Journal 4 - Flow Charts as Technical Support

Caudill, J. (2006-2007). Flow charts as technical support. Learning and Leading with Technology, 34(4), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=December_January_4_&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&ContentFileID=3252

I chose this article following the Inspiration project which we completed.

This article is talking about the way in which a flowchart can help all people, not just students but also teachers. It discusses how it can be used in many ways and how it can be made differently as you can include pictures in it and it may help those students who do not understand things if they just read them. It also talks about the way in which you can use the flow charts for all different things and it's use is not limited to just one thing.

The article then goes on to talk about how it is effecetive for students as they can sit down and work through problems with other students who do not understand it and then they too can learn how to do something in a simple way which means that they will benefit from each other and they can use peer learning and assessment. It can also be a test for a teacher to see if the students have learned how to do something well, because if they can teach another person to do it then they understand it fully.

How can the flowcharts be incorporated into the classroom?

You can get the students to sit down and make a flow chart in a group on something which they had done or learnt how to do, and then they can use that to teach the rest of the class. With it being visual as well, more students who have different learning styles will also be able to benefit from it because they will be able to look at it and see what to do and then follow the instructions.

How could this benefit the learning in the classroom?

Not only would the students be able to learn how to use more technology on the computer and also increase their abilities to use existing skills like word processing and also searching for relevant pictures, they would build new skills. Also as I have already stated if students learnt in different ways it can also benefit them, as well as helping those students who may also have other difficulties including Special Education Needs. This is because it would take the students through a step by step process and they can check something off once they have completed it and they can see their success build step by step. It will also make sure that the students are learning and is another way of assessing the progress being made in the class by the student, rather than say a test.