admin
Shepherd Chimururi Interactive Youth Correspondent
Is it possible to teach computer lessons as an isolated subject without trespassing in other learning areas? This is one big question reverberating through school administration blocks as education is becoming more and more computer based.
The success of computer education in the 21st century lies in integrating the computer subject with other learning areas. Actually computer education is a hybrid of all other subjects.
It is a carrier of other subjects.
The holistic integration of computer lessons into other learning areas comes after understanding how others learning areas can be fused in computer education as cross cutting themes and how the computer subject can also be used as a cross cutting theme in learning other subjects.
Learners should not just go to the computer only when timetable says computer lessons.
They can go to the computer lab to do English or Maths on the computer. The main focus will be on output and not the process.
Absolutely everything that students learn about the computers has its roots in other subjects be it mouse, keyboard skills, designing, programming, printing, etc. Learners do not learn double clicking or typing in isolation but is intertwined with other learning areas in numeracy, literacy and physical education.
On the other hand we can use the computer to learn all other subjects.
In fact teachers should regard a computer as medium of learning or learning aid just as good as an exercise book, textbook, chalk board and television.
Learners should be able to learn maths, science, arts, languages and other subjects on computer. The key is in the installation of multi-purpose age appropriate softwares.Computers can never be taught in isolation. Every time you try to do something on computer you are already integrating with other subjects.
When typing you will be doing language and in language there are words and in words there are spellings you will be encroaching in language. Drawing shapes will be encroaching in mathematics.
Integration of computer education comes in two ways.
Firstly, students can learn about the computer through using other subjects. Secondly, they can learn other subjects by using the computer as a learning aid.
Computer as the centre of learning using other subjects as cross cutting themes to learn it.
This type of integration works when learners learn about the computer through using other subjects.
The main objective will be to learn how to manipulate the gadget.
The subject, topic, lesson objectives and assessment will all be based on the computer curriculum. The lesson activities include scribbling, drawing, colouring, matching, painting, etc.
Furthermore, the computer teacher focuses on developing technical aspects of how the learner operates the computer like mouse and keyboard skills.
However, computer lessons work well with cross cutting themes. These are additional learning areas that intersect with the main subject or can be easily integrated into the project without losing focus of the main goal.
These themes can be an effective tool for explaining how targeted impact in computer education can also have a much wider effect in mathematics and language.
At infant level, the teacher may teach computers using the cross cutting theme of counting like an activity of connecting dots with numbers to teach learners how to control the cursor using the mouse.
The computer teacher focuses more on technical skills and takes remedial action instantly challenging areas like mouse handling, controlling and clicking. To have a smooth computer lesson the teacher must always make sure that the learners already know counting so that the cross cutting theme will not absorb all the time. Introducing new topics both in computers and the cross core cross cutting theme is both time consuming and confusing to learners.
At the end of the lesson the computer teacher will assess the learners based on technical skills like understanding computer interface tools, mouse handling, controlling and clicking not knowledge of shapes and colours.
Computer subject as a cross cutting theme in learning other subjects. The inclination to use the computer to learn other subjects is motivated by the need to exploit the many advantages of e-learning. The integration comes after the teacher has intentionally and purposely chosen the computer as a learning aid due to its versatility especially provision for interactive audio visual learning.
The colourful visuals and entertaining audio helps in extending concentration span of the learner and increasing retention span, cognitive problem solving all this makes the learner centred ability to e-mark, and time the activities
For example the teacher can give learners a maths exercise to do on computer. In this scenario Maths will be the main subject. The subject, topic, lesson objectives and assessment will all be based on the maths curriculum.
The computer will be just a learning aid just like books, charts, blocks, etc. The primary objective in this case is to use the computer as a medium of learning – thus learning on the computer.
Online Reporter