ICT as Situating Tool

What is a situating tool?

It is an application that helps to situate learners’ in an environment to experience the context and happenings.

 By means of virtual reality (RS) extension systems, the computer can create 3-D images on display to give the user the feeling that are situated in a virtual environment. 

Examples of Situating Tool are;

1. Simulations (flight, farming, surgery, environment, driving, HistoryCity, SimCity, play station)

2. Virtual Reality (VR)

3.  CD-ROM

The class began with introduction of Situating tools and its examples. Our tutor

explained the examples in detail and also gave us locally seen and available in our

country. We can see the simulations commonly in a driving centres and play rooms

where play station is played popularly.   

The following hours were followed by activities where we experienced many new

tools. The first one we were introduced to work on was plotting a graph of linear

equation through graph calc. The image is shown below about how it looked on the

screen. 

This tool was very easy and fast to use because we just had to insert the equation correctly and apply, the computer showed the graph and it was time saving as well. In future classroom we can apply this to teach students about equations and graphs. 

The second tool we were introduced to, was the google map. It was really fascinating to know that we can use google map to find any place on the globe. We explored and even found out where our houses

were located through the satellite view where we could even make a tour of 360 degree to see the

places. Sight of google map is shown below;

It can we viewed as globe view.

It can be viewed as satellite view.

This tool can also be used to calculate the time of different zones through finding out the longitude of a place and  direction of a place from the Prime Meridian or Greenwich Meridian.

Google maps can be useful tool to teach children about the places around the world, calculate the time, distance and location of places by just sitting in a classroom.

The final activity we did was on the PHET simulation. We were given time to explore through after the tutor's explanation. We did simulation on the test or identifying whether the given solutions were basic or acidic. Everything was labelled and clear. we tried testing different solutions through PHET simulation which was very convenient to use. 

In our future classroom, we can use PHET simulations to teach student about many different topics. We can use it to teach about the electrical connections as well. 

In summary, using situating tool as ICT integration tool can be very useful in the classroom and a lot of learning can take place.