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Everyone loves Games

It's great to be in the MXL room again and I think all of us had a fun time trying out the Wii, Xbox and PSP games. With the excellent graphics, some of the games look so real and they are very interactive too. Looking at my peers and experiencing it myself, I can see how games can really attract the attention of students and bring the enthusiasm out in them. This effect is something that we usually do not experience in traditional classroom teaching.

This session does reinforce what the guest speaker, Mr Daryl Koh had shared with us on 26th Aug. Games can be like real virtual worlds, they can be so immersive. Today's teenagers are very in touch with them, they love playing video games and is becoming an integral part of their lives. It will be a great incentive if games are incorporated into lessons. When students have interest in something, they will have the interest in learning it.

Indeed, with the use of relevant games and a well designed plan, I can understand how using a game-based approach in teaching can bring about interests and create meaningful learning for the students.

Wouldn't it be a fun to be students nowadays? :)

Can video games actually be good? read on here:
http://neuroanthropology.net/2009/06/02/can-videogames-actually-be-good-for-you/

2nd Life

Second Life - a online 3D virtual world imagined and created by its Residents. (www.secondlife.com)

It was very interesting to be in the MXL studio today and introduced to Second Life. There was an almost exact replica of the MXL studio virtually in Second Life. Impressive.

I wasn't really a fan of 3D games, as I always think I feel kind of dizzy after some long hours. Probably I'm not used to it. My first experience with 3D games was in Counter-Strike. Players can know and chat with each other in front of their computers during the game itself which was what made it fun to me. Second Life has this chat function too.. good. :)

During the introduction, we were brought into one of the tsunami world where an tsunami occurrence was able to be simulated. Wow, it will indeed be useful for student to know what it would be like seeing for themselves.

While we are being shown on the different worlds, I began to think how it can be useful in my future teaching of Maths & EBS. I do not think I can create a world in Second Life, at least not as impressive as the ones we saw. So the next best will be to find a suitable created world to utilize it. I will need to take alot of time to explore them.

Is there a world already created where students go in and learn how to solve Maths problems? .. If anyone knows of any, do share with me ok? :)

E-Learning Week 5

This week is our E-learning week where we get the chance to apply self directed learning and collaborative learning through the use of online discussion forum.

So.. what are my reviews on this learning process?

My task given was to participate in on Scenario 1 Activity B where we were to come out with pre-emptive and intervention strategies to help solve classroom management issues during a face-to-face ICT lesson. My own objectives were to find out about the strategies on my own as well as gather inputs from my group mates. I see it as a practical exercise as I would probably get to apply them in the future when teaching EBS in schools.

My first thought after completing the task was that I had actually spent alot more time doing e-learning task than compared to the regular 2 hour classroom lesson for allocated for each module in school! Time was spent doing self study of the topics, analyzing the case scenarios, thinking of strategies and doing discussions online.


I must say that E-learning provided greater flexibility to do the learning at own pace in the sense that I was able to control when and where I want to do the learning. So often, I was prone to doing the assignments during the wee hours of the late night, which sadly resulted in my dark eye circles. For the sake of beauty, I need to change this. :)


Next, I find that I had enjoyed the collaborative learning process where group mates post their views for discussions. From there, I was able to know more solutions to the problem and hear opinions from others which could widen my perspective of things. In fact, I think it's fine to have differing views on an idea. It makes the discussions more interesting. :)

With the online discussions, I was drawn to going into our forum daily to check on any new updates on my thread.

Is this an indicator of self-directed learning too? (",)

For our knowledge based economy

Our world is evolving into the knowledge-based economy, where know-hows and expertise are the important aspects of our human capital assets. Work is needed to develop and cultivate our assets (young generation) to be ready for the world we are living in today and tomorrow.

Education is the channel, and MOE has implemented Information and Communication Technology (ICT) masterplans spanning from 1997 to 2014, with the intention to prepare our students for the knowledge economy. Right now, we are in the exciting phase of the third ICT masterplan (2009-2014), in short.. MP3. (yup, same acronym as our music file format :D)

The aim of MP3 is to harness ICT to transform learners towards 21st century skills, for students to develop competencies for self-directed and collaborative learning. Here comes a very important part, what do you think are the teacher's contribution to achieve this?

For the success of MP3, I believe it is very crucial that the necessary ICT knowledge is first gained by the teachers, and they are being practised and used themselves. Now I understand why we are taking the module QED527, it is exactly for this reason. :) Practical and theoretical knowledge in ICT to equip teachers.

To start off, our tutorial group has started a WIKI, where we can have our discussions, share our resources and information. We also have our learning blogs to put forth our reflections too.

I look forward to learning more from each other. :)

Technology - too fast too furious

“Knowledge is power.”
Francis Bacon, Sr. quotes (English Lawyer and Philosopher. 1561-1626)



Technology is evolving at an amazing speed. Easy and instant assess to resources and information at the comfort of our desks and armchairs is now available through Internet. It has now become so convenient to buy groceries, books, clothes just with the click of the mouse. Globalisation has taken place, it has brought the whole world closer together. Is it a good phenomenon to you?

Sometimes, I find it scary. The speed of technology is somewhat growing too fast too furious. I can't keep up with it all. I still have unused diskettes, CDs, DVDs that were purchased to burn my files in, but now they are replaced by much cheaper higher capacity hard disks. Then, there used to be Friendster, which I have abandoned - Reason - I've moved on to Facebook which I have been religiously logging in every day (perhaps this trend shall continue until the next up-and-coming social networking site comes along). That is the place where I get to know how often my friend cleans her apartment and how much fun she had when she went on bungy jump in Macau all through her regular Facebook updates. We can be so easily connected now.

And there is the handphone technology --- iPhone?? 3G ??--- huh?? ..plus S now?..omg

How do you keep up with them all? (^_^)

My Learning Journey Blog

It was once in my list of things to do, that is, to develop blogging as a hobby. The idea started a few years ago when the blogging arena was really becoming hot. Friends' blogs started popping up, with various themes such as a one to document their wedding preparation journey, baby blogs, traveller's blog or simply life's daily updates.

Well, I got started in year 2007 too. Just 2 posts, 2 photos and it got stagnant there. :) To think of myself as being not opinionated nor expressive and neither a fan of language, I guessed that's kinda typical of me. :)

Fast forward to August 2009, here I am, with my 2nd blog and it's "official" - this is going to be my Learning Journey Blog. :) How long will this blog go?

motivation and encouragement .. I need that. :)