Social Media and the Me Generation

Hi Folks

It is the school holidays! I do hope that you will get SOME time off for you to do whatever you want to! Before you go off to enjoy that well deserved break, I thought I'll share with you one last video before the end of the year. This video was recorded at the Town Hall meeting where Ms Lily Chia, Director of Carbon Interactive shared with the audience her take on social media and do our students in SP use it for. Have a watch, it is only about half an hour long but it is indeed truly an interesting video..,... Enjoy!

Click the link to watch the video -----> CLICK HERE

Oh, yes, don't forget CT classes resume on the week of 6th/7th Jan 2010 with Basic Counselling. Have a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!!

Cheers!

The Last Lap - Designing Closed and Open Ended Assessment

Hi Folks

Next week's post is a bit early! I am writing this earlier as I wont be available next week. Next week is the final class for 2009! It will be "Designing Closed and Open Ended Assessment". This class will be taken by Jessica and the same thing applies. It will happen on Wed/Thursday at T4A21 and will begin at 2p.m. Should you need assistance, you can call Esther at ext 1717 or email Jessica at jessica@sp.edu.sg her ext is 1376. Have fun at the class and have a well deserved break! I'll see you in 2010!

PS - When term opens, the first workshop is "Basic Counselling" and it will be run by an external trainer. Please do sign up via Easys if you have NOT done so. Cheers!

Have a good break!!!

Class This Week - Designing Performance Based Assessment 2

Hi Folks

How time flies! We are at the end of November and heading into December, the festive period. For this week, Dennis wil continue with you on assessing performance based assessments (PB). One main reason for us placing a fair bit of emphasis on PBA is that it is one of the best forms of authentic assessments. Designing a task is one challenge, assessing it is even harder! So this week we will look at rubrics and checklists. This week's class will again be at T4A21 on Wed/Thur at 2p.m. Just a friendly reminder that you will need as part of your portfolio to design a PBA and show its assessment criteria. So now is a good time to think about your design and ask Dennis or me if you need further clarification! Cheers!

As part of our rebranding efforts, we will soon have a totally new look for our blog. It will be upsized, supersized with new features, articles and all round Teaching and Learning information. We will also be approaching you all soon to write guest articles for us! It will be called the Educator and it will be launched soon by the EDU publicity com. I will let you know soon when we will be shifting to the new site! Until then, stay sane and I look forward to meeting you all soon!

Article of The Week - SingTeach Newsletter

Hi Folks

This is the last edition of SingTeach for the year. You may find this month's topics interesting. Pleasant reading!

Click HERE to download full newsletter. OR click the individual links below to access specific articles!

>> What’s the best teaching style for cultivating creativity? Learn more

>> Evidence or experience - which informs your teaching? Read on

>> How does asking good math questions make a difference? Find out more

>> How can you help your students become confident speakers? Get tips

>> What is the matter with common-sense answers? What research shows

SingTeach is an online magazine for teachers published by the National Institute of Education, Singapore. For more teaching tips and ideas, visit their website at http://singteach.nie.edu.sg

Class This Week - Designing Performance Based Assessment 1

Hi Folks

I hope you are enjoying your well deserved break. This week's class is on "Designing Performance Based Assessment 1" and will be taken by Dennis. This is a part 1 of a two part course. This is impt as you will need to complete part 1 and 2 to get a full idea of how to design and assess a performance based assessment. There is a also an assignment which you need to complete as part of your portfolio submission and this workshop will help you do that. Have fun with Dennis!

As usual, the class will be held on Wed/Thur and will begin at 2p.m. at T4A21.

Cheers!!

U Tube - Thought for the Week

Hi Folks

I know many of us go to Youtube quite a fair bit to look for content for our classes. In the unday Times today, there is a whole article dedicated to Universities now putting up chunks of the courses and even whole modules online for people to view. Even our NUS has jumped on the bandwagon. It costs MIT almost USD 100k just to upload and some detractors claim that such videos do not really help in the learning process as it is mainly passive. I'll leave you to decide that one. Here are some links to these channels. Have fun and who know what you can find for your students.

http://www.youtube.com/education?b=400

http://academicearth.org/

http://uc.princeton.edu/main/

Workshop for This Week

Hi Folks

Hope you had a good weekend. This week's class "Questioning to Promote Learning" is F2F and it will be at T4A21 on Wed/Thurs at 2p.m. I will need you to bring your laptop as we will be working on a Web 2.0 tool.

Also, last week's class "Developing eActivities for Collaboration" will be closing soon. Do let me know if you need more time. Also, if you have completed the activity and already deployed the discussion forum, please do let me know so I can take clear you for the week! Thanks and see you on Wed / Thurs. *Dont forget the laptop!

Online Workshop for this Week - Developing eActivities for Collaboration

Hi Folks

Okay, here is how you access the online workshop for this week. I will need you to follow the instructions carefully. For this final activity, I will need you to create and use a discussion board with your students in any class you desire. You can then send me screen shots of the discussion forum or enrol me into your module to have a look. I will accept it if you do the discussion forum / board activity in class as part of a lesson or as part of homework. Either way is okay with me. Okay to access the workshop, do the following:

STep 1 - Log into Blackboard. You must do this.

STep 2 - Copy and paste the following link into your web browser. A presentation will launch. IGNORE Number 4 - Activities.

http://esp.sp.edu.sg/courses/1/ESD026/content/_1077244_1/dir_!646576656c6f70696e6720652d6163746976697469657320666f7220636f6c6c61626f726174696f6e.zip/player.html

Step 3 - Read the guides on setting up a discussion board and how to start and reply on a thread. You must be logged on to BB to access this.

How to set up a discussion board. Click HERE

How to create a new thread and reply to one. Click HERE

PS - We are revamping this so if its a bit cranky I do apologise for the inconvenience. Pls feel free to email me if you need any help!

You have till the 17th of November to complete this!

Workshops This Week

Hello Folks

For those of you who participated in the "Principles of Assessment" Online Workshop, you will have received a email confirmation from me regarding your status. If you have not finished, you still have some time to finish it up. Drop me a line if you need clarification.

This week, there are TWO sessions running concurrently. The first is the ONLINE workshop "Developing eActivities for Collaboration". Instructions on how to access the course will be made available on Tuesday on this blog. Do not come to class!

Also, those of you ho attended Action Research Fundamentals Part 1 last week, dont forget part 2 is this week n(Wed/Thurs) at T4A21 at 2p.m. My colleague Huei Wuan will be taking you through part 2.

I hope you had a restful weekend and I look forward to meeting all of you soon!

PS- Drop me an email if you need clarification!

PSS - We will be changing our look soon. Keep a look out for the new blog about to be launched soon!

Article of the Week

Hi Folks, this week, I thought I'll share with you something from NIE, their bi monthly newsletter, SingTeach. I found this article thought provoking "Are today’s teachers ready for tomorrow’s classrooms?"

Have a read and I would be interested to know what you think! Click the link below to access the article and other interesting ones!

SingTeach - Click HERE to access the newsletter

Workshop This Week - Online + Action Research Fundamentals

Hi Folks

I hope you had a great weekend! This week's class is ONLINE! and for those doing Action Research Fundamentals, it is Face to Face! Yipeee!! I can hear the cheers all the way from Pasir Ris! Hahhaha. Anyway, you will need to go through the material on Principles of Assessment and complete ALL 5 mini activities for me to take your attendance for this workshop. The workshop will be open till the 10th of November 2009 2359. Do let me know if you need an extension. You will need an internet connection to access the course.

To access the course, please do the following:

1) Log onto Blackboard at http://esp.sp.edu.sg (PS, you must do this step!)

2) Copy and paste or click the following ink into your web browser address bar.

http://esp.sp.edu.sg/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_43913_1&content_id=_1075707_1

3) Click on the link that says "assessing-learning.zip" You can then access the materials. Let me know if you encounter any technical difficulties. Have fun!

* For those of you doing Action Research Fundamentals, it is a Face to Face class and it will be at T4A21 at 2p.m. You will need to bring your laptop to the class!

The FUN Theory

Hi Folks

This video was shared by one of our CT graduands, Priscilla Tan from CASS. Watch the two videos and think about their statement - The Easiest Way to Change a person's behaviour is to make it fun to do so.... Can we change our students by making it fun? Maybe we can with a bit of creativity and thought ala the videos.... Watch the videos, I guarantee it will bring a smile to your face on a Monday! Share it as well!

Class This Week - Designing for Active Learning

Hi Folks

I hope you had a good well deserved break! We are now into week 2! For this week, your truly will be taking you for "Designing for Active Learning". In this workshop we will explore how we can make learning active in a large classroom setting and a small classroom setting. I will need you to please bring your laptop and charger for the lesson on Wed/Thur. See you on either day at 2p.m at T4A21!

PS - If you have not watched the video above, please do so. We will be talking about it in class.

Weclome Back and Class for This Week

Hi Folks

I do sincerely hope that you have had SOME break during the recently concluded holidays.
So Welcome back!!! Anyway, this week we will start our usual mid week classes and for this week on Wed and Thurs, we will be doing "Writing Learning Outcomes". For Wednesday class, my colleague Jessica will be conducting as yours truly will be on course. I will take the Thursday class. We will meet at T4A21 at 2p.m. for both days and I do hope that you can sign up via Easys so that we can cater enough refreshments and also to track your attendance.

Also, for the class, PLEASE BRING ONE OF YOUR MODULE DOCUMENTS for a module that you teach to class please. So, I thought I'll leave you with a video that I saw recently on PPT. Take care folks and I look forward to meeting you again to catch up! It is always a pleasure!

Training Schedule Updated

Hi Folks

The Training Schedule has been updated and there has been some minor changes to the training dates and this affects the "Basic Counselling" conducted by the external trainer. Please click the link below to download the latest schedule. Thanks! Have a good break!

http://www.mediafire.com/file/n4hxmttz2qo/Training Schedule for CT programme Academic Year 09-10 updated 29th Sept.doc

Happy Holidays!

Hi Folks!

Happy Holidays! Do try and take some time to recharge your batteries for the upcoming semster! Meanwhile, I will continue to look for educational articles to share with all of you. By the way, if you have articles, please send them to me so I can share with everyone. Having said that, I am thinking of geting guest writers on the CT programme to co-write on this blog. If you would like to be a co-writer, please do email me! Meanwhile, have a well deserved break and I'll talk to all of you soon!

Article of the Week

Hi Folks

This is the article of the week - Do Millennials Really Study The Way that Many Advocates Claim they Do?

This article presenta a very interesting point of view (backed by research) that not all students are into Web 2.0 tools and what else academics claim they use to help them study. Read it as way for you to reflect on the importance of having good learning designs as opposed to using Web 2.0 tools to solve our problems! Click the link below to read this article and share your thoughts on it by hitting the comment button.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/mkm5zz42jlq/kennedy.pdf

COP on 19 Aug 2009

Dear all,
here are the files to the presentations at the COP.

1) Director EDU's presentation
http://www.mediafire.com/file/zmnykljgq2n/COP_Edu.ppt

2) Cheryl's presentation on Intoduction to Web 2.0
http://www.mediafire.com/file/zcm1dyqg2ym/web2.0_COP.pdf

This is the video which Cheryl wanted to share... enjoy.

Use of Laptops in Lecture Style Settings

Hello folks,

came across this very interesting article on how laptops can be used to enhance teaching and learning in a lecture hall.

This is the article of the week. Have a look and leave a comment cos I would love to know what you think!

Click the link below to download and read the article!

http://www.mediafire.com/?nw3iylzwmgt

COP this Week!!!

Hi Folks

I hope you have had a great weekend! This is it! The COP is coming!!! This will be a great opportunity for us to come together in an informal environment and share good teaching practices and more importantly engage in each other's company! Refreshments WILL be provided and there will be 2 mini talks by Cheryl on potential Web 2.0 tools you can use (esp after the H1N1) and also a recent graduate of the CT programme Mr. Yap Chin Hooi from SMAE will be sharing how he used Facebook for his students. Hence, the programme will be as follows:

2p.m. - Address by Dir EDU for new Acad Staff (you should attend this if you have not attended a talk by Dir EDU before)

3p.m. - Refreshments cum meeting with P (you should attend this if you have not spoken to P before. he would like to meet all of you)

4p.m. - Sharing by Cheryl on Web 2.0 tools you can use

4:30p.m. - Sharing by Chin Hooi on Facebook

5p.m. - End

See you folks there! oH YES please do register at Events@SP

Lastly, if you can only come at 2:30 or 3p.m., please do also come and drop by!!

See ya!

Class This Week - Building A Teaching Portfolio *Online

Hi Folks

This is the FINAL class for this semester and it is ONLINE!! *Yipppeeeee!!!!! This week, the class is on "Building a Teaching Portfolio". This online workshop will cover elements of reflective practice as well as cover the elements that make up the portfolio. This will help you in constructing your own portfolio when you create one to signal the end of your CT obligations. However, please do continue to keep the portfolio as it will help you in your teaching career.

Just a few things to note for the online workshop.

1) You will have one week to complete the workshop and the cut off date is 18th August. Let me know if you need more time

2) The videos have been uploaded into the Reflective Practice in Action Blog in case when you play the workshop and the videos refuse to load. The blog will be used to input your thoughts from the workshop and you will need to complete all tasks. The blog can be accessed at http://reflectivepracticeinaction.blogspot.com/

3) The link for the Teaching Portfolio Template should be this instead. This is the most updated template link. Click HERE for the teaching portfolio template!

4) Should you need technical assistance, please email Mark!

Okay, here is how you access the workshop:

STep 1 - Log into Blackboard *YOU MUST DO THIS.

Step 2 - Copy and paste the following into your web browser

http://esp.sp.edu.sg/courses/1/ESD026/content/_1075715_1/dir_@5265666c65637469766520507261637469636520696e20416374696f6e2054657374.zip/Reflective%20Practice%20in%20Action%20Test/player.html

Step 3 - Go through the material and input your thoughts on the blog. Complete ALL 7 btasks please! Enjoy!!!

Article of the Week

Hi Folks

The article of the week features the use of technology for teaching and learning from Innovate. Check it out. I think these may be of interest.


In our first article, Ulrich Rauch, Marvin Cohodas, and Tim Wang
describe the Arts Metaverse, a virtual learning environment for the
three-dimensional reconstruction of important archeological artifacts
and sites, allowing students access to places and works they would not
otherwise be able to experience. In addition, students may create
reconstructions as well as visiting particular sites. Embracing the
principle that engaging students in the construction of a virtual
teaching and learning environment can create a participative learning
experience, the Arts Metaverse Project aims to enable students and
academics to become joint researchers in creating and sharing
knowledge beyond the walls of the university. See

http://tinyurl.com/l438lx


Our next two articles describe efforts to create learning
environments in Second Life. Mary Anne Clark offers a map to Genome
Island, a virtual laboratory complex constructed for teaching genetics
to university undergraduates, Genome Island also provides a public
space where anyone interested in genetics can spend a few minutes or a
few hours interacting with genetic objects. See

http://tinyurl.com/mwuuy6

Anne Hewitt, Susan Spencer, Danielle Mirliss, and Riad Twal report on
a collaborative initiative to create a virtual simulation exercise
focused on key competencies for students in a Master of Healthcare
Administration program. The exercise they design provides a previously
unavailable virtual counterpart to the tabletop exercises
traditionally used to teach emergency preparedness, allowing online
students to gain important hands-on experience and opportunities for
interaction.

See http://tinyurl.com/koqvkw

Albert A. Angehrn and Katrina Maxwell describe a simulation that does
not rely on a virtual world. Rather, their simulation, designed to
teach collaboration skills to managers and decision makers, relies on
an episodic video story to create a simulation narrative.
Participants, who may be online or on site, use group decision support
technology to facilitate their collaboration with a small team around
a series of mission-critical dilemmas; the decision a team makes at
each juncture determines how the narrative develops. The simulation
provides a learning experience that can help managers, decision
makers, virtual teams, and online communities reflect about the
challenges and opportunities of collaboration and group decision
making.

See http://tinyurl.com/kl7swd

Or read the entire newsletter:


http://www.innovateonline.info

2 Things!

Hi Folks

Happy National Day! More importantly, don't forget to have a well deserved long weekend this week! 2 issues before you scoot off for a break.

1) Have a look at the blog that a CT lecturer has created for herself and has graciously allowed me to share it. Her name is Sok Na (ABE) and you can read her blog at the following address:

http://www.yogi.edublogs.org/

2) This coming week will be last session for the CT workshops conducted on Wed/Thur thus semester. It is "Building a Teaching Portfolio" and it is ONLINE! Yippeeee!!!! So please do not come to class. Details of what to do will be available on Tuesday as Monday is a Public Holiday.

Last BUT not least, please do sign up for the COP on the 19th of August if you have not done so and also the CT Pedagogical Use of Notebooks in the Classroom Workshop which is to be held from 7th-11th of Sepetember. Cheers Folks!

HAPPY NATIONAL DAY FOLKS!

Class This Week + COP *V. Impt!

Hi Folks

I hope the weekend has been kind to you! We are nearly the end of our weekly classes. This week, my colleague Jessica will be talking you all on "Motivating Students". Classes will be at 2p.m. on Wed/Thurs at T4A21.

Also, please please do sign up for the Communities of Practice on the 19th of August if you have not done so. Dir EDU will be speaking to you before you will get a chance to interact with the P at tea break. Then, a lecturer from SMAE will be sharing on how he used Facebook for his students and Cheryl will be sharing on potential Web 2.0 tools which you can use for your own classroom. Those of you who can't make it, please join us for the next session. You will need to attend at least one COP before you finish your CT course to listen to Dir EDU and also to meet P. Cheers folks and have a great week ahead!!!

Class This Week - The SP Student. *Very.Impt

Hi Folks

I hope the weekend was kind to you and you had a well deserved rest. This week's class, the SP student which was originally scheduled as a face to face class will move ONLINE instead. This is because some of you will be involved in the Poly@50 run, so we thought it would be easier if we shifted the class online to accomodate everyone.

Details on what you have to do will be sent to you via email as well as posted on this blog. Should you have any administrative queries, please contact my colleague Cheryl Wee at CherylWee@sp.edu.sg or call her at ext 7021.

Cheers folks!

Article of the Week

Hi Folks

This is an interesting article from Singteach published by NIE on Action Research. Have a read, it is quite interesting.

Click the Link Below to download the article

http://www.mediafire.com/file/2nfjujynmwz/SingTeach_Issue18.pdf

Class This Week

Hi Folks

I hope you have had a restful weekend! This week's class is a continuation from last week's "Basic Counselling" with Benny Bong. The class will be held at T4A21 and will begin at 2p.m. for both Wednesday and Thursday.

Hidayat will be covering me on both days as yours truly will be at Changi Beach reliving my NS days... We are going for our annual staff retreat. If you need to contact me, you can drop me an email and I'll try and respond from there.

Cheers folks and have a great week ahead! I'll speak to you gals and guys soon!

Assessment for Learning

Hi Folks

As promised, here is the assessment for learning info in COLOUR for those who want to print it in colour and paste it next to the core principles of learning.

Also, I have included the core principles of learning in case you were one of those who burnt it and drank it with a cup of water! Cheers folks!

Asessment for Learning

Click HERE

Core Principles of Learning

Click HERE

Class This Week *V.Important

Hi Folks

I hope you have had a good weekend break. This week's class is "Basic Counselling Skills Part 1". It will be run by an external trainer, Mr. Benny Bong. Could you please sign up via Easys if you have NOT done so. Please sign up for both part 1 and 2.Part 2 will be held NEXT week.

Class will begin at 2p.m. and we will be at T4A33. Thanks a lot and do drop me a mail if you have ny queries!

Have a great rest of the week!

Class This Week

Hi Folks

Welcome to Week 2! This Week's class will be "Using Feedback to Improve Teaching and Learning" and it will be conducted by moi! See you either Wed or Thursday at 2p.m. at T4A21!

Training Schedule Updated!

Hi Folks

The training schedule for the Workshops have been updated. You can start your planning especially for the one week pedagogical use of the notebook workshops!

PS - These dates are 90% confirmed. There may be slight changes due to unforseen circumstances and you will be updated if this is so.

Click the link to access the dates:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/emmmiywtmjt/Training Schedule for CT programme Academic Year 09-10 updated.doc

Blogs in Education

Hi Folks

I hope the first week back has been kind to you. Now that the H1N1 has reached pandemic levels, we may have to shut classes down. Some of you already know about blogs and how they can be used for learning. My colleague Jessica has kindly allowed me to share the following blogs used in an Educational Context. You can look at them for ideas.

http://ntudemoblog.blogspot.com/

Also, Jessica attended a session by Bob Pike a speaker and trainer and he was talking about how much people remember after concepts have been presented. Have a look at the graph below. This is by Ebinghaus

Top E-Learning Tools of 2009

Hi Folks

My tech guys recommended me this site and I thought I'll share this with you considering that we now have our first H1N1 case and to prepare for a scenario where campus may close.

Have a look and see if anything interests you. However do remember that it is the design and not the tool that makes learning happen!

http://www.sameshow.com/blog/2009/01/09/top-e-learning-tools-of-2009-you-shouldnt-teach-without.html#110

Article for the Week

Hi Folks

I hope you have had a great week! This is the article for the week. Is there a difference between learning outcomes and instructional objectives? Have a read. Very interesting!

Click the link below

http://www.mediafire.com/file/jlbnzazdfym/Learning Outcomes.pdf Outcomes.pdf

Educational Blogs

Hi Folks

I do hope you have had a great weekend. This week we will be looking at technology in education and more specifically looking at blogs have shaped the education sphere. I have found this website that lists 1oo educational blogs that they think are useful. Have a look and see if you can find anything interesting. Also, do check out Edu Blogs which houses the largest collection of educational blogs and see if maybe you can connect with a teacher from overseas and see if you can do a joint project! Have fun!

100 Educational Blogs for you to read:

http://oedb.org/library/features/top-100-education-blogs

Edublogs

http://edublogs.org/

Take care and speak to you soon!

Oh yes, this week's class is on "Questioning to Promote Learning" at T4A21 at 2p.m. Please bring your laptops!

See ya!

E-Learning Tips

Hi Folks

I hope you have had a great weekend! Although Singapore has downgraded the Flu status to yellow, I am sure some of us are thinking of how to continue learning should the campus close because of the Flu threat. I was doing some research and I came across the following on easy to follow elarning tips. Enjoy and if you do need help on how to move to elearning, please do come and talk to me!

Click the link below:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/3222398/701-eLearning-Tips

Hot Topic of the Week: Assessment

Unpacking Assessment

"We should have more assessment," some say. "No, our children are being over-tested," others retort. "We should do away with assessment!" This "testy" issue was debated once again when the Ministry of Education recently announced a new policy to do away with examinations for all Primary 1 and 2 students. I am aware that we in SP have done away with pen and paper assessment for some modules. The question is so we get rid of it totally? Read what an educator thinks by clicking the link below!

Click HERE

Horizon Report

This must be some kind of record! Two posts in a day! Anyway, this is for all you educators who wonder about technology and your classroom. This is the Horizon Report which is a must read on how they see the integration of technology in the classroom. Have fun!

http://wp.nmc.org/horizon2009/

The Differences Between Teaching and Administration

Hi Folks

I hope the weekend was good for you. I was thinking about the issue of administration and teaching and how they are in disconnect. I stumbled upon thsi article. Have a read. More importantly, explore the links on the side. They seem interesting especially the one about integrating technology in the classroom!

Cheers!

http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/voice/voice114.shtml

Weclome Back!

Hi Folks

I hope this email finds you well and rested for the new term! Just some admin issues for this week.

1) Wed / Thursday classes start THIS Week from 2-5p.m. at T4A21. Please do register via Easys if you have not done so. This week, we will begin with "Designing for Active Learning" which will be taken by yours truly. "Writing Learning Outcomes" will be taught next week. There is a slight change here as Jessica my colleague is NOT available to teach the "Writing Learning Outcomes" this week and so it has swopped with "Designing for Active Learning".

2) I will need you to please bring your laptops to class for this week's training session.

3) Those of you who have finished the first cycle of training, your second cycle on Action Research begins on the 6th/7th of May week. I will get in touch with you again via email. Please do sign up on Easys if you have not already done so.

Once again, stuff will be put up on the CT blog, so please do check it regularly.

Lastly, let me know if you need help and I'll do my best to help you out. Have a good and successful week folks and I look forward to meeting you again this wed/thursday!

Interesting Innovation

Hi Folks,

A colleague shared the following with me. Check out this new innovation! Coming soon to a classroom near you!

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/david_merrill_demos_siftables_the_smart_blocks.html

An Interesting Article on Assessing Learning

Hi Folks, I hope you are enjoying a well deserved break. Have a look at the article below on Assessing Student Learning from the Carnegie Foundation.

In higher education the dominant mode of assessment is to measure what students have learned in a course or program. By measuring what students learn educators can monitor student progress, determine learning gaps and gains, and document achievement. But measuring what students learn is of limited use if our goal is to improve their future performance. It is akin to taking a person's temperature. You may learn the individual has a fever but the measurement produces no insight into the cause. Suppose we find that students score in the 60th percentile on a standardized test or that half the students in a course have significant writing problems. What should we do to improve future performance? Unfortunately, the assessment data provide little direction. The result is a kind of guesswork by which we consider alternative teaching practices or programs without understanding how or why they would work better than standard approaches.

Click HERE to read the rest of the interesting article

Updated Calendar

Hi Folks

There has been some minor changes to the Training Schedule. This is the latest. Click the link below to download the dates. Cheers!

http://www.mediafire.com/file/nlzdmteyq42/Training Schedule for CT programme Academic Year 09-10.doc

Richard Felder

Hi Folks, watch this video on relooking the way we teach and how we get out students to learn by Richard Felder.


Richard M. Felder
Hoechst Celanese Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University. He is coauthor of Elementary Principles of Chemical Processes, a widely used text for the introductory chemical engineering course. Since 1991, he has co-directed the American Society for Engineering Education National Effective Teaching Institute. Many of his education-related publications, handouts for students, and workshop descriptions can be found on his website, Resources in Science and Engineering Education. Beginning in the late 1980s, Dr. Felder shifted his career focus from disciplinary engineering research to educational scholarship. He has coauthored two book chapters and over 200 education-related articles and Random Thoughts columns (the latter in the quarterly journal Chemical Engineering Education). His research and publications deal with many aspects of teaching and learning, with his primary emphasis being on student-centered instructional methods including active learning and cooperative learning. Dr. Felder has given education-related seminars and workshops, with his wife and colleague, Dr. Rebecca Brent, on campuses throughout the United States and abroad. In 1991, with James Stice of the University of Texas, he founded the National Effective Teaching Institute (NETI), a three-day teaching workshop given annually in conjunction with the Annual Conference of the American Society for Engineering Education.

http://sspvs000.sp.edu.sg/esd/edu-09-felder.asx

Teaching with Technology

Hi Folks

I came across this blog with some links on Teaching with Technology. Check it out, you may find some things useful in this day and age where every one of our students are digital natives and social networkers on Facebook.

Marilyn Western's Technology Tips for Classroom Teachershttp://www.edzone.net/~mwestern/

I like "101 Uses for a Classroom Computer"http://www.edzone.net/%7Emwestern/101.html
Some broken links though that are annoying.

Tammy's Technology Tips for Teachershttp://www.essdack.org/tips/
Has some interesting student projects.

Teaching TIps Newsletter Archivehttp://www.teach-nology.com/newsletters/archive/

Over 300 brief newsletters with links to various tools and resources, including a "Teaching Tip of the Week" Might be worth subscribing to!

Teaching with Technologyhttp://teacher.scholastic.com/technology/Scholastic provides advice on using cameras, making digital movies, and managing your classroom computer center, as well as having a database of online activities. I like their ePals (keypals) pages: http://www.epals.com/scholastic/index_sch.html?seesf=8939232

Technology and Learning: The Resource for Education Technology Leadershttp://www.techLEARNING.com
This site has interesting articles on new technologies such as clickers (personal response systems), smartboards, tablet PCs, wireless sound reinforcement systems and more. Has a grants database to help fund your school's projects!Lots of tutorials here: http://www.techlearning.com/quickflicks/archives.jhtml

Teaching and Learning with Technology Tipshttp://tlt.psu.edu/suggestions/tlt_tips/This site focuses on higher education, and includes diversity and classroom management tips. Talks a lot about ANGEL, which is a particular learning management system, but you could replace the references with Blackboard or WebCT or whatever you're using. Table format is easy to read quickly.

http://research.education.purdue.edu/challenge/resources.html

Here's another really great one by Annette Lamb - 7 Simple Ways to begin using technology: http://eduscapes.com/sessions/simple/index.htm

Source: http://teachwtech.blogspot.com/2006/06/teaching-with-technology-tips-websites.html

Something to Share!

Hi Folks

Mark from DMIT has come across the term "pecha-kucha". Do your lecture with only 20 slides, each slide taking exactly 20 seconds. Thats 6 minutes 40 seconds! Something for us to think about. Design lecturers might be particularly interested in this. Check out the links below!\


http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/magazine/15-09/st_pechakucha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGaCLWaZLI4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecha_Kucha

Useful Stuff - Active Learning Using Powerpoint

Hi Folks

Do check out this useful online course created by a professor from the University of Minnesota and how Active Learning can be done using Powerpoint. No more DEATH by PPT!
Have a look and see if you can pick up anything useful and start a threat of comments going!

The link is as follows:

http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/tutorials/powerpoint/index.html

Happy 2009!

Hello Folks

Happy New Year! I hope the year has gotten off to a good start for all of you! Just a short reminder that CT classes happen again this Wednesday and Thursday and we will kick off Term 4 with "Designing close and open ended assessments" which will be taken by Jessica! Do sign up for the courgiv iy you have not done so.

The next post will give you some tips on teaching and learning and I hope you will find it useful. Meanwhile, do check out the links at the side of the page and let me know if you have ideas on good links and of stuff that you think everyone can benefit from!

Cheers and see you soon!