Pros and cons of using audio visual in the teaching and learning

Topic: How life began on Earth.

Class: V, Social studies

On 26^th August I taught the above mentioned topic and subject during the 2^nd session. I introduce the topic through questioning and began the lesson. For this lesson I have explained all the information that are present in the text and manual as usual through normal teaching. And I skipped the activity part and showed them the video through my laptop on how life began on earth.

Introduction of the topic

As soon as I showed the video there was shift in the behavior of the students. All were very excited and eager to watch. My aims and objective of showing the video was to make the concept very clear and also to provide additional information beside textbook. I also thought that since this is a very complex topic if I teach only through normal lecture method my children wouldn’t understand as how life began on the earth long time back. I also gave very clear instruction to observe the video and do the critical thinking and ask question later if they feel or if there was an

y confusion with regards to the information presented in the audio visual.

children engage in watching audio visual

Since my children were watching scientific audio visual for the first time in their life in the class during teaching hours, children were quite nervous but they paid good concentration. Normally these days our young learners get attracted towards any kinds of ICT and they tend to do better and faster through ICT related tools. So I tried with this audio visuals and found very effective later when I carry out follow up activities through questioning. Some of the learner also expressed their feeling and enjoyment of the video. In fact from children’s side they wanted to have similar audio visual whenever feasible and possible. However given the non-assessable of good internet connection in my school I would not be in a position to provide audio visual on regular basis except occasionally whenever I get from other sources.

short clips during audio visual watching

While using any ICT in our teaching and learning some draw backs comes along. In my case there was shortage of time. This was because my audio visual was bit long and could not complete on time. For follow up activities I have to use few minutes extra from interval time. One attributes for shortage of time was children were able to answer the questions in details after watching audio visual. So from there I could make out that teaching through audio visual was one best way to convince our learner to get the clear concept of the topic. Beside my children also demanded more of such kind in the future, however I assured my students that more teaching will be done through power point and projector more often as my school has a laptop and a good projector. At the same time I also felt that we need to do the planning in detail in advance to avoid any confusion while teaching especially time management and collection of resources.

Children watching audio visual

Pause and explained

By Tenzin Wangchuk
      06160372

Teaching science through Projector

Topic: Characteristics of Plants, class V.                                

Using ICT while teaching in a typical Bhutanese classroom has been a joy as well as a challenge. It was during one of my science class for class V when I was teaching the “Characteristics of plants” earlier this year, when I decided to use various means of ICT and tried integrating the use of ICT in my daily teaching. There has been various advantages as well as disadvantages. My main purpose of using ICT in classroom while teaching to curb the problem of limited learning resources and to fully utilize the advantages of using the ICT in classroom. The first and foremost thing that I’ve been benefited from using ICT is the ability to present my teaching aids and learning materials very clearly. This was mainly because of the use of projector to project my teaching aids on a big and wide screen through PowerPoint. By making my teaching aids on PowerPoint and presenting it on a big screen, I’ve noticed that students are more attentive and able to comprehend the teaching easily.

Another benefit of using ICT is the benefit to myself. By availing different medium of ICT, I was able to go beyond the curriculum and the books and get access to latest data and information which are up to date. Furthermore I could also browse for extra information which are deemed important but excluded in the teacher handbook. There are so many information and material that are available from the internet which made learning more easy and fun. When the content that I teach are fun and entertaining, the students have found it easy for them in retention of knowledge. Therefore with the use of such various means of ICT, the work for both myself and the student keeps getting easier. But the bottom line isn’t about how easy it is, rather how the students are able to retain the knowledge’s and thus, such kind of method have helped my students in being able to understand the lesson easily and quick. Not only that, at times when the students have doubts that even I find it tough, I can always avail the ICT facilities to clear their doubts and have a confident teaching to the young minds.

However, with every pro, there’s a con and even for ICT in classroom, I’ve faced several issues that needs to be addressed. The first and foremost issue is the unavailability of high speed internet in my school has always been issue for me and my colleagues. When it comes to integrating ICT in classrooms, access to internet has and will always be a crucial backbone. However, in my school due to lack of WiFi and high speed broadband, downloading huge files for teaching aids has been quite challenging. Browsing basic information and downloading small files have been made possible from mobile phone, however downloading video lessons and educational movies for students have been impossible. Students have been demanding me to screen them educational movies like in other urban schools but most of the times, my plan to screen educational movies and video lessons have failed due to the lack of internet. Not only that, but due to absence of WiFi access and, unlike other schools, my students were unable to browse and search information for themselves, which made individual and collaborative learning impossible.

Another challenge of using ICT in classroom is the fact that primary students don’t have any prior knowledge and skills in operating ICT equipment. My school being in a rural center, majority of the students are from uneducated background, they don’t own any laptops or computers at home. They don’t have fancy modern technologies. Because of this, my students are too hesitant to access computer and projectors in classroom. Even when I create group discussion via online means like WeChat, they find it challenging to utilize it to their advantage and at time relying on such means of communication increases the gap between me and the students, when my main purpose is to close the gap. Given the fact that modern technologies are very costly, not easily available in the market and it’s complicated nature, the integration of ICT in my classes have been challenging and hard. The school have just one projector that had to be shared between classes. The internet accessibility is very poor and the students lack of knowledge in operating such things have been challenging. For now projecting the teaching aids on the projector and screen video lesson once in a while has been successful but in the long run, to fulfill the vision of integrating ICT in my classroom will always be more of a challenge and less of benefits if the facilities are not put in place sooner.

Advantages and Disadvantages if ICT in the classroom teaching.

Technological development and advancement in the west has been very impactful. Due to globalization and changes, the advancement of technology has made its way in the field of learning and education. One of the most important change was seen in classrooms where ICT, Information and Communication Technology has been integrated to make the process of learning quite easy. Integration of ICT in classroom was seen as something revolutionary. Moving from primitive method of teaching to modern way of teaching through integration of ICT was seen as moving from a dark age to light age. However, despite the benefits of ICT in classrooms, there are certain issues and challenges in integrating the ICT in classrooms.

The first and foremost benefit of ICT in learning is that it allows dynamic and cooperative learning among the students. With the access to the Internet, learning is not limited to school hours or in school boundary. Instead it gives the learners opportunity to learn and study wherever and whenever possible.

A rural student can access information of an urban student and share it to a foreign student, be it during the school hours or holidays. With access to the Internet, the dependency of the students on teachers will also be minimal and the student will be able to know when to explore, how to explore and what to explore from the internet. When the students explore the information by themselves, it ensure their attention and concentration on that particular topic or subject, making them well educated in that particular topic and subject.

 However, integrating the ICT in classroom is not as easy as it is seen. Due to limited financial aid from the government and the ability to adapt to the modern facilities are the challenges. Making accessible to ICT requires huge financial support because of expensive materials. In Bhutan the cost of internet is very high as well as other electronic equipment are also priced high. The adaptability is also a question, since ICT in general isn’t common in the field of teaching anywhere in the country before.