Monday, July 21, 2008

LIfe Without Internet

My dearest housemates and I are having a very serious problem, that is NO Internet access at home. For us to keep ourselves updated with adec and everything in lectures, we badly need Streamyx. For a group of undergrads to complete assignments and obtain latest information, without internet is like giving a stripper clothes.

I remembered the time when we have to choose our group by logging in to adec by the end of week 1. We were shocked when some of the coursemates conveyed the message to us. A good Samaritan (Josh) did that for us. The next day, someone told us that first draft for video, the topics etc had to be sent in by the following day. That evening itself, straight after TITAS, Ling, Vina and I headed to Piccadilly and while shoving down the food down our throats, our myopic eyes were busy scrutinizing the screen. Wow, what a meal!

Even this blog I am typing now is updated from MK2, Education Faculty, "stealing" precious ... (must not indicate which lecture, just a few seconds) to update and pour my thoughts.

Life without Internet is like cutting off oxygen supply from my life. Mr Telekom, when are you coming to fiz our Streamyx??!

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Next Generation Learning

The term "Next Generation Leaning" will be normally associated with the technology. Our daily lives are very much affected and influenced by technology, especially, with information at finger tips from the internet.

Even children at the age of 8 know how to surf the internet, create blogs and edit videos. They are brought up in the technology era and moulded into one since young. I remember once my niece of eight asked me if I could help her with changing the format of a video that she has just downloaded from Internet. She really put me on the spot because I had no slightest idea of what she talked about. It was this incident that taught me to learn more about computers.

It appears to me that more and more school children have a better grasp on the technology. Will we be one of those teachers that will ask for the pupil's assistance when we are out to school or are we one of those that keep themselves updated with the latest technology and information? We ought to advocate as much as technology in our classroom so that pupils are familiar with it and kept abreast with the latest form of technology. However, what we ought to bear in mind is that teachers' role in education, teaching and touching pupils' life should not be left out. If technology is exploited and teachers only sit and click the mouse, for instance, then what is the point of having a teacher in the classroom?