Technology Can Enhance Creativity

            Technology really can support language teaching and learning to be effective, useful and fun. Nowadays there are so many kinds of technology that are used for delivering knowledge such as google, Wiki, podcast, youtube, blog, my space, even Facebook and twitter. That is a kind of modern language teaching way.

            But in the real situation, most of schools in Indonesia still apply conservative way in teaching and learning language. They may know about those kind of 2.0 technology although not at all but there is no idea for tem to connect between those two things. Even they seldom use technology tool for supporting teaching and learning language.

            Let’s see a case that has happened in a school that I have observed. In that school teacher don’t ever use any kind of technology except language laboratory. Actually the language laboratory is not useful much because as I saw, the last usage of language laboratory in the class that I have observed is at January 2009. During in the class the teacher just use textbook as a media in language teaching. Even she did not use whiteboard in the classroom. As her own confession, she has never used digital technology like computer, LCD, power point. When teacher explained about the lesson that it was type of text, students just listened to the teacher. It was so boring and made students did not pay attention mush to the language teaching, or made some of them felt sleepy.

            Well, if I act as a teacher I will maximize my skill about technology to apply language teaching. The simplest thing is I will use slides of power point to explain what type of texts are, the generic structure and language features, and those each example. Actually my partner and I did it in our team teaching practice.

            If I can maximize my time and have internet connection, I will search an interesting video about that kind of lesson from youtube and I will share to my students. Students need visualization in case of comprehending the material. I will also use Wiki to get resources of the material or I will suggest my students to visit the link of Wiki’s webpage that I have found it.

            If it is possible and they can make entry in blog, I will give a task for students to make text that they should post it in their own blog. I can ask them to write recount according their experience or write narrative text of fairy tale and fable but they make a different or funny ending based on their creativity, and they also upload picture as the illustration.

            Actually, many things can be done by technology in teaching and learning language. It can create a great idea or an amazing creativity. According to me it also the best way to enhance comprehension the material and apply the real practice for the students. The effective teaching also can be achieved by using technology.

            So, as a candidate of the next generation of the teacher, I should be expert in using technology and combine it in teaching and learning activity to make it not only effective but also fun.

My First Week Classroom Observation in Teaching Assistance Experience

            In my first week classroom observation, I found many things to be shared. Both of effective and ineffective teachings were applied by teacher in the classroom. At that time I observed a teacher who taught about text. Firstly, teacher asked students to discuss text together with her. Students were asked to read the text first than they were given questions about what was the main idea and what were the meanings of some difficult words. There was a student who knew the answer and gave the response. It also happened in the next paragraphs. If there was no response from a student, teacher would point a student to answer the question. Teacher helped student to answer by giving a clue but sometimes the clue was like a “burung beo” way. I think it is totally a wrong method because they have already Senior High School students. In answering other questions, sometimes students read together the sentence in the text so it did not sound clearly. Those statements included into ineffective teaching because it can make some students who did not pay attention much to the big discussion class became sleepy or did something else.

            Anyway, the effective part is the teacher always said thank you and also said the name too to students who had already answered the question. It made students were appreciated and motivated to do answering in next time. In teaching time, teacher tried to move from one side to another side in the classroom so she could get attention from all of students. In the end of discussion, teacher asked someone to make a conclusion or repeat what was the last answer so everyone should pay attention if suddenly he/she was pointed by teacher. In the last, teacher asked students to do task in the textbook and when students were doing the task, teacher moved around to check or help their work.

            I was surprised when after students did the task, one by one of them went to the teacher’s table to collect their tasks by queuing while teacher checked and gave mark. Oh, it also happened in my Elementary School in the much previous years. The rest of students who finished to be checked just did chat with their friend because there was no something to do. It was the most ineffective part of the classroom activity.

            For me, if I had to teach the same lesson to the students, I would create group discussion to make it more effective and did not waste much time. For the discussion of the answers, each of group could shared the report of their discussion result and the other groups paid attention and could gave response or feedback to the report. In out of grouping time, if I asked students to answer my question, I would asked whoever wanted to answer to raised her/his hand first and then she/he said the answer. It would be clearer than answering by said together. Of course I would not do the same thing like checking the task like that. May be I could bring their task to the home and checked it later on or while I checked their task, I gave them something else to do. I think it was better if I did a short reflection to the students before I closed my teaching time.

Calculating My FootPrint Carbon

          
           Hmm.. interesting! Bu Stien asked us to measure our electricity, water, waste, and meal for one day. Those aim to measure how much CO₂ that are used by calculating them for one week, one month, and one year too.

            For calculating enviro-meal, I have to practice cooking. Actually I often cook but I never calculate it in detail. Together with Nunu, we cooked “Pecel Telor” and calculated how much budget that we had spent and how much carbon that we produce as result of cooking. For example If I went to market for buying vegetables by car or motorcycle, I would produce carbon because of petrol consumption. But actually I went there on foot so I had zero carbon production for travel.

            Many elements are also considered, like what’s type of vegetable that is used, local, imported or own garden product. For packaging I used plastic, tin, or paper, it’s also part of consideration.

            Beside enviro-meal, I should calculate electricity, water use, waste, and travel. Those were little bit complicated because I should make sure how many liters of water that I spent to take a bath, wash, brush my teeth, wash my dish, wudhu, and drink. So did for electricity I should know how many Watts electricity that I used to turn on my personal computer, lamp, and fan. You know guys? For carbon travel calculation, everyday there is no carbon that I produce because I go to campus by bike. I am glad with that because although it is just a little contribution, I have tried to reduce carbon pollution. Well, it is may be a funny thing because in Jakarta there are so many cars and motorcycles that produce pollution. I and my bike compare with people with cars and motorcycle like a grain of rice in a big bowl of rice. It doesn’t matter for me. As long as I comfort and I feel free and fortunately I do something for my environment.

            The result of my calculation is 1,18 kg CO2 for one day; 8,26 kg CO2 for one week; 247,8 kg CO2 for one month and 2973,6 kg CO2 for one year. That result is just for one person. I imagine, how many CO2 that is produce by people in one country and also in our earth? How a big amount it is.

            That’s why, once more, Bu Stien remembered us again to reduce our footprint and improve our handprint. Later on in the end of third semester, I should submit my “Green Teacher Project”. It will be challenging. I have told the idea but I keep it still in my secret. Just wait it, I will share in this blog (^_^)

Reflect from Both of Interesting and Unexpected Debates

Sometime ago my friends and I in Language Teaching Methodology class did debate. The motions were teacher needs to use more than one books for teaching and teacher just need one book to teach. I was in first motion that was a positive side.

Well, both of positive and negative motion had own reasons that could be consideration. For example, teacher should use many different resources books so that he/she can complete which book that is less in information from the more complete one. While using one book is because many books can waste much money and make teacher more confused.

I think the positive and negative one always cannot be combined or compared which is the strongest. Every choice must have every advantages and disadvantages so it depends on our creativity to compile the best things from each motion. From that kind of challenge, teacher must be critical and think smart.

One more debate session that I have done before. That was in Teaching and Language Learning course. The motions are teaching should be combined with technology and teaching must not involve technology.

The debate went without controlled actually. There was negative motion group that spoke loudly to positive motion group, anyone who cut other friend’s words before she complete her sentence, and anyone shouted each other. So noisy and complicated. Actually that didn’t happen in my group but in the group near me and it so disturbed my group’s debate session. When I spoke, my friends couldn’t hear my voice. It has reflected to me that I should never do something like that in my debate. I am afraid if case that is similar like that happens, so far the debaters will fight each other and the purpose is not for sharing ideas but more for showing the debaters’ strength. (>_<)

Okay, let’s discuss for that debate contents. So, again, the conclusion is there is the most proper way in that case. Technology is pretty needed in teaching and learning to support wider knowledge and keep it up to date. Technology also can make teaching applying easier by using internet, computer, projector, etc. But technology has bad impacts to if the user misapplies it, so it depends on the user too.

Then, how about teaching and leering in remote area that technology is still not exist? Sure we cannot rely on technology only. There are still many environmental equipments that can be used. For other case, if suddenly there is an error system in technology and teacher can’t use its type of technology that has been prepared before, sure teacher should have plan B to overcome it, right?!

So again, as students and teacher, we need technology in learning and teaching but don’t be depended on technology. Be a smart, critical, and creative person is still be number one. \\\(^o^)///

Meaning of My Name

            Do you proud of your name? Do you ever think to change your name? For me, I really proud of my name and I will never change my name.

           How an interesting introduction in Humanistic Studies when Miss Nisa asked us to write meaning of our name by description without writing the name over there. Then other friend had to guess who was person in the description.

            That was an enjoyable task ever (hehe..). I have explored my name more because of that and I found how lucky I am that my father has given my name to me.

            Indah Sari Romadhoniati, the first and middle ones actually are names that are used by many people. Even my friends were often difficult to spell my last name correctly or made it as joke by changed it to Dangdut King’s name, Rhoma Irama. (>_<)

            Okay, I don’t mind because the meaning of my name is more than that. If my name is meant by combining the all parts, it means “a beautiful core in Ramadhan”. I was born in Ramadhan, a holy month when Muslim around the world do fasting and have passionate to improve their praying. Wow… All praises to Allah. How lucky for being I am. I realize too that for my parents and family, in that time, the beautiful core in Ramadhan was me who was come to this world. (^_^)

            Further, Miss Nisa has taught me to know more my self. All of us were asked to express who we are by writing some clue words. My clue words are:

1.      A Muslim.

I proud to be a Muslim and that identity guide me must go straight in the right way according to rules that are exist in my religion.

2.      A Javanese.

I am glad to be Javanese girl and has grown in that culture. If I talk to older person, I will talk by ‘krama inggil’ that has more refined language than ‘ngoko’. Even other people who haven’t know me before know that I’m a Javanese. I don’t understand why. It is may be cause I have slow rhyme in speaking and accent of ‘medhok’. Because of that, I have had a unique experience. I have given discount by a seller of train ticket because my Javanese accent and the he is actually a Javanese too. (^o^)

3.      The 5^th child.

My parents have six children and I am the fifth child. It is a big family ya?!

4.      An Art Lover.

      I am a visual-spatial intelligence person. Since I was kindergarten until now I realize that I can’t leave art from my life.

5.      A rider.

      It doesn’t mean that I am a rider in a race, not. I mean my hobby is riding, both of riding motorcycle and bicycle. I feel free when I am riding. Riding motorcycle fast can accelerate my adrenalin and sometimes it helps me to break of my sadness. That’s why my reason I like Moto GP \(^o^)/. While riding bicycle makes me relax and pay attention more to environment around me when I am riding. So do when I am sad, I can ride around my bicycle for some hours to refresh my mind, and it works (^-^)

Those are all about me. So I reflect that actually people don’t know about them selves if they haven’t explored yet. Just have fun with it friends because you will find some great things that may be you haven’t known it before.

In the end of class section, Miss Nisa asked us to write a conclusion about ourselves.

My conclusion is “I AM THE 5^th CHILD BUT I AM NOT SPOILED” #(^-^)#

Falling in Love with "Environmental Education"

              Since the first I knew that there would be two optional courses (Multimedia Production and Environmental Education), I was sure that I was going to chose Environmental Education. Why? It is just a simple reason, because I like green. It interpreted many things. It was not because I dislike technology but more about a call from the nature (^_^) hehe…

              Environment is my place to live. Environment is my friend. Environment is adventure. Environment is a mystery, for me. So it likes a pleasure challenge to study within environment.

              I love so much that course and it was proven so pleasurable. It was cool when Bu Stien showed us the metaphorical video about environment condition which treated like musical orchestra. Here are the plots of the video. At the first, the musical orchestra played the musical instruments slowly like in introduction of a song. It interpreted a “creation” of nature. There were beauty, balance, peacefulness, and symphony. At the middle, the song changed into different tone. The pianist did not obey the orchestra’s director and played the piano arbitrarily. The tempo ran faster and faster. The other players followed the pianist playing. They played emotionally with high speed of musical movement. The tone stroke hard, was full of anger. And then the song was played overload. The musical instruments started to be broken. Violins, piano, bass, and drum were broken suddenly. Those conditions described of “destroying”, contamination both of air and water, fire, traffic jam, storm and death. The orchestra did not work anymore. Then the pianist realized his mistake. He started to press some tuts piano which were still functionable. He played slowly like tried to build a calm song. The other orchestra’s players started to play their secondary musical instruments, played together with the pianist. This metaphor showed as a “reconstruction” of nature. That was an amazing video. I got the message. I got its impression.

                Well, the other activities of that course were interesting too. We were asked to draw something that reflected our selves. I drew butterfly. Like my name, butterfly is beautiful  (^_^). It is colorful and my life is colorful too. It can fly and I hope I can fly as high as my dream. It help flower to do pollination so that flower can product a new generation. I hope in my life I can help people around me and can give contribution to environment.

                We also made a foundation’s pyramid of environment’s aspects and did an interesting game. The game was employing natural resources with candies and chocolates were acted as the resources. All of activities class (watching video, group working, building pyramid, game) helped me to reflect what I have done and what I will do to environment, place where I live in. If I took many candies and chocolates, the rests would be little and more little if took more. It means if I take so many nature resources from environment without any feedback to environment, the resources may be lose some years later and it will be disaster for me and for other humans.

                Actually Environmental Education course give me much reflection to do not destroy our earth. We never know that actually our earth is crying while it serve us in whole our life. So we have to love earth, save earth, and do the concert. Reduce more foot prints and create more hand prints. It means reduce to do destroying and do more safety action for our earth     \(^o^)/  !!!!!!

Additional information:

                I sketched the butterfly picture in home but I colored it when I was in Semantics and Lexicology class until I finished it. I’m sorry for Pak Okki I did it in your class. I still followed your course all the time. I just needed to do something when I heard something for two and a half hours. So, both of my ears and hands worked together. It’s part of case of multiple intelligences, isn’t Pak Iwan? For addition, in order that I didn’t fall asleep and it worked well, yeah…!!!!    \(^o^)/

Revolution from a "Gaptek Girl" to be a "Digital Girl"

Second course of Technology and Language Learning, Pak Iwan showed videos about use of technology in students’ life. Those were so cool. Students in western country learn, act, and even live with technology. It likes they wear a cloth and eat everyday. Beside they are supported by comprehensive technology tools, they also have passion in integrating their skill in using technology.

                Let you know. There is Sam. She is a girl who has her own world by technology. She also developed her musical skill by utilizing technology. She is both a multitalented and a digital girl. I like Sam because she showed that a girl also has capability in technology, not only boy who is usually to be majority. It likes feminism.

                If Sam is musical talented, I am have a little competence in painting. I thought if I can use technology to help my work, may be I can draw or paint more easily. But see, I cannot operate Corel Draw well. I prefer to draw manually by hand so I cannot follow as what Sam did.

Then, there were 8 years boys who use to operate technology intensively and good in developing his project by that. Even tough he may be use to spend more time in facing technology, he still have spare time to join outdoor activity and play with his friends. Thing that made me amazed is by utilizing technology, he is care about environment and willing to share knowledge to other people even though he never meet those people.

              So I looked on my self. I am older than that boy about ten years but what I‘ve ever done for environment. Even I have no high skill in technology field. I should do more, right? How careless I am if I am still not care after watching that video. So I should learn technology, I should make a friendship with technology, and I should not be ‘gaptek’. It is because I am going to be a perspective teacher and I should do not only for my self but also for environment. I hope it is not just a slogan in temporary moment but an awareness that sound in my soul so I can pass the course by bring something progressive in the end. I believe I can because I’m gonna be a digital girl !!!!   #(^_^)#

First impression meeting Teachnology & Language Learning course

                Technology and Language Learning. Hmm, First impression before I attended to that course was how to include technology in teacher’s language in giving learning to students.  Actually, in the first course I still confused what was the correlation of language learning with technology because I just found discussion about technology. I thought then “Oh, I will find it later on in next courses”

                Actually I don’t give attention much to technology because I realize that I’m not a technologic person. I have no much capability in operating technology like other friends. There’s no enough confidence in my self. In Indonesian slang it called ‘gaptek’. I’m afraid with anything about technology which I establish that it’s strange and difficult for me.

                  In using internet, I just did a flat habit, checking email, googling, operating facebook, opening some websites, a little bit chatting, downloading web pages or music. I did it same all the time and there’s like no special revolution.

                When Pak Iwan asked to us (section D) who was ever created a blog, all people raised hands include me. Hoh, I felt little bit shy. Actually I have known what blog is but I have no pretension to make a blog.

                Well, there’s a positive sign as a result from blog task. It pushes me to be more productive in writing. I like writing but my laziness often defeat my creativity. And also creating blog gives occasion to publish my thinking.

                Oh wait, one more that I got from the first course is additional information about what definition of technology is. I asked to Pak Iwan, “According to you, what’s the definition of technology?” He answered that technology is a tool that make something to be easier to be done. So blackboard, chalk, even stone and ‘kapak persegi’ that used in ancient era are technology, according to when the technology used in a certain era. I have tried to write Pak Iwan’s answer accurately in this blog but I hope my restrictiveness of English doesn’t make someone who read it will be confused. You know the answer broke down my own perception that technology were only things that related with digital things like computer, internet, phone, etc. Hmmm, how an ancient my thought is!!! Thank you Pak Iwan ^_^