Task A
(a)
Resources are effective in meeting the various individual needs of the learners. With their utilization, resources have acted as the source of input for the various learners where they provide them with materials to develop learning. As supported by Warwick et al. (2006, pp78-86) learners benefit with the use of the resources where at a personal level, each of the learner gets exposed to the different modalities of the aspects taught in class. In the use of the resources, each of the learner is able to interact with the modalities of the written, the spoken and the current technologically mediated academic work. With the application of the resources in teaching, each of the learners is able to interact and get input which is beyond that which is provided by the teacher in class. Traditionally, with the main resource being the textbook, the involvement and use of other resources has enabled and promoted diversity in that there has been the use of resources such as the use of multimedia which in this case has included video or audio inputs. For the learners that do not appreciate the use of textbooks due to factors negative attitude, the use of multimedia based resources ensures that such learners are not left out. Traditionally, with the limited use of resources in this case books, the use of more resources has also ensured for inclusivity of the students having challenges in following learning in class based setting such as the teacher dictating notes. With the utilization of resources, such students are catered for where the use of such resources such as games and the use of artifacts have ensured that all students have an interest in what is being taught in class. As Eilks & Byers (2009, pp213-236) shows, the different mode of delivery that comes with the use of resources ensures that there are more opportunities for interaction with the teacher where opportunities are present for both input and output. The use of resources is effective in enhancing and stimulating reflection in all the students around the class. This is especially so for the ones who find it challenging to get involved in discussions around the learning materials. With resources, such students benefit whereby having the resources used in a different way, this group is able to develop questions as well as activities which stimulate deeper thoughts and allow affective response (Best & Thomas 2008, pp131-142). Struggling students are able to analyze the feelings around the different academic topics, have informed interpretations and come up with their own conclusions. The use of resources allows for the opening up of flexibility and creativity in the delivery of learning and teaching which has ensured that all the students in the classroom setting are aware and capable of acquiring maximum information from the content taught in class. Cost effectiveness is achieved with the use of resources where such aspects as using projectors in class reduce the cost of equipping every student in class with a laptop.
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Task B
(b)
It is the duty of the teacher to have the understanding and the knowledge of numeracy, language, literacy, as well as information and communication technology. These being the minimum core elements need to be integrated in the teaching qualifications. The improvement in the minimum core skills enables one to effectively fulfill the role of the teacher (Oldknow et al. 2010, pp89-103). For example teachers can demonstrate literacy through the elaborate planning of subject matter and consistent proper examination of the same. One of the ways includes the use of electronic whiteboards which are helpful in the promotion of both language and ICT skills. The whiteboard is a powerful tool in that it allows for the collaboration and interactivity in the class by making sure that there is the integration of media based content in the lectures delivered in class. The use of the whiteboard allows for a wide range of learning opportunities for all the students. With the whiteboard, there is interactive teaching where the teacher is able to sit at the computer with the students at the white board where he or she is offered suggestions by the rest of the students in class as well as ideas. As Armitage (2012, pp113-125The use of handouts is another way of using resources for inclusive teaching and learning. In this case, the correct use of handouts in minimum core elements such as numeracy ensures that learners have the direction in learning. Through giving students what will be presented in coming lessons, it helps them to stay organized in that they can know what to expect and even in some case read ahead. With the handouts, the students are in a position to evaluate the important things and highlight the same.
Teachers can also show their competence of core elements especially in numerical by their ability to develop student knowledge. Whereas teachers maybe exemplary in the understanding of numbers, unless they can demonstrate the same by transferring such knowledge to the students, they cannot be said to have mastered core elements.
Task C
(a)
Resources have been effective in meeting the various individual needs of the learners. With the use of resources, as a teacher I have been able to maximize the value of teaching in particular learners. I have been able to apply the resources that have been personalized in order to allow learners to connect with the same. It has been much easier to combine traditional resources such as text books and other writing material, adapting them to learner’s needs. This has ensured that the students who have difficulty with the use of the traditional book have had changed and adapted to the friendly resources which have allowed them to achieve the students interests and goals. From the experience gained from the use of resources, such methods as the reliance on books has been shown to offer little direct connection with the students. With the use of resources, a link has been created which allows for the experiences my students to be improved with multiple paths being offered with the engagement with the resources utilized. Through the observation of the way students interact with resources, I have come to understand that resources have helped the learners to personalize the way they interact with their learning material. As demonstrated by Best & Thomas (2008, pp123-134) by personalizing, students have improved in the way they absorb the material presented to them in class. There has been an improved individual based connection among the students with their materials. With the use of resources, there has been the improvement in the interpretation, the analysis and the reflection in the students’ class work. The utilization of resources has seen improved engagement among the students where those facing challenges in the interpretation of the content, resources allow free interaction where this group is able to receive help. With the use of the various resources, reaching other students has been easy to achieve Oldknow et al. (2010, pp95-107). The various learner groups in my class have all benefitted where for the students who are stimulated by the visual aspect, they have been able to benefit from the same by clearly seeing what is happening in the use of such resources as the whiteboard. For the tactile learners, the touching and moving of the various resources has allowed them to highlight the various academic based elements. For the students who are able to relate more with audio media, they have been able to participate in discussions an aspect that would not have been possible without the use resources.
(b)
With the use of resources, there are the various challenges that I have encountered. One of the challenges associated with the use of resources is in the critical use of resources. Some of the resources have presented problems to me, as a teacher and subsequently to the learners where I have attempted using resources without trying them out first. I have realized that before using any resource there is need to test and understand the general workings of the same. Warwick et al. (2006, pp56-68) further indicates, for the various resources that are being utilized, the teacher needs to be an effective user of the same. This will enhance the understanding of the aspects surrounding the use of such a resource such as the culture and the language.
Majority of the time, I have made use of resources that are developed and maintained by someone else. My application and the ideas of the developer may not be in accord leading to discordance in the use of the resources. Thus conflict often arises and the use of the resource may not be able to achieve the form of learning which as a teacher I had hoped to achieve. As further supported by Armitage (2012, pp147-159) thus, there is need to develop resources with the awareness of the theories and values in the same.
Another challenge that needs improvement in the use of resources is the assumption that I have had that a resource should be used on its own. Resources and other parts of learning should be combined rather than employed separately to achieve consistent results. The times I have made use of unconnected resources or disparate ones make it impossible for students to develop coherence in the aspect being taught. To avoid the same, I have mastered the art of combining resources effectively and testing same combinations to achieve great results.
List of References
Armitage, A. (2012). Teaching and training in lifelong learning. Maidenhead, Open University Press.
Best, B., & Thomas, W. (2008). The creative teaching & learning resource book. [London], Continuum International Publishing Group.
Eilks, I., & Byers, B. (2009). Innovative methods of teaching and learning chemistry in higher education. [Cambridge, UK], RSC Publishing.
Oldknow, A. J., Taylor, R., & Tetlow, L. (2010). Teaching mathematics using ICT. London, Continuum International Pub. Group.
Warwick, P., Wilson, E., & Winterbottom, M. (2006). Teaching and learning primary science with ICT. Maidenhead, Open University Press.
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