How does COTF promote student-centred learning?

COTF promotes student-centred learning in various ways. In COTF, learning takes place anywhere and students take charge of the learning as they seek to explore, discuss and evaluate information on their own to gain knowledge with the aid of technology. Learning has become part and parcel of life and has become more interesting. Below explains how COTF promotes student-centred learning:  

1. COTF allows collaborative learning to take place easily and more effectively across space and time. By doing so, students are more likely to engage in collaborative learning and thereby allowing knowledge to be shared among themselves instead of the traditional way where teacher spoon feed the required knowledge to them. They are more likely to take charge of their own learning and “learn more widely”.

COTF allows collaborative learning with remote users. Virtual learning communities are made possible in COTF. Students from different countries can collaborate and learn from each other in projects based on their shared purpose and not artificial distinctions of locations or age. Information sharing can take place through various ways such as emails (which include text, voice and video) and chatrooms. Example: Chatrooms with features such as video or voice conferencing, and sharing of files allow easy discussion of projects that transverse the barriers of time. In addition, the UMPC can actually translate language to allow students speaking different languages to communicate. Students in different countries can actually collaborate in projects and share files eg. mind maps and share and edit easily. Students can then communicate with each other easily and do projects together. Learning takes place globally as they actively interact with people from other countries.

COTF allows collaborative learning to take place easily by enabling them to communicate more efficiently. In the classroom, students sit in their project groups and communicate with other groups through chatrooms. They can actually share file easily and instantaneously and even “draw” on the information they have received. Take for example, they received a webpage on the web showing a map and wish to ask the other group what is a location on the map, they can simply circle it using the digital inking annotation and send back to them. Communication is no longer limited to typing on the keyboard. Students can engage in discussion, feedback to each other as if they are face to face.  

2. COTF allows learning to take place anywhere and not limited to the classroom. High connectivity in COTF allows information to be downloaded or uploaded from anywhere. Students can learn at their own desired pace independently instead of following the pace set by the teacher in the classroom.

 Learning can takes place in a comfortable informal environment where students are allowed to downloaded information to read and to share. One such example is the café in the COTF. The café not only allows easy access to the internet, it is also designed in such a way that is conducive for information sharing. Students are seated comfortably around a table which contains an in built computer. Students, who have brought along their Ultra mobile PC (UMPC), can place it near the table to connect it with the table computer and the screens on the UMPC will be “pushed” into the in built computer to allow sharing of information with others. Sharing of knowledge is made easy with the help of technology thereby allowing learning to take place easily anywhere. 

 Wireless connection everywhere allows information to be retrieved anywhere. Students travelling on trains can check their emails and teachers can send email and reminders to students instantaneously to students. This means that teachers and students can communicate, share resources and learn anytime and anyplace irregardless of the distance and time. Another example in the COTF is information on the advertisement can be downloaded onto the UMPC instantly and on the go. Students can review the information when they are free and also use in their projects if applicable. COTF allows students to research and gain knowledge on their own easily and anywhere. 

 Students are responsible for their own learning and can research more on the topic on their own without the aid of the teacher. For example in the COTF, students can know the field trips and other information relating on the topic they are searching on and will do the booking of the field trips on their own instead of relying on the teachers.  

3. COTF allows students to process information more easily and customized according to their individual ability.

 User-friendly programs such as Groker are available for students to allow them to learn on their own (or as a group) easily. Groker actually is a search engine that actually allows information to be presented graphically to allow students to actually interpret data more easily and also filters information according to students’ ability. It sets the borders for the students in their research so that students need to spend less time to do the filtering of information. This actually enhances learning and allows learning to takes place easily and quickly. Students can then learn things at their own pace and research on information on any topics besides those featured in their textbooks. Another example takes place in the laboratory in the COTF. Comparison of data collected across the world is allowed by simply scanning your UMPC. It is easy and efficient. Charts and graphs are automatically drawn from all the data collected to allow easy comparison.  The process and display of data takes place instantaneously.  

4. COTF allows learning to be interesting, fun, interactive in an informal setting. Student develop a lifelong passion in learning as they realize that learning can be fun for them.

 Learning occurs as they play games at home. Learning can takes place in the form multi user visual environment of eg. Physics games in the house. The whole class can be invited to the house to play the game together as long as they brought along their UMPC. This can be further extended to other students who are not in the house by connecting it to the internet. Such simulation game allows students to “interact with the computer” and see how their decision will cause an impact. In fact, such simulation game can stimulate the real world context to deepen their understanding. Learning becomes interesting and fun by adding in the game component. Students can learn and interact together while they play. 

Even under classroom settings, students can interact with people from any parts of the worlds and this makes lesson more interesting and less formal. Experts or professors from other country can be “invited to the class” as special speakers by video conferencing. Students can easily talk to professors from other countries through video conferencing and tap on remote human resource with the help of technology.  

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 References: http://www.unesco.org/education/educprog/lwf/dl/edict.pdf

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