BEST PRACTICE IN THE TEACHING OF COMPUTER STUDIES

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BEST PRACTICE IN THE TEACHING OF COMPUTER STUDIES
Presented by John Otieno Oredo (Strathmore
School) On 27th, August, 2009 At Strathmore
University
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What is Best Practice

• A best practice is a technique or methodology
  that, through experience and research, has proven
  to reliably lead to a desired result.
• A commitment to using the best practices in any
  field is a commitment to using all the knowledge
  and technology at one's disposal to ensure
  success.

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What should effective ICT teaching develop in
students?

• Positive attitude to the use of ICT
• Confidence in ability to use ICT to solve
  problems.
• A disposition to apply ICT in relevant situations
  and critically evaluate its effect.
• Personal autonomy in their use of ICT for
  learning and problem solving.

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Suggested Best Practice

• Engaging learner preconceptions
• -Address students initial understanding and
  preconceptions about a topic of study.
• -Students do not come into the classroom tabula
  rasa.
• -Identify, confront and resolve their current
  understanding through questioning.

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Suggested Best Practice

• b) Organize knowledge around core concepts.
• -Organizing information increases understanding
  and retention.
• -Focus teaching around broad unifying themes,
  concepts and thinking.
• -Make use of mental models.

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Suggested Best Practice

• c) Integrate Thinking, Writing, Speaking and
  Doing.
• -Engage the cognitive, affective and the
  psychomotor domains.
• -Even in the Lab, engage all the students
  faculties.

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Suggested Best Practice

• d) Make use of Cooperative Learning.
• -Encourage collaborative tasks.
• -Encourage positive interdependence and
  individual accountability.
• -Assign challenging interdisciplinary tasks.

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Suggested Best Practice

• e) Consider issues of application of ICT
• -Any technology should address human problems.
• -Encourage students to apply skills learnt in
  solving a wide variety of problems.
• -Give short term projects.

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Suggested Best Practice

• f) Meaningful assessment of student learning.
• -Assessment should cause students to use thinking
  skills.
• -Assessment should be used not only for
  evaluation but also to stimulate learning.

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Suggested Best Practice

• g) Reward learner participation
• -Support learner actions with effective well
  timed positives.
• -Describe objectively what the learner has
  achieved. Avoid praises.

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Suggested Best Practice

• h) Classroom Environment
• -Maintain a classroom climate that is-
• Learner centred
• Knowledge centred
• Community centred
• Assessment centred

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Barriers to adoption/adaption of Best Practice

• Lack of knowledge about current best practices.
• Lack of motivation to make changes involved in
  their adoption/adaption.
• Lack of change management skills.
• Absence of policy frameworks (national, school).