Practical Application of Computers as Cognitive Tools

Today, I will reflect on the application of computers as cognitive tools. I will do a metacognitive reflection on the seven activities included in my short course and how I experience each of these as a practical use of a computer as a cognitive tool.

Activity 1: Google Sheets

Activity 1: Create a Google Sheet lesson plan might seem like a boring task at first glance, but integration of Google Workspace's cloud collaboration functions makes sharing, and collaboration easier than ever. By developing digital lesson plans and making these lesson plans open to other teachers (or even learners) for viewing and commenting, the teacher paves the way for meaningful and well planned facilitation. Remember that use of computers as cognitive tools frees the teacher up from being the holder of knowledge to the facilitator of knowledge. Well planned objectives, time allocation and management of human- and physical resources is essential to a meaningful learning experience. By being prepared, the teacher can get learners underway with a simple hyperlink, learning outcomes and the assessment task. The rest can really be up to the learners themselves.

Activity 2: Miro

The use of Miro as a concept mapping, brainstorming tool is incredibly powerful for self directed learning, scaffolding and establishment of the ZPD (both for the learners themselves, the teachers as facilitators and the parents). Miro has stepped this up to the next level through integration of social features such as teach collaboration, comments, tasks, and live editing on a shared board.

Activity 3: Google Slides

Google Slides is a fresh replacement for what we are used to in Microsoft PowerPoint. The focus of this activity is therefore NOT on the creation of the content itself, but rather on the collaboration features included through Google's cloud offering. Teachers are required to share work through the cloud computing network, interact through comments, make suggestions and recommendations and foster a communal learning environment where knowledge and skills and shared freely to the benefit of all.

Activity 4: Google Docs

Much to the likeness of Google Slides, Google Docs has disrupted the education sector through the cloud collaboration features included in Google Docs. Hopefully, everyone reading this post has, by now, populated at least one Microsoft Word document over the course of their lifetime. Better yet, if you have not done so, pop into the world of Google Docs for a much more fun, interactive word processing experience!

Activity 5: Kahoot

The pure excitement of time running out, as you and your team scramble to read through the four coloured blocks in the haze of screaming, shouting and passionate debate about the correct answer... Kahoot and their high paced quiz offering has transformed how formative assessment can be done forever. I honestly don't see myself going another year without getting myself a Premium version of this application!

Activity 6: YouTube

YouTube has become one of the most powerful information tools in the history of the world. Where parents and grandparents have to page through the puzzling jungle of the encyclopaedia index (just to find something that might have been relevant in the late 1990's), our generation has empowered itself with a super information search engine through which you can learn just about ANYTHING in under 5mins. It's as simple as "How do I ___", even if you don't know what you want to 'how' there's a list of crazy how to videos at the tap of a (virtual) button. Teaching teachers the art of creating, sharing and selecting content should be deemed one of the most critical skills for any 21st century learning facilitator.

Activity 7: Google Sites

Whether you think you have something to present to the world or not, Google Sites is one of the simplest, most streamlined, accessible web-creation tools of our time. Allowing your learners the opportunity to organise and present what they have discovered through the course of an investigation or project has never been easier. I say, away with Natural Science / Physical Science or Life Science files and printouts; let's allow learners to get out their video camera's, put 1000 Mentos in a bottle of Coke and present their findings to the world through an interactive web platform (health and safety kept in mind of course). PS. If you feel stressed about teaching them how to build the website, keep it simple, YouTube has hundreds of thousands of video hours which teach them everything they need to know (and more). Keep it simple.