Appropriate applications to support my teaching experience

I recently completed a module in information communication technology (ICT). Within this module, I was introduced to many applications designed to aid the teaching process. A week or so later. I had to carry out a micro teaching session to my fellow students, ironically, without the use of any of these new fandango apps. At first I thought you what? You have me use these apps in class, become familiar with them and not let me use them!  That's like giving a child a lightsaber and not allowing them to pretend that he/she is Han Solo or Darth Vader and wanting a battle, its the first thing you want to do!

However, saying that, for someone who is a lover and hater of technology, I was not too despondent. It gave me the opportunity to use true old fashioned class room interaction, communication and experiential exercises.

Would I use any of these apps in a classroom environment in which I would be teaching? Possibly, but very doubtful. This is not because I do not like them or that I am not tech minded.  If you have read my previous blogs, you will have discovered, that I believe technology is used too much in our lives already.  My current cohort of students are 1st and 2nd year undergraduate students and I do not believe that these applications are suitable for the this audience,  The cohort I am currently teaching prefer good old fashioned PowerPoint,  That said, I would not rule out using any of these to test the water so to speak.

I would suspect that these applications would be more appropriate for secondary schools, colleges and distance learning. There needs to be a time whereby we use the greatest tools we have been blessed with, speech, listening, sight and the ability to interact, visualise and experience. Something, that seems to be getting lost in the classroom!

Experiential learning for me is essential. That said, as we now live in a technological and digital age, whereby applications, software and devices rule, I will now attempt to promote and be enthusiastic, toward some of these applications I have encountered, bu as yet not had the privilege of using!

Neopod, is a mobile multimedia interactive teaching tool. Designed for students and teachers to interact using mobile presentations in an effort to revolutionise the classroom with interactive presentations.  These presentations are created and downloaded and then shared with students.  Students have no control of the presentations, classes or lectures, thus, controlling the student’s activity in real time.  This, does appear to be quite a unique piece of technology and useful if used in distant learning, However, I fail to see the purpose of this in a classroom environment.  What is wrong in a PowerPoint presentation and asking good old fashioned questions and answers?

Socrative is another application / Website, I believe is better suited to secondary schools, whereby in class testing can be assessed in real time. It is versatile, in so much, it can be accessed on any device or browser. Instant feedback is available, personalised content, whereby assessments can be designed for the target audience and reporting is easily accessed and designed to gather students understanding of given tasks,  This all seems wonderful, and possibly makes a teachers life a little easier, With the benefit of an excel spreadsheet hat colour codes correct answers to tests or assessments if theses are in quiz format!  This provides a teacher with instant notification of how a student is learning and what needs to improve etc.  Sounds pretty cool, if your students are assessed in test format,

Haiku Deck is an app that makes your presentations simple.  You can design presentations to be fun, and beautiful, using an array of images, plus adding content.  Is designed for you to present and transform the class to be interested and engrossed.  It is an alternative to PowerPoint, as you can create presentations professionally, with ease.  Haiku Deck has been described as a painless alternative to PowerPoint. I have to agree.  I have used this app, in one lecture to emphasise stress. It was painless and powerful.  It is free and all your presentations are stored and easily shared,  It does not have all the professional qualities of PowerPoint, however, this is no great loss as you do not need to spend hours attempting to get the animations right. A picture paints a thousand pictures.  Check Haiku Deck out, you will be impressed. Presentation.  You may also like to visit the link to understand better Haiku Deck from freelance writer Yardena Arar. 

For me, PowerPoint, is the best  for creating professional presentations, whether for business or in a university environment. I have used PowerPoint now for a considerable number of years and completely happy to continue doing so.  Students are happy with it and recently my students have been presenting using PowerPoint as part of an assessment, despite having the opportunity of alternatives such as Prezi and Haiku Deck, It seems, that, using an appropriate application or software you are comfortable with, is the answer and if that is PowerPoint why change?  I do not believe in reinventing the wheel, why complicate things?  Stick with what suits and let the techno's worry about other applications!!  Simplicity is what is necessary and not bombarding us with alternatives,

Word, is probably the most versatile and used software used in a university environment, from creating lesson plans, to ad hoc handouts etc.  Word is used for practically everything from writing reports, assessments and even note keeping.  I use it widely and have done throughout my professional life and will continue doing so.  I have even used it to ensure that when I write a blog, i do not lose my work, which as already happened once.  Sometimes, the technology we use has glitches and as a consequence, results in a breakdown and subsequently, all your good work is lost!  Therefore it is always wise to have a backup.

Throughout my experience of the teaching profession.  I have come in to contact with many versatile applications and software.  All designed to enhance the teaching and learning process, for me, Microsoft applications are the best, so why change. if it’s not broken?

https://www.haikudeck.com/presentations/DMJUMwU6Ad
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2148203/haiku-deck-a-painless-powerpoint-alternative.html