Module 7 Activity 3 - Critical Thinking

 

Do we really need critical thinking skills? After completing this activity it is quiet apparent that critical skills are needed if we are to function properly in society.  The things about critical thinking that have caught your attention are the use of Socratic questioning, which if used correctly will empower students to think “outside of the box”.  Employing this method is top on my “to do” list.  To develop as thinkers, students must pass through stages of development in critical thinking as such a teacher I need to be aware of these levels as I aspire to make critical thinking a primary objective of my instruction.

Module 7- Activity 2 - A vision for my subject in the 21st century

This activity was a real eye opener.   The current trends in Mathematics has peaked my interest in the teaching.  I am now eager to fire up 21^st century skills/activities into my classroom which help to show students the relevance of what they are learning.

Module 7 Activity 1: What is 21st century learning?

Twenty-first-century learning involves enabling today's students to be academically competitive in global situations; good citizens within their community, country, and world; and effective within their workplace.  Inorder for this to happen, we as teachers need to equip our students with Twenty-first-century skills. What are 21^st century skills?   Twenty-first-century skills are the special abilities children need to develop so that they can be prepared for the challenges of work and life in the 21st century. The skills considered most essential for the 21st century include: collaboration; systems thinking; empathy and communication; technological skills; civic engagement; and intrapersonal intelligence.  The teaching of the skills identified above, should be infused throughout the curriculum and not taught in isolation.  To successfully face rigorous higher education coursework, career challenges, and a globally competitive workforce, we as teachers must align classroom environments with real-world environments by infusing 21st century skills into our teaching and learning.

Go to brainstorm page to give views on the topic Using Calculators in Mathematics

Module 2A_5: Activity 4A- The Word Processor as a learning tool

Word processing can be a powerful learning tool. 
For instance, students who write using a word processor can easily outline then expand their ideas; request and consider grammar or spelling suggestions; revise as many times as necessary before printing.  They can even submit their electronic work to their teacher for edits. Students can also to create posters, flyers, invitations, name tags etc. by using the word processor.

Module 2A_5:Activity3- Word Processor for Lesson Preparation

One of the most important aspects of teaching is lesson preparation. Pens, paper, scissors and glue as lesson preparation tools tend to be cumbersome.  These can be easily replaced with technology.  The word processor can be used to type your lesson plans, learner’s notes/hand-outs or worksheets.  The best part of this is that you can save your work for reuse next year – and if you need to make a change, only a few clicks are required.

Module 2A_5:Activity2- Word Processor as an administrative tool

The word processor can significantly aid the teacher with the administrative task he/she has to complete.  The busy teacher can benefit greatly from the ease with which the word processor allows you to store, recall/retrieve, amend and organise information.  Templates can be created so that the same materials/documents do not need to be done over and over again.  Records can be updated instantly.