Adieu

Today (or yesterday, rather) marks the end of my journey of my Bachelor's Degree of Early Childhood Education. It has been a bittersweet journey and I have indeed learnt so much during this course. I am grateful for my classmates that they are always there for me, sharing experiences, encouraging me, pushing me and making me stressing me out to give in my best for my assignments. Segi and USQ lecturers and mentors, you have always been kind and understanding to me. Thank you for making this journey a memorable one.  

ICT has taught me a great deal of things that I never knew of and I come to realize the importance of these skills to enhance young children's learning. Though many schools, may not be able to afford to have ICT in their schools, if given the opportunity, I would try to integrate ICT into lesson plans whenever I could because I can!

This is not goodbye..

Image is sourced from Google Image

Professional Experience

So for EDC3100, one of the requirements that is required of us to pass this subject is to do Professional Experience. The Professional Experience or practicum is going great so far. The school I am currently doing my practicum is based in Kuala Lumpur. What I love about the school is that it is Montessori and play based. The teachers there are welcoming and friendly, they are ever willing to help and even offered some interesting lesson plans.

The children are very friendly and are very eager learners. They are not afraid to speak up their mind and they all work well together. This is because the school system allows the children to mingle with each other regardless of the age group. They are also independent and are able to do things with minimal guidance from adults.

I will be integrating ICTs into my lesson plans. I cant wait to conduct the lessons but at the same time, I am a little scared that some of the lessons may not work out as plan. But let's be positive about this :) 

It is too bad that one of the policies of the school is that pictures of students are not allowed to be taken. I love the school environment though! So.. Montessori! I see that I am going to enjoy myself here! :)

Images are sourced from Google Image

Being CyberSmart

I have just completed a 4 module online course by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). This module is about being cyber smart. The modules are interactive and easy to understand. It also has videos, some stimulation games and quizzes to be answered during the module.

Images are from Google Images

This module has taught me some things that I never knew of to be safe when going online. It makes me wonder that if I do not know about this, what more innocent children who are so exposure to the world of technology and media now?

Being cyber safe is to be able to identify students who are/is at risk of unsafe behaviours online and to come up with solutions to help prevent unsafe online behaviour amongst the student body together with the stake holders- parents, school and government.

I myself have seen some videos and pictures with elements of cyber bullying. Some of them has become so viral, until it became a police investigation case and of course, the video/ picture were asked to be taken down. So as an educator, friend or parent, what would you do to stop cyber bullying? Educate yourself today! Just go to this link 

Images are from Google Images

Food, Glorious Food!

I was reading through my peer’s blogs and Vivien’s post gave me a little inspiration and I can relate to her post.

I am not much of a cook. Really, I think I can burn down the whole house if I could. After starting work and not being able to go back to Grandma’s for dinner now. I have been eating out pretty often. I realise that it is getting expensive to dine out, it is not that hygienic and it is not that healthy. There is where I decided to start cooking.

Image is sourced from Google Images

My family is on a gluten free diet (me included), so I have to search for recipes that are gluten free (and simple to prepare, of course).  With the help of search engines, you can find many kinds of recipes and ideas that are oh-so-mouth-watering-and-yummy!

Image is sourced from Google Images

The recipes can be range for easy-hard to prepare depends on the person. Reading the reviews and feedbacks from other people can be interesting as they give you new ideas/ modification for the recipes.  I find myself being able to improvise some recipes and to find cooking is not bad after all.   

Here are some websites that I mostly look for in searching for gluten free and non gluten free recipes;

·         http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/gluten-free-recipes.html

·         http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/gluten-free

·         http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/recipe_slideshows/healthy_gluten_free_dinner_recipes

·         http://www.foodnetwork.com/healthy/packages/healthy-every-week.html

What is the weather like from where you are?

Hello everyone, it has been a while.

I was looking through my ICT StudyDesk when came about this activity. I know I am a little late, but I found this Learning Journal activity so fun and interesting. This activity requires you / and a friend from another part of the world to take a picture of the current weather from where we are and to post it up on Flickr. I WhatsApp -ed my brother and some friends who are staying abroad to send me pictures of their current weather. They found it funny that I asked them randomly for a picture of the currently weather and to write a little description to it. :p

So, without further a due, let us take a look at the weather around the world (GMT+8 approx 1100-1200 hours, 15 May 2014)

Singapore

Weather report from friend, 'It is a bright and shiny day to be out in the sun!'

Tasmania, Australia

Weather report from the brother, 'Cold, wet, miserable.. A good day to sleep in.'

Chengdu, China

Weather report from friend, 'Dreary weather everyday.'

Subang Jaya, Malaysia   

Weather report from me, 'A cloudy day, it looks like it is going to pour soon.' (and it did!)

Thanks to our advanced technology, sharing and sending media over are made so much easier! All you have to do is to look for the attachment icon, search for the image/ video/ contact number/ location you are at, and send! J

Social Media and Children

I was looking through YouTube when I came across this video. In this video, the interviewer was asking children what they know about social media . Their answers were really cute and funny.  

What I realize about this video is that children create their own understanding of the world and interpret their own ideas/ understandings. What I gather from the video too, is that some of the children are not introduced to social media by parents or teachers. Why?

I believe as educators, we should introduce our young explorers to social media and explain to how to use these social media wisely such as using privacy settings and the dos and don’ts. This is so that children becomes aware and to use social media appropriately. It also lowers the risk of cyber bullying and exposure of vulnerability of adult predators. 

References:

Markmalkoff. (2013). What Kids REALLY Think of Social Media. YouTube. Retrieved April 22, 2014, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nceDhoXKLKk 

Instagram Junkie Alert!

I realised during most of young people’s free time, they will be either playing games or will be on social media.  One of the social media most people use is Instagram. I am a self proclaimed Instagram junkie. I have 534 photos and counting (wait, maybe, I am not THAT bad). I have taken way too many pictures of my meals, coffees and people I love. What can I say? Every picture tells a story.

Image is sourced from Google Images

Little do the viewers know how much trouble it takes to get that ‘picture perfect’ moment and the amount of time editing and choosing which filter to make it look pretty.  I am not saying it is a bad thing. We just want to make our life look pretty and perfect on social media. #justsaying

It does have some benefits too, aside from sharing photos and videos; it can help people to meet new people and build relationships and enhance self esteem. You can meet people who share the same interest with you and to expand your network. I must admit that I do get inspiration from viewing other people’s Instagram profile.

Children can use this application to share snippets of their daily activities in school instead of saying ‘I don’t know’, when parents ask how is their day at school. 

Art and Craft Dilemma

I am not really a crafty person, but I love art and craft (do I make any sense?) I love looking up for new crafts for my little ones. I find the Internet ever so amazing. Just type in your key words unto any search engines and voila! There will be plenty of suggested websites for you to go into, sometimes (for my case, especially). There will be too many choices, till I don’t know where or which to choose from! Too spoiled for choice. :P

I do not particularly have a favorite website as I like to discover new websites and new ideas from different mom blogs and websites. But I do find myself browsing through Pinterest and The Crafty Crow the most. 

However, children’s end product may not be the same as on the website or as you hope that it will turn out to be.  So, I must remind myself all the time to keep an open mind and it is the learning process that really counts!

Do you have any favorite art and craft website? Please do share! 

P.S: Easter is coming! :)

Image is sourced from The Crafty Crow

Revolution of Education Through ICT

Image is sourced from Pinterest

I was looking through Pinterest when I found this picture. I though it was pretty cool. 

When was the last time you used an overhead projector or a voice recorder? That is what I thought. It this age of technology, we can just do anything and almost everything in just a click away, and young students who are tech savvy especially are able to respond to that.

I find it interesting on how technology has revolved in the education field. Gone were the days where students sit and learn through book and pencil method. Now, with advanced ICT, education is made fun and engaging to students. It is more hands on whereby they are able to relate their learning to the real world and students do not have to carry those dreadful heavy text books everywhere they go! (:  

Just put away that thingamagic thing, will you please?

A few weeks ago, I was having lunch with a friend; I could not help but to notice this young family. This young family consist of 2 children (a toddler and a child around 5 years old) and their parents. The moment the family were shown where they are to sit, the parents immediately took out 2 iPads and gave them to each child. The children had their eyes glued to the gadget, of course. The parents discussed their orders, placed their orders and took out their own smart phones and there was silence on that table.

Hmmm...  What ever happen to face to face communication? :/

Images are from Google Images

I find that parents should make an effort to TALK to their children instead of shushing them with gadgets. Yes, ICT is a good exposure to children for their future but I feel that nothing should be replaced with quality social time with your loved ones.

Children at this young age, should learn to socialise with other people, explore (the environment-not the device, mind you ) and question.. A lot.  

I was not raised in a tech savy family whereby Mom made us talk and put away all sorts of distraction during meal times and family time (even now). Even though sometimes we might get too caught up with our phones, Mom would gently remind us that it is dinner time. It breaks my heart to see families (young and old), even some friends who are ever so engrossed to the screen instead of caring what is going on with your friend/ child/ sister... etc.

So, for once, stop caring on what status or filter to use and talk to the person beside you. Ask them how their day is. Believe me, talking helps :)

Thank you, Tengku Nur Aulia, a fellow EDC 3100 classmate for the post inspiration :)

I find these articles from Elite Daily and NBC News interesting and meaningful regarding to this topic. Check them out

Phew...

I never knew doing an online artefact can be so fun but yet so frustrating (due to my lack of technology skills). I felt that I could have done much more and better but well...  I could not figure out how. I was feeling a bit panicky and everything seemed wrong, messy and all over the place. But I managed to get through it and it is finally over. This assignment has taught me a great amount of technology and I can’t deny that it has helped me understand ICT better. 

Image is from Google Images

I'm pretty sure all of us went through this before :p 

Online Artefact for Assignment 1... Done!

Hello there,

I have finally completed my online artefact (after much battling with my dinosaur technology skills).  This artefact discuss about what and whys technology should be used in classrooms. I hope this artefact will be informative to you and could be one of your references for your future teaching!

Please refer to this link :)

Have a great evening ahead! 

Where am I?

Ever since I started driving, I have always been getting lost or taking wrong turns. I am not good at taking directions either as I am always mixing up my lefts and rights especially when I am behind the wheels. Luckily for me and thank God for advanced technology, Global Positioning System (GPS), saved my life! GPS tells you exactly where you are and the fastest or alternative routes you can use to get you to your location.  

This is a short video (please refer to this link) I found interesting on how explain how GPS works. Having a basic understanding of how it functions is really important for those interested in getting a deeper understanding of how this technology can help solve one’s daily problem.  

One of the most reliable GPS I have used is Waze. Waze is an application for smart phones for users. It displays a live map of the area together with traffic conditions such as traffic jams, police traps and others. It also allows users to report on current road condition to other Waze users as well.  

Images are from Google Image

It even tells you where is the next petrol station! :)

GPS has been helpful to me as I am able to find my way without getting lost anymore. I discover new routes and I am more independent now (yay me).  

Educators and ICT

The world is changing more rapidly than ever before due to increasing technological advances. The influence of technology has played a huge impact on education especially.  Educators have to overcome their fears of technophobia. 

Using technology and ICT to teach students can fun and challenging. It provides teacher to expand students learning with various websites which provides ever ending list of ideas and what to dos! Technology also teachers to discuss and exchange ideas with other professionals alike abroad. It brings the whole world closer to each other :) 

Teacher need to keep themselves updated with the latest technology and help students to distinguish the right and wrong information from the internet can be rather overwhelming. Teachers should educate themselves to use technology as part of their living life so that they are able to use technology with ease. As educators, we should not let our fears to pull us down, but to take it as a challenge and to find ways of overcoming it (just like how we manage the children!)

Happy Tuesday!  

Children and YouTube

Today in school, a girl was singing ‘Do You Want to Build a Snowman’ by Frozen. One of the latest animation cartoons by Walt Disney. I was impressed with her as she was able to memorized the WHOLE lyrics of the song (and other Frozen songs too). I asked her where she did learn the song from. She told me every day, she would go into YouTube and search for the song. 

Images are from Google

 

Do you want to build a snowman? :)

I believe that YouTube has played a major role in society, especially young children. YouTube has also been noted as being one of the most famous social media platforms for showcasing new and creative work for all age ranges (Examiner.com, 2014). Children are always curious with the world around them and are eager learners. Children learn best then they have something that are of their interest and invokes their curiosity. Just by tying the key word to the search, children are able to find what they want to learn for example, educational songs, programmes and entertainment. YouTube can be a helpful learning tool and those who value learning should take time to explore the site and see what content fits their specific needs in order to enhance their educational experience (Examiner.com, 2014). 

References.

Examiner.com. (2014). The educational benefits of YouTube. Retrieved March24, 2014, from                      http://www.examiner.com/article/the-educational-benefits-of-youtube

[lyrics+Vietsub] Do you want to build a snowman- from Frozen. YouTube. Retrieved March 24, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZOI1yUGPBQ

Malaysian Education System and ICT

I was looking through Twitter when I came across one of our lecturer’s (David Jones) tweet. I found it interesting. 

 Images are from Google

To read the article about Malaysia’s launch on Blueprint for Education System ICT Reform, please refer to this link

This article reminds me when I was in high school whereby learning about ICT is new to the Education system and it wasn’t much that we learnt about. The only thing I remember doing was playing educational game throughout the whole period! 

I feel that it is crucial for the Malaysian Education system to be exposed to ICT. As we are moving on to the next level in improving ourselves, the education system too should change and be in par with modern technology. With the access to wireless internet access, it can become an interactive tool for interactive learning for teachers and students. 

Students will have the chance to create, share and learn through the social media and expand their knowledge through the World Wide Web. Teachers can use the internet to make learning fun and to expand the students’ prior knowledge. Teachers are able to find new approaches and ideas on the net. With the help of the internet, learning can be so much faster and easier. In just one click, the answers are there already. On the spot! One does not need to go home and to ‘do your own research’ anymore. The potential to have all the educational resources is there with the help of search engines and various websites. The potential to expand students’ learning is indeed tremendous with ICT.