One of my course embedded into instructional technology

''Advanced writing and Research skills'' is one of my courses which often requires using digital materials, especially digital divide. As its name suggests that it totally relates to do research to find lots of sources from the internet for our research project. Therefore, we need to use instructional technology to complete it. Moreover, it provides us with critical thinking skills to plan and conduct our research project, as well as we can make the decisions on the topic of the research by using appropriate digital tools and resources.
In terms of the ''media used'', in the classes, the course book and texts handled by instructor are used. Another medium commonly used is the visuals (PowerPoint slides) to present the instruction. We have an opportunity to see summarized information rather than read all. I think that this course is mostly based on searching on the internet and using a wide variety of media to manage the research process.

As far as I suppose, during the course, almost all ''literacies'' are being reinforced. First of all, we will be capable of comprehending and decoding information to use and create new information. Text based resources are used in order to communicate information and develop text literacy. Throughout the writing of the research findings, we will be competent in solving any problem relating to the computer software. And finally, to interpret and create visual messages accurately from visual media we need to reinforce visual literacy.


The most important thing which I have learned from the beginning of the university is that technology is a necessity, not a fancy. Therefore, to know how to use the internet or any digital tools used in the classroom is more important than the other requirements for teaching and learning effectively. I think that students should be trained on the use of computer or any technology based tools used for their learning in quite early age, rather than starting at university. So, it should not be just only language teachers' responsibility to make sure the students develop digital literacy, but the authorities should be responsible for that problem. They, for instance, should provide students in each primary or secondary school with a computer laboratory and internet connection, and also students should be trained by using instructional technology.

Are you a user or owner?

If I created a new thing, I would license my work by using the copyleft principle of Creative Commons. On the other hand, when I want to use a work which belongs to someone, I wouldn't use it without permission or compensation it deserves. Copyright refers to the legal rights to an original work. Technology, particularly the internet, marks the accession of digital materials much easier. Therefore, we should use all these materials in a professional and ethical manner.
However, there may be a lot of work which is for nonprofit educational purposes rather than a commercial nature. In this case, using a copyrighted work for an educational objective can be more likely considered as ''fair use'' than using it for commercial gain.

A must have medium for education in today's world

Many of today's classrooms have been relatively changed from the traditional way to the technology based learning. Teachers, no longer, teach new things by means of a new ways by using digital tools to support and enhance the learning process. It can be frankly said that technology extends the learning environments beyond the classroom walls by connecting learners with others: other learners, experts, and so on.
The benefits of technology in teaching and learning are proved by the researches conducted over the years, so authorities agree on using technology to facilitate and improve students' learning. Therefore, teachers cannot be away from integrating technology and media in their classroom settings any more. They need to continuously improve their professional practice and be an effective user of the digital tools and resources in professional community.
From that point of view above, the necessity of technology is indisputable in not only language teaching, but also in any study area. However, if we have a look at the education in Turkey, it is hardly to say that technology is used commonly in every school. Even, it is used so rarely that teachers are not capable of using digital tools in their classrooms, in fact, they have not knowledge about them. Along with the development of the technology in today, they have had to keep up with the technology and started to integrate it into the teaching materials. http://warlight.tripod.com/KONIG.html This link gives more information about the language learning in Turkey.
 I would describe the use of technology in language learning in Turkey as an ''infant'' since it is used freshly minted. So, it needs to develop and increase the frequency of its usage. I think that every school should have a language laboratory equipped with computer and internet connection. It is essential to make the language acquisition possible with all skills, as it provides students with an intensive learning and teaching process. Therefore, what is achieved through the language learning reform can be promoted by using the technology in the future.

The best job I have ever done!

Today, it was our (oğuzhan and I) turn to give a lesson about the topic that was given previously-Language and Learning. First, I was worried about how I can narrow it as it is a broad subject. Later, I had managed to organize it by dividing into three major subtopics. I think our presentation was good, because we achieved to get our peers' attention during the 50minutes lesson. We had also two guests, one of them was our instructor of the other course which we take and the other guest was one of our peers from the other courses. Although, I had such an  experience in giving the lesson in my other courses, it was very different and also it was the best among the others. I felt very good and confident during the lesson as we could engage the everybody in the lesson with the activities. Moreover, to see that everybody understood the each point which I talked about made me feel  that I achieved my goal.
I  always think that ''how a teacher can gain all students' attention and engage them in the lesson?'' I am wondering about it because in my opinion it must be the main goal of the teaching. I remember that when I was in high school, I was not really interested in some lessons as they weren't getting my attention. Today, I understood that not the lesson that couldn't get my attention, but the teacher. I have decided to research on that issue in more depth to learn much more ways I can manage the classroom successfully as in today. I believe that by this way I will become an effective teacher...
http://712educators.about.com/od/discipline/tp/disciplinetips.htm
The link above gives some good  tips in managing classroom successfully. This is the first step of my research about that issue.

Robert Gagne's Conditions of Learning

20 March 2013

It was one of the enjoyable lessons- Conditions of Learning. It was conducted in the open air-the school's garden. After we covered the topic in the first two hours, we went out to the garden for the practical part of the lesson. We applied to making Turkish coffee in the Gagne's stages of instruction. It was a really nice instruction, everything was fine except the weather. It was a bit cold:)))

To make a difference instruction, there are some factors should be regarded:
To identify five distinct domains or variety of learning outcomes that represent the range of human accomplishments, such as verbal information, intellectual skills, cognitive strategies and so on, to determine requirements for instruction that support learning and to guide for designing instruction.
What are the conditions of learning?
External conditions which are stimulus from the environment and internal conditions which are the learner's internal states like his/her feelings, thought and emotion.
According to Gagne, there are 9 phases of learning. In order to give an effective lesson, these phases should be followed.
-In the preparation stage for learning, gaining attention, identifying the instructional objectives and retrieval information take place.
-In acquisition and performance stage, selecting perception of stimulus features, responding and reinforcement are important.
-In the final stage, transfer of learning, cueing retrieval and generalizability is getting involved.

Sophisticated Lesson

One of the enjoyable lessons was conducted last week. Three groups in the classroom were given an opportunity to give a lesson. Next week, the rest of the class will perform on giving an instruction. One of the groups is  my friend and I. We are going to cover the topic ''Language and Learning''. It is very important to give students such a chance so that they gain experience. Moreover, it contributes to gaining knowledge as preparing and conducting the lesson requires doing research and doing some activities as a real teacher. In addition to prepare a lesson plan is an inseparable part of the perform in an effective lesson. A teacher also has to know the principles of the teaching such as which method should be applied, which steps should be followed, what kind of activities should be provided to make the topic clear, and so on.
If it is needed to be evaluated the last week performances, I can say that all of them don't reflect the features of the effective lesson which I have talked about a few of them above. In other words, the performers were not able to convey the important points of the subject. They could have given the lesson in a more effective way, for instance, they might have added more activities into their lesson. In spite of the poor performed lessons, to become experienced in teaching is a good side of such a tryout instruction. Nevertheless I congratulate my colleagues because of their teaching performances.