ICT Isn't It Ironic?

Isn't it ironic! That's what Alanis Morissette  was singing 20 years ago.  However, I don't think she had Information Communication and Technology (ICT) in mind.

Following my intensive week  on ICT, whereby, I received a considerable amount of presentations on the wide and varying applications, functions and software all designed to make our lives simpler whether, for personal reasons, in the classroom or the lecture hall.

It was therefore, ironic, that in my PETLA module this week, I, along with a colleague  had to present a topic to the class, a subject chosen out of  a hat.  That subject was Write on Windows and for the purposes of this presentation we called WOW!

WOW, does exactly what it says on the tin.  At first I thought WOW was yet another software package application designed to revolutionise the world, yet make my life more difficult, not only having to understand  how it operates, but then put it into practice, and when do I have the time?

What a relief, that WOW is actually a back to basics classroom technique, whereby white board pens and a classroom window are the only tools required, oh yea and a white board erasure to wipe the windows clean at the end of the lesson! I don't suppose the window cleaner is too impressed though!!

WOW, is a creative way of allowing students and teachers to think outside the box.  However, I don't think its a new technique at all, windows have always been part of the classroom. I usually stared out of them as a child, dreaming of being a footballer and scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup final for Liverpool.  Sadly, that was just a fantasy and I am bizarrely still in a classroom environment!

Back in the day when black boards were common place, "Writing on windows", or better known as WOW, would have resulted in detention and possibly the cane.  We now find it acceptable and encouraged probably as a result of technology.  Now that is Ironic!!

The use of mobile phones and tablets are becoming more popular in education and therefore, as a consequence, students are more likely to be distracted by the copious amounts of apps available at  your fingertips.  So, how do we prevent this? We WOW!!

WOW, not only encourages students to interact more with each other, it also prevents them becoming distracted. I guess if you are looking out of the window, you may see things far more interesting and therefore become distracted.  Looking out of the window can cause you to daydream, well that what was happening to me when I was a child!

Nevertheless WOW, for me, gets the seal of approval.  Anything that allows us to be creative and refrain from using technology gets my vote.  Interaction and collaboration is key, technology is great, yet it can encourage you to stop thinking as all the information you need today, can be obtained through a search engine usually which is likely to be Google and there endeth the thought process!

Just to be a rebel, my presentation to my audience, was prepared using PowerPoint, yet I never presented through a projector. I used the good old traditional method of verbal dialogue, eye to eye communication and demonstration....
WOW

https://www.dropbox.com/s/07ptjrrl6y2y6j4/Write%20on%20Windows.pdf?dl=0