Integration of Technology through Online Microteaching

What I Liked About Online Teaching?

Online teaching allowed me to be more flexible in terms of when and where the lesson takes place as well as how it took place. This flexibility was beneficial for both students and teacher. Online teaching offered various engagement tools, such as interactive simulations and multimedia, which can make lessons more dynamic and engaging.

What I especially enjoyed was being able to access an online tool that allowed learners to construct their own simple circuits online. Learners were able to connect different components of the circuit, observe the flow of current and pose questions based on their own creations as well as visually and creatively engage in a different perspective as they are use to. I found this experience to be highly beneficial in my pedagogical development and exploring teaching through these digital platforms.

Online teaching can reach a wider audience and cater to students who may have difficulty attending traditional contact classes. This platform enabled me to engage learners through Jamboard which is an online tool that gave me the opportunity to attach moving images to make the content more appealing for learners. I had also developed in my mindset regarding integrating technology into my lessons during my TE which essentially helped me to expand my way of teaching.

What I Dislike About Online Teaching?

Online teaching lacks the physical presence and face-to-face interactions that can be important for building relationships and a sense of community among students. The concern would be the gap in technology that we are currently facing in South Africa. I feel that Online teaching only caters for higher resourced schools in terms of there being a national crisis yet again like the pandemic.

Teaching online also takes away from me having to connect to my learners and relate to them if I were in a face-to-face classroom. Technical issues can disrupt the flow of the lesson and create frustration for both students and teachers. This was seen through issues with the link in which one student had found it difficult to log into the online classroom. This also initially took up some time and I had to wait for all learners to be present in order to conduct my lesson.

Lastly Online environments can be distracting for students, as they may have access to various apps, websites, and devices during the lesson.

What New Skills did you learn through this experience?

Through this experience, I have learned to adapt lesson plans and teaching methods to an online environment. I have gained skills in using digital tools and platforms to enhance engagement and facilitate learning. Additionally, I have improved my ability to create interactive and visually appealing content for online lessons.

I had learnt how to important conducting lessons according to time is. I had also learnt to manage my time more effectively and I had developed digital literacy through online teaching.

Being technology savvy had developed my confidence in teaching through technology. I had also developed problem solving skills such as thinking on my feet and being able to quickly react if there is any technology issues or technical difficulties from both sides.

What would you do differently?

According to the feedback provided from my peers, I needed to improve by using audio and changing the tone of my voice to make the lesson more exciting. This made me aware of the tone of my voice which is equally important when conducting difficult concepts and content. It had also given me an idea to set the scene when introducing my lesson in future. Another peer had mentioned making use of videos which is also another good online tool that will cater for visual learners and enrich the quality of work being taught. This feedback has helped me plan more effectively reteaching the same lesson in my Block 2 TE.

Did you choose appropriate tools to teach your online lesson, explain why?

I chose to use Jamboard to present the content as it encouraged me to attach moving pictures which added richness to the lesson and content taught. I also used an online tool called ‪Circuit Construction Kit: DC - Virtual Lab to integrate construction of simple circuits using this technology tool during the lesson. I had also used Quizlet to test learners’ knowledge and I reminded learners that they can access the Quizlet to also learn important concepts mentioned in the lesson. Blackboard Collaborate was used to teach the lesson as a whole and share the room link for learners to join. I was able to share other files from other apps to blackboard which made it flexible and easy to navigate through my lesson.

I chose Jamboard as it was easier to access as I had already had a google account. I was able to easily breeze through the slides, attach sayings, memes and gifs in the slides relating to the content. I had compiled PowerPoint presentation through Jamboard because it also had variety of options such as templates, google images, different fonts, and design elements. This app was a google app and I was able to access it on my laptop and phone.

‪Circuit Construction Kit: DC - Virtual Lab allowed me to show learners through instruction, how to construct a simple circuit. The website was fascinating as it was able to show both the different electrical components and the symbols to each electrical component. I was able to show learners how electricity flows in one direction through the use of this tool and how electrons flow in the opposite direction as it is negatively charged. I had encouraged learners to be creative when designing their own circuit and they could use any components as long as their circuit is simple, the lightbulb is able to light and current is able to flow. One learner’s circuit was on fire, and this gave me the opportunity to explain the difference between a broken circuit, incomplete circuit and a complete circuit. I was also able to educate learners further about illegal connections and how these surges of power in the circuit can lead to a fire outlet or power outage which we have experienced a lot of times in South Africa.

For the Quizlet I was able to create flashcards with the definitions and pictures of the important concepts and give learners a quiz to test retainment of their knowledge. Learners were also able to work in groups and test their knowledge by a mix and match quiz activity whilst being timed. Learners became competitive as they were eager to win for their teams. Through this website I was able to track learners progress and check to see if learners understood the content taught. This website was easily accessible by sharing a link.

How has this experience developed you for teaching in a school?

Teaching online can enhance a teacher's adaptability and resourcefulness. It has forced many educators to explore new teaching methods and technologies. These experiences can be valuable when transitioning back to traditional in-person teaching, as they provide additional tools and perspectives for effective instruction. It also highlights the importance of blended learning, where elements of both online and in-person teaching can be combined to provide a well-rounded education.

Experiencing challenges as a student through online teaching with my peers has helped me became conscious of the possible demands and challenges of learners during online learning as I had firsthand experienced learning online as a student. I had learnt how to adapt with a smaller group of learners whilst online teaching to a bigger group of learners. The feedback provided by my peers as developed the quality of education.

This Microteaching has developed me as a teacher and helped me in my teaching practical as well as teaching in future. It has enabled me to be more proficient in teaching and language used. Online teaching has displayed many advantages that will benefit me on my journey as a lifelong learner.