The Computer - A Useful Teaching Tool

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Lesson Plans:
Lesson Plan 1		PDF

At The Learning Experience Centre, UNITE members, their families and friends sign up for a program called Integrated Computer Learning. When students register, they participate in an interview to provide the practitioner with information about their workplace and personal goals and interests so that the material used is relevant to their needs.

Learners don't only learn how to operate a computer, they use the computer to do meaningful projects. They soon develop troubleshooting skills and are confident enough to explore independently. Activities are designed to provide students with opportunities to develop multiskills at various levels. When we are learning MS Word, a word processing application, we do "writing" projects. Similarly, if we were developing MS Excel skills, we would work on activities that require spreadsheets, such as creating a budget or tracking inventory. Developing writing and math skills becomes an integral part of the overall process. The curriculum objectives of Integrated Courses focus on both computer skills and communication or other appropriate skills related to the application. This approach allows learners to participate in activities that are relevant to daily life - the practical use of computers finally makes sense to them. We learn by doing.

For example, a group of students developed a PowerPoint presentation for an open house they hosted to introduce the centre to their coworkers. They brainstormed and organized their ideas into a format that they felt comfortable presenting.

This Open House Preparation Project consisted of sub-lessons that strategically target multi-skills in both communication and computer objectives.

• Individual writing,
• Group writing,
• Oral presentation,
• Technical skills: PowerPoint

The open house was a success as many coworkers signed up for the classes.

Lesson Objectives Are Connected To Student Learning Goals

The learner's individual interests are considered when the practitioner designs the lessons. Various poems and articles related to relevant topics such as Going Back To School as an Adult, The Changing Workplace or even social conditions like Child Labour are introduced as a springboard for discussion.

Students are encouraged to build on their talents ... some learners express their ideas through poetry or song writing. Florence Marquez, a member who attended the centre, expresses her ideas on child labour in the following poem and uses the computer to further illustrate the topic. (This is shown in the sample of her finished product on page 11.) With permission, Florence's work is used as the content for the following class activity, which allows for individual expression while learning computer skills.

Communication Objective

• Developing Oral Language - discuss the topic of child labour and Florence's message

Computer Objective

• Format Text, Insert Clip Art and Work with Picture Toolbar

The following file is saved as unformatted text on the network or on their floppy.

FileName: Comml.Poem
Child labour and stolen dreams by: Florence marquez Some children in the third world, are all out there Struggling at work, so they can share The fruits of their labour, with families they love and care To live with dignity, even if they have to suffer. The dreams, they dreamt have been stolen Twas taken from them, when they started working For companies and sweatshops, who do not care for them. But only, for profits and personal gains.

Here are the Instructions:

This project - Expressing Your Ideas - may be modified to meet the needs of many learners: the process may remain the same but the content may be changed to include relevant class topics. As well, learners are encouraged to express their own ideas and develop their own creations. The sky is the limit. This is a sample of a finished product.

The development of the Integrated Learning Strategy was co-funded by the National Literacy Secretariat and the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Workers Local 459 in Manitoba. For further Information, contact Ann Haney at 204-956-4868 or email ahaney@mb.sympatico.ca