1. Requirement of UIIT-assessment item 2
Decades ago, when I was a secondary school students, my teachers used only chalks
and blackboard to teach students, they did not know ICT tools and of course have
never use ICT tools in lesson. I can use two words to conclude my lesson time –
boring and ineffective.
Of course, it is not a must to use ICT tools, however, when we come to the term
effective teaching, it is undeniably that using ICT is much more effective in
transmitting the knowledge to kids.
Take my lesson teaching connectives as an example (refer to IIT’s lesson plan), I used
ICT tools – a video from YouTube and PowerPoint to teach. However, since the
lesson plan is used for lesson observation, and the IT resources (like computer and
projector) may be out of order. Thus, considering risk management, I also prepare
ways to teach students without using ICT. I will resort to use textbooks, chalks and
blackboards only to show students examples of Connectives; also, I will photocopy
some big color papers with notes of connectives on it.
In such case, I still can present the ideas and teach the students connectives; however,
I believe it would be a boring and ineffective lesson. I believe using ICT in teaching
can raise the effectiveness in teaching. With videos-clips and PowerPoint showing
clearly the important notes and instructions, students will find my lesson more
attractive and effective. This can be proved by my experience in using the ICT in my
lesson and my informal survey conducted verbally with my students.
In the lesson, the students find the video clips funny and attractive, as it contains both
cartoon and songs, the pictures in the video can let the kids have a deeper impression
on the connectives they have learnt. Also, I like the images of using railway
compartments to symbolize two sentences linking together. It is a very lively image
that students can remember the functions of connectives easily.
Using PowerPoint to lead in the topic do let students concentrate on the lesson and the
topic they are going to learn. To make it more interesting and attractive, I add colorful
pictures in the PowerPoint; show clearly the sentence structure and my instruction by
PowerPoint instead of writing out in the Blackboard. It is very convenience. In the
PowerPoint, I show the connectives I am going to teach and follow by 2 example
sentences, using some functions in the PowerPoint that led the example sentences

2. appear one by one. It helps me to explain clearly and lively to the students during the
lesson. Apart from that, I also type in or scan the exercise questions and answers in
the PowerPoint. Undeniably, it is convenient and consume less time when all the
teaching materials are included in the PowerPoint. Instead of spending more than 10
minutes to write answers down on the blackboard, I can check answers with the
students in an efficient way, just click the mouse to move the slide of the PowerPoint.
Moreover, no students will find it difficult to comprehend my hand writing in
blackboard anymore. Apart from that, with the size limitation of the blackboard, if I
cannot finish my answer at once, I need keep waiting students to copy all the answer,
clean up the blackboard and it dries up, before I can continue to check the answers
with all the students. It is obvious that in this sense using PowerPoint is really more
efficient. I can present all the materials in a colorful, clear and effective way.
It also enables an environment for implementing the contemporary pedagogy like
constructivism. As for teaching without ICT is practiced in an age where traditional
teaching method is promoted in lesson, it is understandable that the introduction of a
new pedagogy needs the help with new tools – ICT.
In short, I prefer using ICT tools to facilitate my teaching. Using ICT tools in lessons
successfully draw the attention of my students. Both my students and I find it positive
in using ICT tools in lessons.