Rationale


 * Rationale**


 * To incorporate learning area integration
 * Make the topic more exciting
 * Participate in an activity which relates to the problem of the purchasing power of inflated currency.
 * Calculate the potential impact of inflation on their own socio-economic context.
 * To be able to interpret graphs
 * To discover what happens when inflation occurs unexpectedly
 * Link to savings and investments
 * Embed computer skills e.g. Excel
 * Promoting the subject Economics
 * To assist learners initiate the task of consolidating and revising material covered on a particular course.

The pool of learners has changed drastically in the twenty first century. Therefore as educationist our delivery must also change. Prensky (2001) argues that learners have changed radically and today's learners are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach.The author further states that the methodology need to be in line how learners of today communicate. He claims that teaching methods must be at a faster pace and less step-by step. The author emphasise that it is important to as educators to think about how to teach both legacy and future content. The Legacy content requires a major translation and change of methodology. Future content involves legacy as well as new content and thinking. In other words "learning new ways to do old stuff".(Prensky:2001)

Wang and Hoo (2008) contends that the ability to collaborate is important in the twenty first century in that tasks are interdisciplinary, knowledge-based and become more complicated to achieve. Therefore the authors encourage schools to prepare learners to do collaborative tasks in order to become competent team workers when they enter the job market. Haythorntwaite (2006) cited in (Wang and Hoo: 2008) further argues that collaborative learning promotes construction of knowledge, problem articulation and social interaction. Computer Supported Collaborative Learning comprises of two pillars namely, individual accountability and positive interdependence (Wang and Hoo: 2008). Individual accountability refers to the contribution of each individual member. Positive interdependence is where the group is dependent on each other to complete a task. Engeström (1992) cited in (Wang and Hoo: 2008) contends that collaboration happens at three levels, namely co-ordination, cooperation, and reflective communication. At co-ordination level, individuals concentrate on their own tasks, roles and actions. Caution must be taken in that there is no guarantee that learners will work collaboratively (Johnson and Johnson 1994 cited in Wang and Hoo: 2008). It is vital that work be sufficiently coordinated amongst members so that result is not disconnected pieces. At co-operation level members focus on a shared problem. They may require some ICT tools to assist them such as free-drive or a shared folder or even Cmap. At reflective communication level members reflect on their own as well as other member’s contribution. Computer Supported Collaborative Learning has the undertones of constructivist learning theories. According to Wang and Hoo (2008) constructivist is that learners are active knowledge constructors rather than passive learners. Furthermore the authors claim that constructivism can be divided into two namely, cognitive and social constructivism. The authors explained that cognitive constructivism is that, knowledge is the result of accurate internalization and reconstruction of external reality. Whereas social constructivism, learning is fostered through interactive process of information sharing, negotiation and discussion. Therefore social interaction and communication is vital in the process of knowledge co-construction. The emphasis on the constructivist learning theories is that teachers are regarded as facilitators and that learners are active knowledge constructors. By using ICT tools, encourages collaboration, accountability, creativity and mastery of ideas and concepts. Furthermore teachers do not need to be technological savvy. Learners have grown up in the digital age and they are comfortable with technology. **__The ICT tool: Google Docs__** Google doc is a free web-based collaborative tool. Its affordability is that it allows several members to co-edit the same document at the same time. Furthermore it allows anyone of the group members to edit the document online from anywhere and the only requirement is a web browser. One of the greatest affordances is that all your documents are stored safely in Google’s servers and protects you from any hard drive crash and viruses ([|www.docs.google.com]). **__Classroom Usages:__** a) Promote group collaboration b) Keep track of grades, attendance, or any data c) Facilitate writing as a process d) Encourage collaborative presentation skills e) Collaborate on a document with fellow teachers f) Maintain, update and share lesson plans g) Track and organize cumulative project data. Google docs promote support and a two way communication that allows for interaction and promote authorship, autonomy and accountability.  **__References:__**

([|www.docs.google.com]) Prensky, M (2001): Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon (MCB University Press, Vol.9 No.5, October 2001)

Wang, Q. Y. & Woo, H. L (2008b): Affordances and Innovative Uses of Weblogs for Teaching and Learning. In Kobayashi, R (Ed.), // New Educational Technology //(pp. 183-199). NY: Nova Science Publishers.