Just to share some thoughts on my Learning Journey in the last two weeks:
As a teacher, I have learnt to refocus my teaching from assessment centered to student centered. ICT platforms would be useful tools to consider especially those in the web 2.0 environment [Wetpaint, Google docs, Blogspot].
As an education practitioner, I am clearer on how to carry out an educational research and also the statistical treatment of the data collected [Referencs Vs Bibliography, SPSS]
As a learner, I see myself growing intellectually from the lessons I have attended and the readings I have done from journal articles and conference articles. I am greatly inspired to embark on a research study and write a paper as well.
As a parent, I do see the importance of creating a conducive learning environment at home, for my children to learn and grow.
As a M Ed student, I now call my fellow students my friends. It is through these two week module that I really get to know these wonderful prople. I look forward to seeing every one next year.
Thank you Dr Quek for everything.
Wishing Everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
05 December 2008
04 December 2008
MED858: REFLECTIONS ON READING
VALIDATION OF AN INSTRUMENT TO MONITOR MY STUDENTS' FACE-TO-FACE PHILOSOPHY COMMUNITES OF INQUIRY by Yip Meng Fai and Quek Choon Lang.
It is interesting that the researcher chose to do this study for the subject Philosophy. Perhaps this subject is rarely taken by students in the age group concerned and that is why there is a need to validate the instrument, as there are no validated instrument for Philosophy. I don't think this validated instrument would be used by many schools as most schools do not offer Philosophy. Nevertheless, this study does address the lack of a LE instrument not developed in this subject area.
Under Methodolgy, the resercher used "grade 7-10" instead of "secondary 1-4". Clearly, this paper was meant for the international audience. Most teachers among our midst would be more comfortable with "secondary 1-4".
Validation process consists of Factor Analysis, Testing for Item Reliability and Scale Reliability. I have learnt about this in one short afternoon using SPSS, but I doubt if I am able to comprehen terminologies like "Internal consistency" and "Discriminant validity".
But the part on how the CLES was modifed and why it was modified as such was clearly explained in this paper. After the validation process, it was found that one of the items in the Subject Nature Scale is problematic and thus should be discarded from this instrument. So if ever a teacher wishes to understand the LE in his or her Philosophy class, then this instrument can be used as it is validated.
It is for the benefit of the respondents to the modifed CLES to read:
"Learning about the world" instead of "Personal Relevence"
" Learning about Philosophy" instead of "Subject Nature"
"Learning to speak out" instead of "Critical Voice"
"Learning to communicate" instead of "Student Negotiation".
Table 1 on page 4 would have made it clear to the reader how to match the correct Scales on the survey forms. These four scales were also able to cover the 3 dimensions according to Moos's Scheme.
Appendix 3 indicates to me that Items 7 to 12 are under Subject Nature Scale. But when I checked Appendix 2, Item 12 is under "Learning to speak out". I studied Table 1 on page 4 and concluded that there are 23 items. Table 2 page 6 also has 23 items. But appendix 2 has only 22 items. I believe in appendix 2, there is missing item 12 under Subject Nature Scale. Subsequently, item 13 becomes item 12, item 14 beccomes item 13 and so on. I believe this should be the error.
It is interesting that the researcher chose to do this study for the subject Philosophy. Perhaps this subject is rarely taken by students in the age group concerned and that is why there is a need to validate the instrument, as there are no validated instrument for Philosophy. I don't think this validated instrument would be used by many schools as most schools do not offer Philosophy. Nevertheless, this study does address the lack of a LE instrument not developed in this subject area.
Under Methodolgy, the resercher used "grade 7-10" instead of "secondary 1-4". Clearly, this paper was meant for the international audience. Most teachers among our midst would be more comfortable with "secondary 1-4".
Validation process consists of Factor Analysis, Testing for Item Reliability and Scale Reliability. I have learnt about this in one short afternoon using SPSS, but I doubt if I am able to comprehen terminologies like "Internal consistency" and "Discriminant validity".
But the part on how the CLES was modifed and why it was modified as such was clearly explained in this paper. After the validation process, it was found that one of the items in the Subject Nature Scale is problematic and thus should be discarded from this instrument. So if ever a teacher wishes to understand the LE in his or her Philosophy class, then this instrument can be used as it is validated.
It is for the benefit of the respondents to the modifed CLES to read:
"Learning about the world" instead of "Personal Relevence"
" Learning about Philosophy" instead of "Subject Nature"
"Learning to speak out" instead of "Critical Voice"
"Learning to communicate" instead of "Student Negotiation".
Table 1 on page 4 would have made it clear to the reader how to match the correct Scales on the survey forms. These four scales were also able to cover the 3 dimensions according to Moos's Scheme.
Appendix 3 indicates to me that Items 7 to 12 are under Subject Nature Scale. But when I checked Appendix 2, Item 12 is under "Learning to speak out". I studied Table 1 on page 4 and concluded that there are 23 items. Table 2 page 6 also has 23 items. But appendix 2 has only 22 items. I believe in appendix 2, there is missing item 12 under Subject Nature Scale. Subsequently, item 13 becomes item 12, item 14 beccomes item 13 and so on. I believe this should be the error.
MED858: Web 2.0 and Wiki
I am most fasinated with this Web 2.0 environment. I find the pictures in http://www.rossdawsonblog.com/Web2_Framework.pdflog.com/Web2_Framework.pdf most interesting. In fact, I am very tempted to print out page 3 as shown and frame it up as a poster on the wall. I have already used this diagram as my Notebook Wallpaper.
I remember learning from one of the presenter or keynote speaker in International Conference on Teaching and Learning with Technology 2008 that we have to move our students from consumers of information to producers of information. This is essentially progressing from
the browsing and learning from the world wide web to contributing to the world wide web.
As we draw more information from others' Wiki, we must be mindful that there is no check of accuracy of information. So I am convinced that the printed media is here to stay, for good. Print materials are normally edited by the publisher or editor. Textual contents are proof-read and facts are verified. The author and the publisher are accountable and their names are at stake. In the non-print environment, authors can use any name or avatar he or she likes and contribute to the knowledge community freely. Of course there is some form of self-censorship and other members of the on-line community would police the cyber-space. But there is no true accountability. Not that people wants to feed mis-information. But then there will always be some crack-case.
This brings me to the possibility of "what you see is not what you get".
I showed this picture taken from http://talkback.stomp.com.sg/forums/showthread.php?t=19601 when teaching a Sexuality Education Module on PDA: Public display of affection.
When I told my students that there was always the possibility that the teenagers "caught" on candid camera were actually posing for their friend and all they wanted to do was to create some excitment in their school, many looked shocked.
So the web 2.0 environment is good for engaging learners in discussions and intellectual and critical thirnking. But when it comes to factual aspects of the subject matter, the printed form is the authority in the discipline.
I remember learning from one of the presenter or keynote speaker in International Conference on Teaching and Learning with Technology 2008 that we have to move our students from consumers of information to producers of information. This is essentially progressing from
the browsing and learning from the world wide web to contributing to the world wide web.
As we draw more information from others' Wiki, we must be mindful that there is no check of accuracy of information. So I am convinced that the printed media is here to stay, for good. Print materials are normally edited by the publisher or editor. Textual contents are proof-read and facts are verified. The author and the publisher are accountable and their names are at stake. In the non-print environment, authors can use any name or avatar he or she likes and contribute to the knowledge community freely. Of course there is some form of self-censorship and other members of the on-line community would police the cyber-space. But there is no true accountability. Not that people wants to feed mis-information. But then there will always be some crack-case.
This brings me to the possibility of "what you see is not what you get".
I showed this picture taken from http://talkback.stomp.com.sg/forums/showthread.php?t=19601 when teaching a Sexuality Education Module on PDA: Public display of affection.
When I told my students that there was always the possibility that the teenagers "caught" on candid camera were actually posing for their friend and all they wanted to do was to create some excitment in their school, many looked shocked.So the web 2.0 environment is good for engaging learners in discussions and intellectual and critical thirnking. But when it comes to factual aspects of the subject matter, the printed form is the authority in the discipline.
03 December 2008
NO TIME? SURE GOT TIME.
No time is the most common complain amongst us. A few months ago, as I was submitting my claim via PacGov for my digital camera purchase from my LDS grant, it dawn upon me that when we say we have NO TIME, there is more to it than simply NO TIME.
NO TIME? SURE GOT TIME, if it is IMPORTANT enough for you.
Doing medical claims, sending car for routine servicing, bringing children for enrichment programmes, completing Work Review Forms, marking exam scripts.... All Done! In good time!
So if it's important enough, then we will find time to do it.
But it DOES NOT mean that for things we cannot find time to complete, these are not important enough. It could be firstly, these tasks would required a longer duration to complete. So we do the easy ones first. Secondly, these tasks are not enjoyable. So "sweet first, bitter later". Thirdly, these task are ranked just below the completed tasks, definitely top of the charts. But by that time, we are just completely exhausted. So we do not complete these tasks because we are completely exhausted, and we also want to sustain our health and our sanity, so we "run away, leave to fight another day."
NO TIME? SURE GOT TIME, if it is IMPORTANT enough for you.
Doing medical claims, sending car for routine servicing, bringing children for enrichment programmes, completing Work Review Forms, marking exam scripts.... All Done! In good time!
So if it's important enough, then we will find time to do it.
But it DOES NOT mean that for things we cannot find time to complete, these are not important enough. It could be firstly, these tasks would required a longer duration to complete. So we do the easy ones first. Secondly, these tasks are not enjoyable. So "sweet first, bitter later". Thirdly, these task are ranked just below the completed tasks, definitely top of the charts. But by that time, we are just completely exhausted. So we do not complete these tasks because we are completely exhausted, and we also want to sustain our health and our sanity, so we "run away, leave to fight another day."
MORE GREEN SCENE
I am too stingy to buy expensive cameras. Half a thousand dollars is considered expensive.
So I use a simple small compact fully auto digital camera to take pictures.
One picture is taken from a jogging track around my HDB flat. Another picture is the view from my study room. I added in the flower to brighten up my blog which is too greenish.
IF WE MADE THE EFFORT, THEN IT'S DONE
IF WE MADE THE EFFORT, THEN IT'S DONE
I have 3 kids. Whenever people asked me how old they are, I always scratch my head and can only say that they are in P5, P1 and N2.
Then one day, I decided to make an effort to remember how old they are, once and for all. I realised that they are 4, 7 and 11. 4711 is something familar to me. It's the name of some cologne that I remembered when I was very young. Now I remember my children's ages: 4,7,11.
What is the morale of the story?
If we made the effort, then it's done. What is stopping us from making the effort is that there are some many other more important and pressing matters that we are paralysed into neglecting the unimportant ones.
What are unimportant to us are usually things not related to work, like I wanted to play badminton with my boy but no time. I wanted to help my children in their school work especially my P5 boy but no time. I wanted to learn inserting music and video into my blog but no time.
No time.
So I decided to take the effort to blog for fun because blogging is supposed to be fun.
But NO TIME.
I have 3 kids. Whenever people asked me how old they are, I always scratch my head and can only say that they are in P5, P1 and N2.
Then one day, I decided to make an effort to remember how old they are, once and for all. I realised that they are 4, 7 and 11. 4711 is something familar to me. It's the name of some cologne that I remembered when I was very young. Now I remember my children's ages: 4,7,11.
What is the morale of the story?
If we made the effort, then it's done. What is stopping us from making the effort is that there are some many other more important and pressing matters that we are paralysed into neglecting the unimportant ones.
What are unimportant to us are usually things not related to work, like I wanted to play badminton with my boy but no time. I wanted to help my children in their school work especially my P5 boy but no time. I wanted to learn inserting music and video into my blog but no time.
No time.
So I decided to take the effort to blog for fun because blogging is supposed to be fun.
But NO TIME.
01 December 2008
MED858: MORE ON LEs & APERA PARA-CONFERENCE 2008
MORE ON LEs
Reading about school A in the case studies reminded me that there is no absolute good or bad LE. It is a matter of which type of LE is suitable for the class or the school at that point in time. A class of students of PSLE T-scores 240 to 250 would need a certain type of LE different from a class of students of PSLE T-scores 190 to 200. Similarly, the aesthetically talented in SOTA (School of the Arts), the sporting talents in Singapore Sports School, and the budding scientists in NUS High would need very different LEs from the mainstream schools.
The next principal who took over school A used to work in MOE in the PCCG branch or something to do with the like. He came to my school to give us a talk, in the mid 90s. Till today, I remember what he said, “We cannot change a person (student), but we can change the environment surrounding that person”. So changing the human and/or the physical environment would provide the conditions for a person to change. How true! Physical environment alone would have already shaped human behaviour. If a person enters a lift with full of litter, he or she would not be too worried about throwing a piece of used tissue paper in the lift. But if that person is in a posh hotel lift, clean carpet with nice yellow lighting and air-conditioned, then the behaviour would be altered. No wonder principals spend lots of money and time and effort doing up their schools. The comments from the un-enlightened would be that principals are doing up the school to show off. NIE should give all trainee teachers an introductory module on LEs, if this has not been done yet.
REFLECTIONS ON APERA PARA-CONFERENCE 2008
I very often heard, I may be guilty of it myself, people making remarks that the papers presented at conferences were nothing new. Such teaching approaches or teaching methods were already done in their own schools. My response is that many teachers have taught many different ways. But not many teachers are able to get themselves to do a pre-teaching assessment and a post-teaching assessment and document their teaching based on a sound and practical approach supported by some literature reviews of similar work done. Such work demands the teachers to be reflective in their teaching and to be honest in their self-assessments. Much more time has to be spent on doing the write-up, and preparing for the presentation, if their research studies do get selected at all. Thus I believe schools should give some form of recognition and reward to such teachers, as a form of motivation and encouragement.
Reading about school A in the case studies reminded me that there is no absolute good or bad LE. It is a matter of which type of LE is suitable for the class or the school at that point in time. A class of students of PSLE T-scores 240 to 250 would need a certain type of LE different from a class of students of PSLE T-scores 190 to 200. Similarly, the aesthetically talented in SOTA (School of the Arts), the sporting talents in Singapore Sports School, and the budding scientists in NUS High would need very different LEs from the mainstream schools.
The next principal who took over school A used to work in MOE in the PCCG branch or something to do with the like. He came to my school to give us a talk, in the mid 90s. Till today, I remember what he said, “We cannot change a person (student), but we can change the environment surrounding that person”. So changing the human and/or the physical environment would provide the conditions for a person to change. How true! Physical environment alone would have already shaped human behaviour. If a person enters a lift with full of litter, he or she would not be too worried about throwing a piece of used tissue paper in the lift. But if that person is in a posh hotel lift, clean carpet with nice yellow lighting and air-conditioned, then the behaviour would be altered. No wonder principals spend lots of money and time and effort doing up their schools. The comments from the un-enlightened would be that principals are doing up the school to show off. NIE should give all trainee teachers an introductory module on LEs, if this has not been done yet.
REFLECTIONS ON APERA PARA-CONFERENCE 2008
I very often heard, I may be guilty of it myself, people making remarks that the papers presented at conferences were nothing new. Such teaching approaches or teaching methods were already done in their own schools. My response is that many teachers have taught many different ways. But not many teachers are able to get themselves to do a pre-teaching assessment and a post-teaching assessment and document their teaching based on a sound and practical approach supported by some literature reviews of similar work done. Such work demands the teachers to be reflective in their teaching and to be honest in their self-assessments. Much more time has to be spent on doing the write-up, and preparing for the presentation, if their research studies do get selected at all. Thus I believe schools should give some form of recognition and reward to such teachers, as a form of motivation and encouragement.
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