Week :7 Working differently

It is time to reflect on   7 th week. This week was dedicated to discussion on learner autonomy and teaching in one computer class. I learned to use wallwisher as online message board. Students are working with course project.

 Learning is life long process. To be autonomous learners means be able to take charge of own learning as Holec suggest. We have very closed system in Nepal. There is very little room for learners’ and teachers’ autonomy in Nepal. One size does not fit all. Almost all decisions regarding learning needs, goals, content, time, and resources are imposed by external body. Introduce learners autonomy at once in such context is more harmful than useful. What a teacher needs to do is gradual transition from traditional setting to learner autonomy. Learners feel insecure and confused if they are left on themselves. Learners’ autonomy demands changed role of teachers. Self access center, study skills training can be instrumental to the journey toward learners’ autonomy.

Computers are still thing of luxury in most of the institutes in Nepal. We can do a lot with a computer class. What a teacher needs to do is learn time management with different learners group. One computer can be used to keep administrative records, display visual, browse web, send e mail, process words, and view content on CD ROM, writing process etc. Projector, loud speaker and printer make teachers job much easier in one computer class. Dividing students in different group to access and work turn wise   ensure that everyone take advantages of computer. Otherwise  one computer becomes easy to see and difficult to use tool in the class.

Project work demands learner’s autonomy. Learners go through transition period before they fully become autonomous learners. My B. Ed   students are doing course project. They are using their mobile phones to browse contents. I want them to much time with computer. They expect much guidance than I offer. I need to modify my project a little. It is very difficult for me to use lab computer because of power cut. I am thinking of quieting Nicenet activity now.  There is power problem every other day and it is only forty minutes periods. I will ask them write their essay on copy rather than post on Nicenet.

 I liked the wallwisher as it gather varieties of resources together.  I taught a poem yesterday. I asked students to write the message of poem on white board similar to our wallwisher. Many   students came and wrote on white board. I did little experiment with virtual techniques on real class. The students loved it. I think it can be used  to brain storm ideas before the class and  consolidate ideas after the class especially with intermediate students.

 Let see how far the project go. I  am waiting 8 th week.