1. What do you like about blogging?
I like blogging because I can share with others about my experiences. Blogging helped me to connect with my friends, catching up with their latest reflections and also events. It also helped me to become a reflective learner as in blogging, I was made to think and reflect on my every doings.
2. What you do not like about blogging?
One thing that I do not like about blogging is that some people might post negative comments on your posts and left you being hurt.
3. What have you gained from blogging e.g. Language skills, improved fluency, critical thinking, improved thought processes, technology skills etc. How?
From blogging, I had improved a lot in terms of my language. Previously, I used to type words using short forms and also colloquial language. However, because now the blog is more formal kind of thing, I practiced myself to use proper language and it helped a lot. My language also improved in the sense that I read my friends’ blogs and learned new vocabulary through there. Moreover, it also helped me to improve my technological skills, as now I did not use the old traditional diary to write my personal stuff but use blogspot instead to share my burdens with others.
4. What do you like about this course?
This course taught me how to become resourceful in terms of finding an searching for suitable materials for teaching. It helped me to gain much knowledge which I did not have previously. It eventually widened up my skills in becoming a resourceful teacher.
5. What you do not like about this course?
Well, nothing much that I don’t like about this course, just that the workloads were all quite burdening, looking at the assignments that we had, sometimes it really took the effort of hardwork and time. However, I believed that all these were good to train us.
6. What have you learnt from this course?
I learnt many things. From Module 1 to 5, it was such a knowledge widening. From Module 1, I learnt on how to search for pictures, animations, songs downloading and so on. In Module 2 , I learnt about Photo Editing. This was the best part because I could put my face in any picture that I want, alter it and beautify it using Photoshop Cs3, Photoscape or even Photobucket. In Module 3, I learnt about Audio editing whereby I can use Audacity to alter and cut songs, combined the songs together or reduce the noise level. It was really fun actually in doing this Module. In Module 4, I learnt on more exciting things that was Video Editing. It was amazing that I actually learnt how to connect pieces of pictures together, fit in the audio and make a video out of it using Media movie maker, Sony Vegas, Split cutter and so on. Lastly, in Module 5, I learnt about the functions of Microsoft Office Publisher, whereby I found the easiest way to create brochure, banner, magazines, pamphlets and so on. All these were very educational to me as it was a new experience that I had. Hence, this course really taught me how to become technologically resourceful.
7. What have you learnt from this course that you did not expect to?
Well, I did not expect that this course would be teaching the audio editing and video editing as my mind was quite traditionally-centred to the old method of teaching. I never imagined myself being technologically wise in finding the resources like using the latest song for teaching young children, or even using photos to create posters and so on. All these were new to me and I really appreciated it that I learnt all these in this course.
8. What have u expected but do not learn from this course?
Hmm.. I think so far there was none.
9. Comments regarding modules:
1. Internet and computing skills
a. What do you like about this module?
Well, I love the input given in guiding me to find the resources that I want. For example, in finding pictures, all the steps were given and I just had to follow it and learn from there to find my favourite pictures and animation. Even, in downloading songs, Pn. FOziah also taught me on finding the right source of downloader for example, the FLV and Real Player downloader were two of the good ones that I could use to download songs or videos. It was easy and fun.
b. What do you not like about this module?
Particularly, I did not have any unlikeness towards this module as it was something new to me.
c. What do you like about the task given for this module?
I like the tasks of downloading songs because it was connected to my life, as I loved to listen to songs. Hence, the tasks given were great.
d. What do you not like about the task given for this module?
The task for this module was still fine for me. Nothing particular that I did not like.
e. What are the specific skills that you learn in this module?
Specific skills that I had learnt was downloading skill, finding and searching for appropriate materials using the right source.
f. How the skills learnt in this module can help in the making and choosing of teaching aids for the ELT classroom?
Well, it helped a lot in the sense that now I am more sensitive towards the right source to use while finding for particular materials. For example, in finding for animations, I knew that I should use gifs.com, which for downloading songs, I would use FLV downloader and so on.
2. Photo Editing
a. What do you like about this module?
I like the fact that I could edit my own photos whether to clear the blemishes, red eyes, dark spots and so on. I could also use this photo editing skill to edit myself to be in places that I’ve never been before by blending the two pictures together. It was a fun experience.
b. What do you not like about this module?
Well, the steps given in this module sometimes might not be as accurate. Hence, many times, I had to explore it myself.
c. What do you like about the task given for this module?
The tasks taught me to use authentic materials as teaching aids, for example, using a picture to tell a thousand words. Through lesson planning and making teaching aids to suit the lessons, I had learnt that there were plenty of resources out there that awaiting me to explore. It in fact, widened my knowledge in finding and creating teaching aids for my lessons.
d. What do you not like about the task given for this module?
So far, the tasks given were still manageable. Just that more time needed for me to complete it.
e. What are the specific skills that you learn in this module?
I learnt on how to make a poster out of a picture, blending several pictures together, cutting, cropping, erasing, adding text and title, resizing, making a change over on photos and beautifying photos.
f. How the skills learnt in this module can help in the making and choosing of teaching aids for the ELT classroom?
It taught me that no matter what materials I chose, I could still change it, alter it, modify it and make it as my own according to the suitability of the lessons.
3. Audio Editing Skills
a. What do you like about this module?
This module taught me on how to edit songs using Audacity. This module was interesting as the knowledge that I learnt could be used in my daily lives as well, like for example, creating a ringtone out of a song and combining two songs together. It really attracted me.
b. What do you not like about this module?
There’s nothing that I don’t like about this module.
c. What do you like about the task given for this module?
The tasks were very helpful in moulding me in my skills of audio editing. I experienced on how to make ringtone that I love, reducing the noise of a concert of Siti Nurhaliza and combining two songs together according to my own likeness. The tasks were fun and full of excitement.
d. What do you not like about the task given for this module?
The time given was quite short to complete all the tasks.
e. What are the specific skills that you learn in this module?
I learnt on how to edit a song, cutting parts of songs that I did not like and making a blending song of my own based on my own favourite artists.
f. How the skills learnt in this module can help in the making and choosing of teaching aids for the ELT classroom?
Well, it was very helpful in the sense that now, I could choose any song that I want, then alter it according to the suitability of the lesson. I could also mix two songs together and provide variety to the lesson.
4. Video Editing Skills
a. What do you like about this module?
This module was quite interesting as I was taught on how to make a video using different kinds of applications like media movie maker, Split cutter, real player, Sony Vegas Pro 9 and so on. It indeed widened my knowledge towards all these things as previously, I was like a frog in a coconut shell who did not know about the existence of all these. So, I really appreciated the knowledge I gained from this module.
b. What do you not like about this module?
Well, of course this module was not made easy. It took a lot of hard work in completing it but the outcome was actually fruitful.
c. What do you like about the task given for this module?
The tasks were interesting as my pair and I were required to create a video based on our own likeness. Hence, under the supervision of Pn. Foziah, we had chosen our title ‘Selfless Faith’ on Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. It was a satisfying result as we learned on how to combine the pictures, using the skills that we learned from the module and made it into a video. The result was indeed great.
d. What do you not like about the task given for this module?
The fact that I had to edit the video several times and the trouble to find suitable pictures to fit in.
e. What are the specific skills that you learn in this module?
I learned to create my own videos, which would be very useful in my future teaching as I could use this skill to create many exciting activities in class.
f. How the skills learnt in this module can help in the making and choosing of teaching aids for the ELT classroom?
The skills learnt could help me in creating a video of the pupils in class and make them feel the familiarity among each other. I could use this skill also to extract pictures and audio from the selected video. This would provide a variety to my teaching aids.
5. Software for ELT
a. What do you like about this module?
This module again, brought a new experience to me as I never know about the existence of Microsoft Office Publisher until I did this module. Hence, it was an added knowledge to me, which would bring extra benefits to my future.
b. What do you not like about this module?
This module took a lot of effort to finish it.
c. What do you like about the task given for this module?
The tasks given were appropriate to enhance my skills in creating variety of materials for my lesson plans. It helped to mould my skill in getting used to all the template, be it flyer, brochure, pamphlet, advertisement, creating banner and so on.
d. What do you not like about the task given for this module?
It took creativity and hardwork to produce a piece of good task.
e. What are the specific skills that you learn in this module?
Specific skills that I had learnt were the skills to create banner, pamphlet, flyer, brochure and so on. I learnt to be creative and analytic in creating a good piece of product.
f. How the skills learnt in this module can help in the making and choosing of teaching aids for the ELT classroom?
By using the skill learnt in this module, I could apply different kinds of teaching aids in my lesson that could attract their attention. All these materials were similar like authentic materials. Hence, it would bring a sense of familiarity when they applied it in real life context.
10. If you can change anything about this course, state what is and elaborate?
If I am given a chance to change anything from this course, I would say
reduce the workload given in the module as sometimes some part of the
modules were repeated.
On a scale of 1 – 10, please rate your computing and technological skills for both before and after undergoing the course.
Before: 4
After : 8
