s benefit – so that he or she can
track their own progress.
The assessment should be limited to the LOs. The purpose is to allow the
learner to confirm that they have achieved the LOs. The learner should perform
well in your assessment. This confirms that the module has been effective!
Although eLearning modules are usually designed for study by an
individual sitting at a computer, most topics demand the extension of the
learning to group activities. There are no right/ fixed steps to e-module
development. You should look at as many other examples as you can, experiment
and develop your own approaches. The key to success is to have a clear idea of the
needs of your target audience, carefully designed and clearly stated LOs and
then an engaging module that allows the learner to achieve the LOs with
confidence.
Simply the steps can be listed as
1)
define your aims and learning outcomes
or objectives
2)
think about the structure of the session
and timing of activities
3)
decide on the best teaching and learning
methods to achieve the learning outcome
4)
list content and key topics, and
research more if needed
5)
refine the lesson plan
6)
identify learning resources, appropriate
technology, support material and execute
7)
Assessment or evaluation.
Contents
of an e-learning module
1)
Title
2)
Objectives
3)
Subject Mapping
4)
Summary
5)
Text
6)
Case studies
7)
FAQ’s
8)
Video ,audio , animations, graphics etc
9)
Assignments
10) Quiz
11) Tutorial
12) References
13) Glossary
14) Links
15) Downloads
(more)-Follow ups
16) Contact
(author/experts-Usually online)
Course
ware
Courseware is
educational material/software intended as kits or as tutorials for students,
usually packaged for use with a computer. Courseware can cover any knowledge
area, but information technology subjects are most common. Courseware is a term
that combines the words 'course' with 'software'. Many companies are using the
term to describe the entire "package" consisting of one 'class' or
'course' bundled together with the various lessons, tests, and other material
needed. The courseware itself can be in different formats, some are only
available online such as html pages, while others can be downloaded in pdf
files or other types of document files. Most leading educational companies
solicit or include courseware with their training packages.
Example: MIT open Courseware for
Science.
Free Softwares in Science
There
is large number of applications/softwares for Science Education including PhET,
Celestia, Avogadro, Chemical Calculator, Gamgi, Ghemical, Gperiod, Kalzium,
Kstars, Molecules Viewer, Periodic Table of the Elements, Rasmol, Stellarium
etc which can be used in ubuntu, windows
or other platforms.
PhET: PhET
is a suite of research-based interactive computer simulations for teaching and
learning physics, chemistry, biology, maths, and other sciences. PhET
simulations can be run online or downloaded for free from the PhET website. The
simulations are animated, interactive, and game-like environments where
students learn through exploration. They emphasize the connections between
real-life phenomena and the underlying science, and help make the visual and
conceptual models of expert scientists accessible to students. PhET simulations
are primarily developed for and tested with university and high school
students, but have been found to be educational and fun for students of all
ages.
Celestia:
Celestia is an application for real-time 3D visualization of space, with a
detailed model of the solar system, over 100,000 stars, more than 10,000
galaxies, and an extension mechanism for adding more objects. The program
allows users to travel through an extensive universe, modeled after reality, at
any speed, in any direction, and at any time in history. Celestia displays and
interacts with objects ranging in scale from small spacecraft to entire
galaxies in three dimensions.
Step:
It is a package available in Edubuntu for simulating Physics Experiments. It is
an interactive physical simulator. It allows exploring the physical world
through simulation. We can place bodies of different shapes like sphere,
polygon etc on the scene, add some forces like gravity, spring etc and we can
get the simulation according to the laws of physics.
Avogadro: Avogadro
is an open source, free, graphical software written in Python and designed to
act as an advanced molecular editor, as well as visualizer. Avogadro has been
specifically designed to be used in molecular modeling, computational
chemistry, materials science, bioinformatics, as well as other similar areas.
Chemical Calculator: It
is simple and free software available in Edubuntu. It acts as a calculator for
chemistry. It parses chemical formula to calculate raw formula, molecular
weights, mass composition, and isotopic patterns.
Gamgi: GAMGI
(General Atomistic Modelling Graphic Interface) is a program to build, view,
and analyze atomic structures such as molecules, crystals, glasses, liquids,
etc. It aims to be useful for:
1)
The scientific community working in
Atomistic Modelling that needs a graphic interface to build input data and to
view and analyse output data;
2)
The scientific community at large
studying chemistry, physics, materials science, geology, etc., that needs a
graphic interface to view and analyse atomic structural information and to
prepare images for presentations in classes and seminars;
3)
Teaching chemistry and physics in
secondary schools and universities; science promotion in schools, exhibitions and
science museums.
Ghemical: Ghemical is computational chemistry package. It
is a molecular modeling software package having some nice 3D-visualization
tools. It supports methods based on both molecular mechanics and quantum
mechanics.
Gperiodic: GPeriodic
is a periodic table application for GNU/Linux. It allows you to browse through
a periodic table of the elements, and view detailed information on each of the
elements. 118 elements are currently listed. This program was originally
written by Kyle R. Burton. GPeriodic is a program for looking up data of
elements from the periodic table.
Kalzium:
Kalzium is your digital replacement for the periodic table on paper. It is a
program that visualizes the Periodic Table of Elements and includes basic information
about all common elements. Its main features are
·
versatile overview of all important data from
the elements like melting points, electron affinity, electron negativity,
electron configuration, radii, mass, ionisation energy
·
tool to visualize the spectral lines of each
elements
·
different colored views: separation of the
different blocks, Year simulator, Temperature simulator
·
Molecular weight calculator
·
an Isotope table
·
3D molecule editor, with a load and save
functionality
·
a equation solver for stoichiometric problems
·
file type conversion for different types of
chemical programs
Kstars : KStars
is free, open source, Astronomy Software. It provides an accurate graphical
simulation of the night sky, from any location on Earth, at any date and time.
The display includes upto 100 million stars, 13,000 deep-sky objects, all 8
planets, the Sun and Moon, and thousands of comets and asteroids. In addition,
it provides tools to perform many astronomical calculations, an observation
planner, and lots of information and resources to help you explore the
universe!
Molecules Viewer: It is a free open-source molecular editor and
visualization package. It offers a range of features including a molecular
editor, surface generation (orbitals and densities) and animations (vibrational
modes and reaction pathways). It is a 3D structure molecule viewer generally
called as GChem 3D Viewer.
Periodic Table of Elements: It
is generally called as GChemtable.
This application have a table view which allows the elements to be coloured
thematically by several properties, a sortable list view and an element
properties dialog, displaying a variety of information, including historical,
thermodynamic, electrochemical, and crystallographic properties. It provide
scientific information on the elements and multiple table colour schemes.
Rasmol: RasMol
is a molecular graphics program intended for the visualisation of proteins,
nucleic acids and small molecules. The program is aimed at display, teaching
and generation of publication quality images. RasMol runs on wide range of
architectures and operating systems including Microsoft Windows, and Ubuntu. It
was originally developed by Roger Sayle in the early 90s.
Stellarium: Stellarium
is free open source software. It simulates a planetarium. It shows a realistic
sky in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a
telescope. 'Stellarium' simulates the skies from anywhere on Earth in close to
photo-realism. It is a beautiful and engaging way to explore and increase your
understanding of the night sky. Users can see constellation art, deep space
objects, meteor showers, solar eclipses, transits, and more. It is particularly
useful as an educational tool.
Learning Management Systems- Moodle
A
learning management system (LMS) is a software application for the
administration, documentation, tracking, reporting and delivery of e-learning
education courses or training programs. A learning management system (LMS) is a
software application or Web-based technology used to plan, implement, and
assess a specific learning process.
Example:
Moodle, Mindflashes etc
Moodle
• Moodle is a software package for
producing Internet-based courses and web sites.
• Moodle (abbreviation for Modular
Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is a free source e-learning
software platform, also known as a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
• Moodle was originally developed by
Martin Dougiamas to help educators create online courses
• The design and development of Moodle
is guided by “social constructionist
pedagogy”.
• Constructionism asserts that learning
is particularly effective when constructing something for others to experience.
Features of Moodle
• Assignment submission
• Discussion forum
|
• Moodle instant messages
|
• Files
download
• Online calendar
• Online news and announcement
