Module 3: Social Networking Services

I have looked at the events that take place from the social Networking site and noted that it will help me teach students Christian Religious education - Theology. I will be able to interact with other students in seminars, retreats,internships and keep in touch with other Christians from all over the world. It will help us to correspond with other people through blogs, wiki and to plan for summer camps with students, their parents and my fellow teachers. Before planning for study
abroad, We shall discuss with the parents before the students sign up for any global trip. With the use of blogs and wiki, the parents will know the exact amount of money they are supposed to contribute as students sometimes double the amount of money needed.

It is exciting that I will be able to post my Christian Religious education assignments and students will review it with their parents. Click on the link and learn more;
http://www.wycliffenextgen.com/

Module 3 & Analogy

A learner is like the seeds whom the sower went out to sow, and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up. Other seeds fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. Other seeds fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. Other seeds fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced crops a hundred times great.The four theories of learning can be compared to the four types of soil and since technology keeps on changing,the theories have changed over time to suit the learner.

Similarly, the needs of the learners of today are different from the learners of twenty years ago and knowledge is growing exceptionally as Gonzalez remarks,
"one of the most persuasive factors is the shrinking half-life of knowledge.The half-life of knowledge is the time span from when knowledge is gained to when it becomes obsolete,(2004)".
He explains that half of what is known today was not known ten years ago and that the amount of knowledge in the world has not only doubled in the past ten years but is still doubling every 18 months. In order to combat the shrinking half-life of knowledge, Siemens says, “technology is altering and rewiring our brains so that the tools we use define and shape our thinking." Therefore, the learners have to be well prepared to Know-how and know-what is being supplemented with know-where and understand where to find the knowledge needed.

In the video, The Changing Nature of knowledge,George Siemens explains the challenges we are facing in the society and how learning is changing.

Watch the video entitled, "The Changing Nature of Knowledge.".

I have really enjoyed reading my fellow colleagues’ posts about getting to know where they come from and their different hobbies. This clearly shows the uniqueness of students in any given classroom. This is a great idea which our instructor has employed to get us acquainted with each other electronically.
Three ways in which teachers could use blogs in the classroom;

1.Blogs provide a communication space where teachers can post announcements, assignments, homework,calendars,events and other pertinent class information.

2.Teachers can utilize blogs with students to develop writing, share ideas and reflect on work being undertaken in the classroom and extra reading practice for students. Students could read what the teacher has posted on blog or what other students have posted in the same class, or comments posted to a blog by other people.Teachers can use blogs to provide examples of classwork,vocabulary activities or grammer games.

3. Blogs could be used for lesson planning, note taking and file archive.Teachers could keep diaries or journals in the form of a blog, with structured activities related to a specific text that they are reading or using to teach. Teachers could also use blogs for calendars to mark important events that take place like birth days, homework or other class information like lesson plans, weekly and monthly plan.