Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Critical thinking refers to the ability to make good decisions and support those decisions. Critical thinking can be developed in children from a tender age. To effectively do this both teacher and parents can contribute. For critical thinking to be effective students have to be able to analyze, evaluate, infer, interpret, explain and self regulate. These skills are very vital in helping students to make decisions and in helping them to function as good citizens.

Teachers play a critical role in helping students to develop critical thinking skills. It is the teacher’s role to help students develop these skills by acting as facilitator to students and by providing them with the relevant questions that will take them to their higher level of thinking which includes evaluating, synthesizing and analyzing. Teachers can provide opportunities for students by designing various activities for students and using the relevant tools that will support critical thinking. Teachers can also support critical thinking in students by modeling and by asking questions that will get them to think about the process of their decision making.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Electronic Technology

As stated in the text "Supporting Learning with Technology Essentials of Classroom Practice", Electronic technology is referred to the use of computers and is often used synonymous with computers. Technology was previously thought of by me as solely electronics but after gaining knowledge in this course I have come to realize that technology does not only refer to electronics or just computers, but it refers to all electronic devices as well as paper, pencils,chalkboards etc. and all other materials used to contribute positively to the teaching and learning process. Electronic Technology can play a very important role in the lives of students. It can act as a way of motivating students, supporting cooperative learning skills , facilitating learning and also as a way of catering to the multiple learning styles of students. To ensure electronic technology supports these premises teachers have to play their role by providing necessary scaffold, plan effectively and guide their students through the use of the many tools which are included with the technology.