Day 6

Topics: Google Apps - PowerPoint - Learning activities using internet resources - Professional Video making

The session started with tilawat and naat recitation. 1st session as always was reflections of previous day. This practice is helping me in recalling previous day's topics and I am planning to use it in some of my lesson plans of higher sec classes. Next session was demonstration of Google platform including GCR, google meet, google forms. I already have experience of using these apps and as our trainer told and I know from experience that google classroom is easier to handle and require less data to run even in case of poor data connections. As compare to Teams, these are free apps making it a choice of most of the schools. He showed us how we can develop a whole course module inside google classroom where course materials, assignments, resources can be stored under each topic. In Teams, same feature can be used through Channel but for non technical people, teams is a hard choice. We were given the task to create unit wise modules of Computer Science. Another addition in my to-do-list! Topic of our next discussion was Powerpoint presentations. The video our trainer had selected to show was an interesting one. The presenter instead of teaching how to create slides, he was showing most common mistakes people do while creating ppts in a very light and funny style. This was another take away learning that a teacher's enthusiastic expression and delivery of content, can easily make learning effective while keeping whole class alive and active. In our next session, all participants were once again assigned group tasks in breakout rooms. We had to discuss about the use of digital resources in our personal and professional life. From team discussion,  I came to know how other districts have online portals for school administrative tasks. I was thinking why schools in Karachi are yet lacking in such systems? Our main task was to develop activities of a Maths lesson using internet resources. Ms Afsheen took the leading role and distribute sub topics to all group members for exploring internet videos and other resources. I was given the task to prepare the plan. After a short discussion we were able to jot down objectives. All members came up with various resources. In such a short time, its only the team work that we were able to collect live worksheet, kahoot game and a working model project along with short YouTube videos explaining the concept of sets. As I teach Maths to IX, X classes, this lesson was very special for me as I had never thought just as the computer class I can also digitize my Maths class too. I used One Note to show as presentation. Our trainer allowed all of us to share our screens during presentations, I had to present the lesson. One note was shared easily but problem occur when I was asked to show one of the video we used in lesson and the liveworksheet website. Now as I am thinking about the issue, I learn that I will need a lot of practice to conduct and keep control of online sessions. Trainer then showed a newer version of turtle and rabbit race reflecting a new concept unlike the traditional story. It shows how collaboration can prevent us from competing others. Working as team with members having different skills, make tasks easier to complete while all members remain in win-win position. Lastly the most challenging part of this whole training to me is video making. In my to-do-list another task is added making me a bit panic now. Trainer demonstrated art of video making and steps which have to be used to produce a professional and interactive look in our videos. I understand that video making would be the future of teaching learning activities. Scenarios like Covid and floods when schools are hard to run, such videos will be the easiest tool to connect to the students not only locally but will be available for children around the world. I am trying to convince myself to be positive for this challenging task. Another concern which arises in my mind is my privacy. Many people around the globe are of the view not to place their picture or video online and perhaps I am one of such people. I would thus prefer to create animated videos or illustrations for my lessons in future instead of me standing and teaching in videos.