My reflection on MITE6024

I have been interested in digital gadgets and internet and thus thinking that this course should be good to relate my work, my studies, and my interest.

I chose "Technologies in T&L in local schools" as topic for one of my previous course. From information search at the time, I realized how insufficient schools in HK have been applying IT. But from this course, I realized how insufficient I have been knowing about technologies can apply in T&L, especially those web2.0 applications and foreign examples.

A few days ago, I attended a seminar about Mobility in Education presented by representatives from Apple Hong Kong. The speaker mentioned that technologies should be used not for substitution, but revolution, or change in experience. This is one of the important points that Bob mentioned during the class. The presentation then demonstrated experience of lots of foreign universities in using iTunes U as a way to deliver teaching materials as podcast and sending push notification through RSS to let students get linked and updated with the courses. I think this is somehow changing students' experiences, both positively and adversely.

Surely, students can change their way to learn as they can watch videos of lectures at any time and place. This has also changed their learning mode that only one-way knowledge transfer happens: from the teachers through devices to students, but students have no way to respond or feedback. Although they probably seldom voice out in traditional classes, it will be even worse to eliminate the option. To me, mobility is important, but the interactivity is the same, and even more.

Teaching always happens with learning. They are in a pair and cannot be separated. Success in teaching can only be counted by efficiency in learning. Teachers are the sources of information and knowledge to students. But new knowledge and idea from students after digestion from previous information is the force to turn the world to improve. It has been happening from long ago. Technologies are the means to facilitate the process, but those focus on sharing idea between both directions back and forth teachers and students should be the solution, and I believe it will be the trend.

Assessment with group assignment is a common practice. But presenting in a web blog is a new experience to me. This allows members in or not in the group to share experience not limited by time and space, which is a good reflection of advantage of information technologies. Hoping that we can keep the practice to share what we have newly found or lately experienced to this common space and let the others to keep in the pace.