IT for Higher Thinking Skills and Creativity
Involving learners in viable IT-based projects
Learners Before…
• Receive• Recall• Recite
HOWEVER. . .Today, they should be…
• Flexible• Analytical• Creative
Computer Thinking SkillsFOCUSINGDefining the problem, goal/objective setting, brainstorming
RememberingAssociating, relating new idea with the old
AnalyzingIdentifying idea constructs, patterns
Information Gathering
Selection, recording of data or information
GeneratingDeducing, inducting, elaborating
ImaginingVisualizing, predicting
DesigningPlanning, formulating
OrganizingClassifying, relating
IntegratingSummarizing, abstracting
EvaluatingSetting criteria, testing idea, verifying outcomes, revising
The Upgraded Project Method
students work on projects with depth, complexity, duration, and relevance to the real world.
PROJECTS
Higher level
thinking skills
LINK
Constructivist Paradigm
• decides what to put in the project
• how to organize the information
• package the outcomes for presentation
The PROCESS…Refers to the thinking/affective/psycho-motor process that occurs on the part of the learner. This comprises the journey that actualizes learning.
“THE PROCESS IS MORE
IMPORTANT THAN
THE PRODUCT”
The PRODUCT…
The result of the all-important process consisting in possibly a summary, a poster, an essay, a term paper, a dramatic presentation (in the traditional project methods) and or an IT-based product.
• Resource-based projects• Simple creations• Guided Hypermedia
projects• Web-based projects
Key Elements of Constructivist Approach
• The teacher creates the learning environment
• The teacher gives the students the tools and facilities
• The teacher facilitates the learning-process
I. Resource-Based Projects
The teacher lets the students find their own facts and information
• The teacher determines the topic for the examination of the class (e.g. the definition of “man”)
• The teacher presents the problem to the class
• The students find information on the problem/question
• Students organize their information in response to the problem/issue
What is a Webquest?
This is an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners are drawn from the web
A Real WebQuest....
• is wrapped around a doable and interesting task
• requires higher level thinking, not simply summarizing.
• makes good use of the web. • isn't a research report or a step-by-step
science or math procedure. • isn't just a series of web-based experiences.
II. Simple Creations
Students are assigned to create software materials that will supplement the need for relevant and effective materials
• Creative Writer on writing (by Microsoft)• KidWork on painting and drawing (by Davidson)• Mediaweave on multimedia (by Humanities
software)
Creativity Abilities
• Analyzing – distinguishing similarities and differences
• Synthesizing – making spontaneous connections among ideas
• Promoting – selling of new ideas
Steps in Developing Creativity
• Define task• Brainstorm• Judge the
ideas• Act• Adopt flexibility
III. Guided Hypermedia Projects
Production of self-made multimedia projects• As an instructive tool (e.g. ppt
presentation on a selected topic)• As a communication tool (e.g. a
multimedia presentation simulating a television news)
HyperStudio (by Roger Wagner Productions)-This is an example of a multimedia software.
IV. Web-based Projects
A project method where the students are tasked to create and post web pages regarding a certain topic