Use of ICT in Learning and Teaching

  Chapter 33: Exploring the Wonder of Google Gemini Date/Time: 22nd April 2025 - Tuesday, 1:04 am This is yet another interesting post on the wonders of Google Gemini based on my recent online training sessions with educators from all across the country - Pakistan. In a 2 - 3 hour session online the participants had a great learning opportunity to explore the immense potential of Gemini in education. It was awe inspiring to see participants creating innovative content using Gemini.  The session was created in Google Sites with lesson checks, feedback forms and attendance forms all created in Google Sites. Participants had view only access to the Google site. They were added as collaborators in Google docs for collaboration activities. The session started with gauging participants' prior knowledge about Gemini. Some had used it and for most of the participants it was a new resource. Participants knew that it can be used for searching information and creating content. They knew ...

Developing Creativity in Classroom - Strategies Date: 24th Jan 2022 This blog post is interesting in the sense that it will give you insight into various creative learning strategies that you can use in your classroom. Strategies that can be easily and readily applied in the classroom. In Bloom's Taxonomy this is the most challenging skill that can be acquired. It is placed at the highest level. Why because it helps you think out of the box and find ways to problems , find solutions that never existed before. Also it enables you to stretch your thinking. People who made movies like Star Wars, Kung Fu Panda, Knight Riders and a number of other movies were inspired from some idea shared by someone. There are artificial intelligence machines around us that help us make our life easier for example   . So how do we inculcate this skill in our students ? how do we empower them to think out of the box? below are a list of some strategies that you can use in your classroom. Crossover Strat...

Designing Learning Experiences Online Part 1 2nd Sep 2020/Wednesday This blog post is inspired from my online course with #ISTE about designing learning experiences online. Its an insight into what is online learning and what are the important elements that need to be taken into account while designing experiences online. This is important for us as educators because due to COVID most learning is happening remotely and online. We will look into strategies that could be used to make learning online more effective and meaningful. So, lets begin. Online  learning is basically the combination of instruction and assessment that happens online. Where as blended learning is a combination of both face to face and online instruction but it includes student agency. We will look into what is student agency and why is it important for online learning.We need to differentiate between asynchronous learning and synchronous learning. Asynchronous learning means that both the instructor, the audien...

Exploring Hello Ruby - a new way to learn Technology, Coding & Computers Date: 19th June 2019/Wednesday 21st June 2019/Friday  This blog post will give you an insight into an interesting way of learning algorithms in creative and artistic ways. This may sound weird but its interesting and engaging like anything. Linda Liukas who is the founder for the HundrED Innovation project Hello Rubi [1],  a children's author and illustrator, who has written 3 books about technology, coding and computers which is based on learning through play, creativity and imagination. This blog post explores Hello Rubi in detail and why there is a dire need to adopt the same approach in schools in Pakistan. So just for a moment think of the traditional and usual way of teaching technology, coding and  computational thinking in schools and classrooms. We usually begin with explaining technology terms  and concepts to kids on the white board, share examples, watch a video, read s...

Introducing Computational Thinking in Classrooms Date: 26th May 2019/Sunday/12:18 PM           27th May 2019/Monday/1:55 PM This blog post is inspired from my dive into my recent course i.e Computational Thinking for Every Educator Course offered by the ISTE International Society of Technology Education. It had a lot of insight to offer about Computational Thinking, its four key components i.e Decomposition, Pattern Recognition, Abstraction and Algorithms, its practical applications in classrooms, designing lesson plans and activities incorporating Computational Thinking in your classrooms. What amazed me was that its completely different to Computer Science, as educators we often confuse the two terms, though they are completely different from each other . Lets dive in and figure out how. So let's begin with our understanding of what is Computer Science ? Computer Science as per definitions explored onlin1 (1) its the study of information (data) and...

Imagination Sparks Creativity - An Insight into the role Tech has to play Date: 11th April 2019/Thursday An interesting blog post inspired by my brief conversation with my psychologist about creating fantasies - something I believe has more to do with imagination and creativity. Imagination actually fueling creativity. In other words imagining realities that do not exist but in my opinion they pave the way for a more extra ordinary, innovative and a dynamic future. My blogpost tries to explore links between imagination and creativity and the role education technology can play to build and enhance creative thinking skills in children and adults both. So lets begin by exploring what is actually imagination and creativity. As per definition that I looked up on an online dictionary (1) imagination is the process of creating images that do not actually exist and your senses might not adhere too. Creativity on the other hand is the process of generating ideas that are both original ...