7377 - Foundations of Educational Technology -
Introduction to Technology in Schools
UMC Course Description
This course serves as the foundation for a program of study in Educational Technology. Students will be introduced to basic instructional design processes and strategies for integrating technology into teaching/learning. The course will emphasize learning theories/perspectives underlying these processes. It will include an overview of the degree field, an exploration of emerging trends in educational technology, and basic understanding of digital information and media.
Personal Reflection
The Introduction to Technology in Schools course offered a glimpse at how to look at integrating different tools into the classroom. Technology has been something that I have always felt comfortable embracing. This course enabled me to take my enjoyment and find ways to improve on my instruction methods. This was in part due to the role of technology in my lessons, but it was also in greater understanding of the instruction and evaluation methods. I developed a greater appreciation for how to view and convert a stagnant lesson into a student led information channel.
Fortunately, taking this course over the summer offers more time to reflect on lessons that worked and did not over the last school year. I could then try to implement some of the strategies such as the ADDIE model to improve the problems. Constructivism and its components are crucial to enticing greater student achievement through higher level processing. Students become engaged in the learning process and seek the knowledge rather than waiting for it to be handed to them.
The inception of the course was a discussion about what constitutes educational technology. This led to a diversity of opinions but a common theme that identified any device, which enhances the current status of learning. This logic is justified because it offers an acknowledgement of how we have progressed and understands that tools such as the abacus were in their time great technological advancements. The computer that inevitably will be replaced as further understanding is developed has since replaced the abacus. This cycle of development is ever hastening as our knowledge develops and students are challenged to think at higher and higher levels.
In the spirit of developing increasingly greater knowledge, the course challenged me to create a new constructivist lesson for students using technology. My lesson incorporated a science fair style activity that employs technology as a means of sharing educational gains with peers. Students would engage in the research and experimentation typically included in a science fair project; however, they are then required to develop a digital product that could be posted to the class website for peer evaluation and sharing. In this manner, students not only increase their understanding of a concept, but also have to process the understanding more deeply to be able to produce understanding for others. Furthermore, they become evaluators of research and develop their communication skills to assist their peers. Technology enables connectivity and importance that would otherwise not be feasible. Virtual Science Fair
The other large project included the development of a concept web evaluating the connections between technology, teaching, and learning. This proved to be a challenge for me because of the chaotic development of the web. I try to organize and process thinking more linear than the web. When faced with a problem, I natural break it apart and segregate into useful bits in outlines for synthesis. However, I know from experience that the graphical nature of webs is preferred by some of my students over the outline. Inspiration helps to meet both styles of learning by easily integrating the map to the outline with only minor discrepancies. It is a tool that offers a mechanism to bring students into the development process of a concept or assignment and will be valuable for my lessons. Concept Map Connecting Teaching, Learning and Technology
(.jpg format) - (Inspiration file)
Finally, the group work and discussions offered a way to develop dialogue about the uses of technology and considerations for it in learning. The sharing of assignments and creation of evaluators was very helpful. I intend to incorporate that more into my classroom using the Moodle environment with my students. It allows peers to educate peers and increases my ability to be a facilitator rather than an orator. Overall, ITS offered a springboard for what has been a meaningful and rewarding pursuit of a Master’s in Educational Technology.
