Lesson 11

Educational Technology 2

The Computer as the Teacher’s

Tool

 In this lesson, we shall again look at the computer, but this time from another perspective, the

computer as the teacher’s handy-tool. It can in fact support the

constructivist and social constructivist paradigms of

constructivist learning.

Constructivism

It was introduced by Piaget (1981) and Bruner (1990). They

gave stress to knowledge discovery of new

meaning/concepts/principles in the learning process.

Social Constructivism

This is an effort to show that the construction of knowledge is

governed by social, historical and cultural contexts. In effect, this is

to ay that the learner who interprets knowledge has a predetermined point of view

according to the social perspectives of the community or

society he lives in.

 The psychologist Vygotsky stressed that learning is affected by social influences. He therefore suggested the interactive process in learning. The more capable adult (teacher

or parent) or classmate can aid or complement what the learner sees in a given

class project. In addition, Dewey sees language as a medium for social coordination and adaptation. For Dewey human learning is

really human languaging that occurs when students socially share, build and agree upon

meanings and knowledge.

Summary of Two Learning Perspective

Learning Framework Constructivism

Social Constructivism

• Assumption •Knowledge is constructed by the individual.

•Knowledge is constructed within a social context.

• Definition of Learning •Students build their own learning.

•Students build knowledge influenced by the social context.

• Learning Strategies •Gather unorganized information to create new concept/principle

•Exchange and share from ideas, stimulates thinking.

•General Orientation •Personal discovery of knowledge.

•Students discuss and discover meanings

The Computer Capabilities

Based on the two learning theories, the teacher can employ the computer as a/an:

a. As an information toolb.  A communication toolc. A constructive toold. As co-constructive toole. A situating tool

Based on the two learning theories, the teacher can employ the computer as a/an:a. As an information toolb.  A communication toolc. A constructive toold. As co-constructive toole. A situating tool

a. Information Tool

The computer can provide vast amounts of information in

various forms, such as text, graphics, sound and video.

Even multimedia encyclopedias are today available on the internet.

b. Constructive Tool  The computer itself can be used for

manipulating information, visualizing one’s understanding and building new

knowledge. The Microsoft Word computer program itself is a desktop

publishing software that allows uses to organize

and present their ideas in

attractive formats.

c. Co-constructive Tools Students can use constructive tools to work

cooperatively and construct a shared understanding of new knowledge. On ways

of co-constructive is the use of the electronic whiteboard where students may

post notices to a shared document/whiteboard. Students may also

co-edit the same document from their homes.

• The Computer-Supported International Learning Environments

(CSILE) is an example of an integrated environment developed by the Ontario

Institute for studied in Education. 

d. Situating ToolBy means of virtual reality (RS)

extension systems, the computer can create 3-D images on display to give the user the feeling that are situated

in a virtual environment. A flight simulation program is an example of

situating tool which places the user in a

simulated flying environment.

•   Multi-User domains or Dungeons (MUDs) MUD Object Oriented (MOOs), and Multi-User Shared hallucination (MUSHs) are

example of situating systems MUDs and MOOs are text-based virtual reality

environments on the Internet. When users log on to a MOO environment.

Members:

Apan, Jezemiel V.De Castro, Aira Eloisa E.Osorio, Maria Crisnel L.

Tamang, Rodmie Colene M.