Abstract
Over the last two decades there has been a steady rollout of new information technologies such as multimedia-capable computers, the ever-increasing power of which is accompanied by a reduced cost and more recently, the rapid growth of the Internet has resulted in enthusiastic claims for technology’s ability to provide high-quality education for all (Alexander and Boud, 2001, p.1). Given the access to a vast range of digitized information, learners are facilitated to engage in activities which would have been otherwise not possible in a traditional learning environment. Learners need to actively engage with what is to be learnt and have ways of expressing their understanding if they are to be confident of what they have learnt and feel that what they have learnt is worthwhile. Teachers, as facilitators of learning are now looking to more and more digitized resources given the technology made available to them to facilitate the teaching and learning process in schools in Brunei Darussalam. The Classnetwork.net is one such open source tool currently shared by three academic staff members for their courses at the Department of Educational Foundations, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Education, Unviersiti Brunei Darussalam. Through the Classnetwork.net, all relevant lecture information and materials are posted for the students to access at any time and at their own convenience for reference as well as to refresh. Online assignments are also given this way and students are encouraged to discuss by using web blog to find solutions to problems given.
The proposed Workshop aims to share with participants our experiences and benefits of using the Classnetwork.net in our work and to discuss the setting up of the Classnetwork.net in their schools as a resource sharing tool for teaching and learning. Participants will be able to view the Classnetwork.net currently in use and engage in hands-on activity in groups and attempt the setting up of one for their school. |
