Final Entry

What do you like about blogging?
Blogging helps me to reflect my own learning process critically and enhancing my soft skills.

2. What you do not like about blogging?
Its time consuming and the layout are dull. So I often feel like its no use telling out what’s in your head into blog.

3. What have you gained from blogging e.g. Language skills, improved fluency, critical thinking, improved thought processes, technology skills etc. How?
Think I’ve gain several skills on reflection something critically and creatively. This reflecting process requires an in-depth understanding in something then only we can identify the issues related, makes an argument and eventually find the best way out to overcome or improves shortcomings regarding the issues. As this is my first attempt in blogging, so I did feel that uncertainty when sharing my own thought to the rest of the world and yeah its challenging.

4. What do you like about this course?
What I like about this course is the skills exposed to us through the use of module. I found it beneficial when I see myself edit my own photos, creating my own ringtones, video etc. its fun when you know that you’re now able to do what others can do before.

5. What you do not like about this course?
Honestly, I don’t see the purpose of us getting the module and need to print screen it back the whole module. It’s like you’re copying it out the whole thing. One more thing is the task. For me the task is OK but still I don’t feel like it has something to do with classroom instruction as a future teacher.

6. What have you learnt from this course?
I get to know lots of technology software such as Adobe Photoshop CS3, FxFoto, Audacity and many more. Besides, I have improved my skill in creating the technology-based teaching aids such as video, e-book and also podcast.


7. What have you learnt from this course that you did not expect to?
I didn’t expect that I’ll be given the task like what they have in the Module.

8. What have u expected but do not learn from this course?
The book actually, because I thought we’ll be using it in formal classes but it wasn’t. I think the book is cool coz it has everything about how a teacher can use and develop such an effective teaching aids for ESL classroom.


9. Comments regarding modules:
1. Internet and computing skills
a. What do you like about this module?
The module has got everything we need in equipping ourselves with technological skills.
b. What do you not like about this module?
Too many tutorials in that and sometimes there’s certain module which I think not necessary to include as the skills is too basic.
c. What do you like about the task given for this module?
The task helps me to explore things that I never knew before and trained me to produce such a creative teaching aids for my future teaching career.
d. What do you not like about the task given for this module?
The repetition of the task and it’s not necessary I think.
e. What are the specific skills that you learn in this module?
Downloading skills especially using Moyea Youtube Downloader.
f. How the skills learnt in this module can help in the making and choosing of teaching aids for the ELT classroom?
I can know able to have varieties in producing teaching aids by integrating all the skills that I’ve learnt so that the classroom activities won’t be dull.


2. Photo Editing
a. What do you like about this module?
This module provides knowledge and information on how we can use software like Adobe CS3, Triscape FxFoto, ACDsee etc to edit the application is possible to produce such an awesome editing works.
b. What do you not like about this module?
There’s certain steps in the tutorial which are unclear because it was printed screen and after photocopying it, the layout won’t be that visible that eventually makes me to search the tutorials online. And sometimes I feel it a waste of time.
c. What do you like about the task given for this module?
I may now edit pictures and its satisfying when the picture looks outstanding even more after being edited.
d. What do you not like about the task given for this module?
Its frustrating when I wasn’t able to upload the movie on Youtube on time and need to keep trying like hundreds time till we manage to upload it.
e. What are the specific skills that you learn in this module?
Editing skills of course using Adobe Photoshop, Photoscape and many more.
f. How the skills learnt in this module can help in the making and choosing of teaching aids for the ELT classroom?
I can vary the materials used in preparing interesting activities for the kids.

3. Audio Editing Skills
a. What do you like about this module?
I like when I able to do audio editing works like cut the song to make it as ringtones, combine the songs, convert audio files etc.
b. What do you not like about this module?
There are certain tutorials which I think complicated and hard to follow that finally I’ll have to search the easier one online.
c. What do you like about the task given for this module?
What I like about the task is the fact that the instruction which is simple and not complicated.
d. What do you not like about the task given for this module?
Its time consuming.
e. What are the specific skills that you learn in this module?
Specific skills that I’ve learnt is edit an audio files using Audacity.
f. How the skills learnt in this module can help in the making and choosing of teaching aids for the ELT classroom?
I can integrate all those skills to produce an interesting attractive teaching aids for the use in ESL classroom.


4. Video Editing Skills
a.What do you like about this module?
What I like about this module is the fact that I may now able to create a video using Windows Movie Maker.
b. What do you not like about this module?
Time consuming.
c. What do you like about the task given for this module?
The task which is producing our own video is interesting as its something new to me.
d. What do you not like about the task given for this module?
It’s difficult to choose videos that suit the KBSR list to be used in planning a lesson.
e. What are the specific skills that you learn in this module?
The specific skills would be how to extract pictures and audio from the video using Windows Movie Maker.
f. How the skills learnt in this module can help in the making and choosing of teaching aids for the ELT classroom?
The skills help me to think of interesting teaching aids to be used in ELT classroom.

5. Software for ELT
a. What do you like about this module?
The module taught me to create brochure, banner, poster, invitation cards and etc. using Microsoft Publisher.
b. What do you not like about this module?
Nothing because I think it’s useful and new to me.
c. What do you like about the task given for this module?
The task prepares me with the skills of producing teaching aids using MS Publisher.
d. What do you not like about the task given for this module?
Too many tasks included for each task given and the instruction is also complicated.
e. What are the specific skills that you learn in this module?
The skills would be creating teaching aids by using MS publisher such as brochure, business cards, poster, banner, greeting cards and etc.
f. How the skills learnt in this module can help in the making and choosing of teaching aids for the ELT classroom?
I might now create a more interesting teaching aid using the software.

10. If you can change anything about this course, state what is and elaborate.
The use of module which is printed screen is a bit frustrating because some of the steps are not clear. So sometimes we need to look for another tutorial online that made me feel like it’s no use referring to the steps on the module when you can search for something better on the net.

On a scale of 1 – 10, please rate your computing and technological skills for both before and after undergoing the course.
Before (4), After (8)

Week 14

Seems like we finally came to an end of this course. Fourteen week passed by and lots of input I gained throughout the course I might say. This class really teaches us to be the teacher that has good technology skills! Though it’s a final week, doesn’t mean that we’re done with everything. We still have few more tasks which is Module 5; waiting to be submitted on the 22nd of November and there will be also a test coming up next week on the 1st of November. So I should really prepare myself for the test as it’s the first time ever since I was attending this class. It will be a 2hours test; 4 essay questions and I need to start reading here and there. Might also need to mention that hopefully the tasks given will be very useful when answering all questions because Pn Foziah did mention about question which requires us to choose a topic and explain about technological teaching aids for every stage in the lesson plan.
So yeah… wish me luck and I would also like to thanks Pn. Foziah for this wonderful semester and good luck to everybody! ;D

Week 13

Submission week
Hello peeps! Time has come for us to hand in our production of various tasks assigned earlier. Can’t believe that finally we made it to the final. And those are what we need to submit
- Module 2 Photo Editing(with the comments).
- Submit e-book
- Submit the lesson plan (groups of 4)

It’s such a relief to actually getting the works done on time. Though it’s tiring and demand blood and tears all over the place, still its part and parcel of an undergraduate student’s life. We might not see the benefits now but we can feel it once we graduate. Everything seems like paid off! Believe me…
And good luck guys for the remaining one more week… Cheerio! ;D

Week 12

‘E book’ honestly this particular words did scares me at first coz it sounds so hi-tech that I wouldn't even think of producing one. But when Pn foziah told us a bit more about what e book really is I would say its possible for me to produce an interesting piece of it meant for primary school children. In fact the samples showed earlier gave me some insight o how I can practice the skills of audio editing as well as picture editing that I’ve learnt before.

The combination of good pictures and sounds are very important to come out with a good interesting e book. The ‘navigation’ tool in the e-book on the other hand will enable us to move to the ‘next slide’ and return to the ‘previous slide’ in an easier way.

Some elements of an effective e book that would appeal to children:
1) A theme to the story
2) Setting (time and place)
3) Plot that shows the conflict, climax and resolution
4) Characterization
5) Navigational tools to make sure the slides can work properly (can go to next slide and previous slide)
6) Pictures must be clear cut and colourful, no different shades or shadows.
7) Sound to accompany the e-book reading.

If you’ve notice, those elements have got something to do with stories. Yes! The use of stories in teaching young language learner! Its best to insert that elements in the e book because its obvious that stories are a wonderful way to teach young learners English as they provide contexts which children can relate to and which motivate and excite them. In addition storybooks provide invaluable visual and linguistic support for both young learners and primary school teachers.

Children love storybooks in their own language and with teacher guidance they can use the reading, picture interpretation and creative skills they already use in their first language along with their cross-curricular knowledge and have a very positive learning experience.

Storybooks are obviously not the same as storytelling where you don't necessarily use an actual book. This puts more pressure on the teacher and provides less visual support for the learners. So everybody… future teacher out there, start to think of the most creative way in your teaching style and of course it should be something outside of the box! Good luck!! ;D

Week 11

Again this week will be the extension of what we were doing since last week. The class started off by a briefing on the importance of signature on the edited picture to show some sort of copyright to the viewer so it’s kinda like acknowledgement for the individual who produce such an edited pieces of work.

We tend to assume that an edited photo is meant to make the image clearer or outstanding but do we really take note of what’s the message and significance behind the picture? After the lecture, I realize that yeah… a picture does serve million of words in it. Thus, we need to think of the hidden message that we might want the viewer to interpret whenever they look at those pictures.

What else…. Hmm… oh I remember that day when Pn. Foziah did showed us quite number of edited pictures and they’re all cool. The superimpose effect really gave such an impact and it amazed me so much. With cs3 software, we can freely make the picture the way we want it to be... Awes0me! Looks like I can put myself next to my all time favorite singer... yeay!! ;D
Okay enough with those overreacted feelings now I need to come ot with my own edited pictures as required for Task 1, Module 2. And not to forget to publish in on Photobucket. S0… wish me luck peeps! Cherio! ;)

" A true freinds are like FOREVER"

Week 10

Ten ten ten….. Didn’t realize that know in the tenth week of lecture which another 4 weeks remaining before this semester become a wonderful history. As for this week, we were given ample time to accomplish task on Module 2.

There are many types of photo editing software that is available on the internet and in many physical retail outlets. Depending on the type of editing that you want to do with your pictures will depend on the type of features that you want you editing software to have. There are many different features that the software could have such as standard editing tools such as red eye removal, rotating and resizing the picture, flipping and cropping, adjusting the light, color management, having multiple undos, and the capability of drawing tools and shapes that can be added to a photo. Along with this task, we need to upload those edited pictures on the net using Photobucket channel.

Think that’s all for now. See ya! ;D

Before....


After...

Week 9

Raya m00d raya m00d!!! goodays everyone… would like to take this chance to wish every muslims out there a Selamat hari raya Aidilfitri’ especially to my dearest lecturer Pn Foziah… Selamat Hari Raya again… looks like raya mood is still in the air nut there’s no way for me to escape from workloads already assigned. We were given Module 2 which is about photo editing by using photo editing software comes from a very sources like Adobe Photoshop CS3, Photoscape, Photobucket and ACDsee and etc. its kinda new to me coz all this while my attempt in editing would be only limited to ‘paint’ which is already installed in my pc but now I can upgrade those skills to the next level. Hopefully this task enables me to become more proficient in my editing works.

Week 8

A week goes by, another week came in, and the workload is still there… and for this particular week, we need to submit module 1 and were given another task which is included along with Module 3.

It took me about almost a day to look into what’s inside the module... it’s rather thick compared to the previous module and it’s mainly about audio editing. Generally the module is divided into three components namely:
i) The objectives of this module
ii) The module
iii) The task to test what has been learnt

And by the end of this module, we are expected to be able to:

- Change speed, pitch cut and join audio for making better quality audio files.
- Decrease and increase music tempo.
- Remove noise from audio, upgrading the quality of stupid audio files.
- Converting and encoding audio files
- Changing the type of audio files from wav to mp3
- Create minus one.
- Combine two songs
- Edit music and sound
- Saving and uploading

Week 7

Now, since we’re already in second half of this semester which I think its time for me to focus more on the tasks so I came to class… bring along my dearest laptop with me tried my best to use the given 3hours to work on module 1 which was given to us earlier. Nothing much to say but the task is basically about basic skills of using technology skills. Though we may found it simple but there’s lot more waiting us in the box.

Just be positive with every tiny little thing given to us, there must be purposeful and useful for our own benefits because the next generation of future teacher is not coming to class just for the sake of teaching but they’ll ensure the knowledge transfer and interactive teaching and learning is happening as well.

Week 6

Empowering 21st century educator.
In order for children to be prepared for the 21st century, educators have to understand what it takes to create an environment that supports teaching and learning new media literacy.

We all know how much technology has fundamentally changed the way we communicate, interact, and work. So it should be no surprise that our students engage more deeply in learning activities when teachers deliver content using interactive learning technologies. Furthermore, it is not surprising that when teachers consistently embrace together digital content and interactive learning activities that student engagement and achievement grows. It is what students expect today in this new millennium.

The 21st century teacher needs to be a digital native. While older teachers will inevitably be digital immigrants, at the very least they must be willing to adapt and change. Modern living in the 21st century is internet based. We get our information direct from the source. Knowing how to manage digital software, Twitter and all the other electronic gadgets at our disposal and as yet undreamed of is an important skill for any 21st century teacher to have.
Using technology in classroom would be a meaningful tool in teaching and learning techniques in this era of technology as it could provide and bring the whole world into the classroom. The job of a teacher is not limited to the process of delivering and sharing knowledge in the classroom. We are actually given greater responsibilities in shaping and creating the value of the people of tomorrow; the people who view this world as a stage to learn and to perform their talent and skills based on what has been taught throughout their schooling years.

Week 5

Utilizing technology-based teaching aids in classroom instruction

Teaching aid, as its name suggests, is a kind of aids which support the teaching and learning activities of teachers and students.
To put it more specific, a teaching aid is a tool used by teachers, facilitators, or tutors to:

- help learners improve reading and other skills
- illustrate or reinforce a skill, fact, or idea
- relieve anxiety, fears, or boredom, since many teaching aids are like games


In short, teaching aids are the useful materials and equipment which help create motivation for teaching and learning environment.
Utilizing modern teaching aids successfully will create the best platform for learning and teaching. Teachers are using multimedia content with audio and video into their lessons. The teacher has to be sure to identify the main points of the contents so that children can absorb the knowledge. In doing so teacher might probably wanted to bring a chart or draw a neat diagram on the board, but effective learning still misses out.

One thing we need to bear in mind is the fact that a multimedia content gives the student a better learning experience as they can watch the actual phenomena and processes. With Interactive Whiteboards for instance teachers can annotate on their content and save it in computer files that can’t be done through traditional boards.
Time has come to integrate modern teaching aids into the classroom for effective learning and teaching. So yeah... be creative!!

Week 4: Modern vs. Traditional teaching aids.

Technology plays an important role in enhancing learning system. The time of blackboards with chalk and notice boards is going to change. The crucial factor in a teaching process is the quality of the lessons given by the teachers. Teachers therefore should use modern teaching aids.Modern teaching aids are used to make learning sessions interactive and motivating. Nowadays, classes are equipped with modern teaching aids such as Interactive Whiteboards, visualizer, response system, projectors and educational software etc. Teaching with modern teaching aids is essential in the technological age. Many subject topics can be taught better and in more depth with modern teaching aids. Teachers must use various types of modern teaching aids to connect with students. Modern teaching aids incorporate audio-visual techniques that influence the interest and memory of students.

Book as traditional teaching resources. DO YOU AGREE??
Books are an age old teaching resource. With technological progress, many modern teaching resources have surfaced but the popularity of books remains untouched. When one talks of education the image that props up in his or her mind is that of books rather than a personal computer or IWB.
Books are the age old knowledge imparting resources that every individual has in his or her mind. A child emerging on his or her educational journey first gets acquainted with books; having colored picture illustrations to catch as well as hold on to. Even today, elders are keen on getting their wards fall into the habit of reading books.
Modern technology has brought computers within our reach. Computers form a very important part of young students' education these days. But it may be important to note that it is still books that are used as resources for teaching any subject at any level. Therefore we may conclude that books, till now, are the primary teaching resources.

Week 3

Young Minds...

We came to our third week of this course. And for this week, Pn. Foziah wanted us to work on a group discussion about what is written by Susan Halliwel in her book under the chapter ‘Working with young learners’. As a teacher, we need to consider with the fact that children are very unique in their own way. They can be very expressive viewing things in their own way. Therefore there are quite number of skills that we as a teacher need to bear with in mind especially when working with young language learners. According to Halliwell, those skills are:

Children’s ability to grasp meaning

Children’s creative use of limited language resources

Children’s capacity of indirect learning

Children’s instinct for play and fun

The role of imagination

The instinct for interaction and talk

Thus my group and I were given the second skill which is children’s creative use limited language resources. Based on our discussion, what we can summarize from the paragraph is the fact that:

- Young children may have creative use of grammatical form and concept

- Children excel at making a little language of their mother tongue

When children try to attempt this process, they can actually build up their grasp of the language because they are actively recombining and reconstructing it for themselves.

In terms of classroom activity, teacher needs to provide these young language learners with activities that that can encourage them to communicate expressively in their own way. The activities should also be something that is unpredictable and appear encouraging to them, so that they can construct language actively.

Example of activities:

GAMES!

Because it is known that games is something that is absolutely appeal to young children as it is FUN and apart from that we may find it USEFUL as it could ENCOURAGE COMMUNICATION among the child itself and last but not least; of course it is UNPREDICTABLE because playing is something that is very natural.

So yeah… never underestimates the ability of a child.

Week 2 : A space to share

lazy sunday... updating this blog with a backround music from a wedding ceremony outside my apartment.. a bit distracting with all those noises coming in but yeah.. getting used to it now..

Second week of resource class... what should i say.. glad to meet my respective lecturer again.. =)
She always had tons of stories and advices to share with us.. thats what i l0ve the most about her.. And as for the class, she told us about the importance of fast typing.. and she did provide us the link where we could download and install the typing test installer so that we could practice practice and practice till we can just type without looking at the keyboard anymore! w0oWw.. what a skill..

i might be editing this post again next time.. adding s0me picture and summ0re.. but i think that's it for now..

Cheri0!!

Week 1

First thing first......


NAME: SITI FAREZZA BT. ABD MUIS
MATRIC NUMBER: PEH0800065


To be honest, this would be my first attempt in blogging. I do hope that i will be more expressive when giving out my thoughts later as i wont really have that skills in me. So yeah.. enjoy my blog and don't hesitate to leave your comment.. Think that's all for now.. Cheerio!! =)