Oceans That Link And Divide Us Essay Example

Instead of viewing technology as a distraction, we should take advantage of it to assist in student’s engagement and creatively teach Social Studies. It is a fact that in today’s world, students are faced with distractions. As a result, educators are constantly challenged to keep students fully engaged in the teaching and learning environment. The 21st Century student grew up with a digital world where the internet and other emerging technology are an everyday use to them, therefore, incorporating technology in the classroom to assist in teaching and learning will help in engaging them with a tool that interest them and they are familiar with.

Students are on Facebook instead of hanging off your every word or shopping on Amazon, or watching the latest viral video. There is a solution: incorporate social media into your lecture. Ask students to crowd source questions using social media and see what their friends know about a topic. Use clickers to quiz students before and during the lecture. Inevitably, the misunderstandings that need attention will emerge. (The Derek Bok Centre for Teaching and Learning, 2021). In addition, creatively utilizing technology will facilitate all types of learners. The visual, the audio etcetera. There are multiple ways that technology may be used to actively engage students to teach the topic: “Oceans that link and divide us”. Three of these ways are the use of Google maps, Educational videos and Prezi PowerPoint.

Google maps are a great way to show students how the water bodies around us divide and link us. These maps give clear visual and labelled location of the bodies of water in relation to the islands that surround them in the Caribbean region. One of the features of a google map that is employed in the classroom to teach the above-mentioned topic at the standard three (3) primary level is the Create a custom map. The students can create their own custom Google Map. With this Maps feature, they can choose all the points they want to place on the map. There are varieties of fun and educational way with this feature. For instance, add all locations on the map the students want to visit, add all locations on the map they have been to before. The teacher will then actively show the students the routes via the water bodies that can be taken to arrive at that desired location. This will help them in understanding the importance of these oceans and some of the use and functions that these oceans provide for the Caribbean people.

A game will also be created where the teacher can customize questions relating to the topic. Black and white versions of the map will also be used as an interactive world map for children, with students colouring in each body of water they learnt about. This will be an assignment done on google slides or printed from google. This assignment will be used to assess the students.

Videos are one of the most interesting application for students at the standard three (3) and other levels. The modern student spend their time looking and making YouTube and TikToc videos. Educational YouTube videos like Dr. binocs and Kids learning tube can teach children in a fun, vibrant an short way “the ocean that link and divide us”. The students will be shown a six minutes video that will not bored them but engage them in understanding the water bodies and its importance to us. 

They will make their own video explaining what they learnt from the video and a blog created for them to upload their assignment. Majority of the 21st Century students are familiar with the features on YouTube for making and uploading a video. A tutorial will ensure that everyone can use this feature. One of the advantages of using videos is the pause, stop ad rewind feature. If a student was not clear on a part of the video, it can go back to that exact part and re explained for further clarity for the student. It will also facilitate the visual and audio learner.

Prezi is a PowerPoint presentation software that create interactive visuals that appear right alongside you on screen as you present, for virtual presentations that engage, inspire, and teach. These features are perfect for teaching Water bodies that divide and link us in the Caribbean region. Students will have a view of what the water bodies look like in a real-life experience. The images on the presentation move in an HD effect. Prezi presentations feature a map-like overview that lets users pan between topics, zoom in on details, and pull back to reveal context.

It uses augmented reality in presentations; this will be perfect to teach this topic. Whether it is from an airplane view or a view from a cruise liner, it will show the students an accurate visual of the topic and give them a gratified experience. The students will be able to ask questions at the end of the presentation. With this exciting technology, students will have multiple questions relating to the topic. 

Technology can be a distraction to students but teachers can also use it as an advantage to make students classroom experience, one that is exciting and satisfying. There a many emerging technologies in our world today to choose from. If not all, most are used by the modern student for entertainment and information. Using this love for technology as a tool to teach and assist teachers is a brilliant idea to engage students in the classroom.

It is clear that the school environment is being reformed into a technology world. The pandemic experience showed many of us how effective technology use in the classroom can be. The students already spend their days using these technological devices and the internet to engage themselves. They are already familiar with these features and teachers should embrace this and use technology to assist them in teaching, learning and to engage their students. Google maps, Educational videos and Prezi PowerPoint are three great technology tools used in teaching “the oceans that link and Divide us in the Caribbean Region” these are very interactive and fun ways to help students pay attention, understand and reproduce it in their own minds what is been taught. Educators in the classroom should not ban technology. Instead, it should be embraced and effectively utilized to help teach students.

Bibliography

Walden University. (2021) How you can make educational technology work for you.

https://www.waldenu.edu/programs/education/resource/top-five-benefits-of-technology-in-the-classroom.

George Lucas Educational Foundation. (November 2007). How to Integrate Technology

https://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-implementation.