FS2 Learning Experience 1: Searching for Instructional Materials

Reflection 1. In assisting your CT to search for appropriate instructional materials, what are the problems have you encountered as regards the principles to apply in the selection of instructional materials?

Luckily, we have internet that offers enormous amount of knowledge and may I say instructional materials. We have YouTube, google and other informative platform that will assist us in learning. We have lots of choices and I think the most critical part is choosing a reliable material because not everything in the internet is true and correct. Some are misleading and some are not. Some are also inapplicable such as the context used. Those are some of the problem I can share and also the method of usage. I was thinking of using application that would make the students engaged but not all of them have the stable connection so I just disregarded the plan. It's good to have a very interesting and engaging instructional material but we should consider the capacity of students, asking ourselves if they can follow it or it will just stress them out since most of the students are surely not able to catch up due to the lack of necessary materials.

2. Write your reflection on how teaching a certain lesson can be better because the teacher uses appropriate instructional materials. In a formal learning, there should be a teacher and a learner. A student can learn by listening to the teacher, imparting his knowledge. We have been used to teacher-centered set-up where the student is just to sit and listen. However, I have tested that usage of instructional materials greatly enhances learning. Specially when we encounter unfamiliar words or settings. Using an illustration, we can understand more a lesson or a word. Learners vary in learning styles and therefore, usage of different learning materials may help the students acquire the knowledge a teacher wants to impart. I have tried teaching math through virtual and I can testify that teaching without instructional materials will never make teaching effective specially in a virtual set-up. Also, in teaching math, illustrations is necessary. We cannot expect students to learn the process if we are just to dictate the process and steps to get the value of x. Even in mathematical statements, presentation is necessary. As a conclusion, I firmly attest that using appropriate instructional materials will make teaching a certain lesson better. However, using too much of instructional materials is not encouraged.