1. Select two of the following
and reflect on how you would apply them in your current or future position in
the IDT field.
- Networks or Web 2.0 technologies (Ch 31) - if interested in sound principles and major concerns to incorporate in using social media and various web tools/services, can be useful.
- Chapter 31 describes Web 2.0 as “a platform for a host of commercial, entertainment, and learning applications.” The best example I can think of would be an LMS, learning management system, called Edmodo. (There are a ton of LMSes.) Edmodo is an LMS that is commonly used in elementary schools. If you’re not familiar with LMSes, or Edmodo, it’s like a facebook for your classroom. The chapter discussed that privacy can be compromised. When you put what you’re teaching and what the students are discussing online, even though it’s ‘private’, your account can still be hacked. (Which has happened in the free version of Edmodo often, which is why my district doesn’t particularly promote it.) Another issue, which is something I deal with in my current position, is support. There is not enough support in my district to effectively promote web 2.0 applications. Blogs can be really scary to a teacher who is new to technology. Opening up students to the world wide web to share their learning experiences, if you don’t have that support or training or promotion. Teacher’s will not do it. However, Web 2.0 tools are important because they teach students how to become 21st century learners. These are real world applications, that students will either learn safely in a school environment, or on their own, which can be scary.
- Rich media (Ch 32) - This is a required reading because one should know when rich media can be most beneficial and also be harmful, and all designers and teachers must balance sound cognition principles including cognitive overload. Combining this chapter with another rich media, such as game, virtual world, or web 2.0 can be very informative.
- In chapter 32, the textbook discussed that rich media can be overwhelming and almost drown out what the actual lesson is. I’ve sat in several professional developments, where I was so blown away by the cool platform that was used to teach the lesson, that I could not tell you what I was being taught. I was merely googling and playing with the website that was being utilized. Rich media can be so beneficial in a lesson, for example you can reach students with all kinds of learning styles by using just one lesson. (kinesthetic learners vs. visual vs. audio, etc!) Rich media is extremely useful, if the designer is using it to the TPACK standards, and not to just showboat the lesson. (TPACK is a model used to make sure that the technology aligns with the right pedagogy and curriculum, designing lessons can be like balancing a scale.) IE: Powerpoint can be a great tool, but if you put too many animations, sounds and transitions on it, it can be a little overwhelming and you lose your audience. As well as, standing and being “teacher centered” and not using the powerpoint to lead the discussion, can also be the wrong format for what you’re trying to teach. You really have to make sure that you are creating the lesson with the end result in mind. I find that sometimes we want our presentation to be so cool, that our lessons are technology driven rather than student driven. What is the audience supposed to take away? Is the technology enhancing student learning or distracting?
2. Select two chapters that
you find most relevant or interesting. For the technologies you selected above,
discuss how each of those two chapters can apply from this section.
These types of media can help
all kinds of learners. They are aesthetically pleasing for the visual learner,
they are audio for the auditory learner and they’re usually hands on
applicable, which helps everyone! Students now come into classrooms being very
tech-savvy, on one of my campuses those 1st graders know more than
their teacher! As educators, we have to make the audience see the real world application
for their lesson. This is why moving in this technology driven direction is so
important. Students need to acquire technology skills, but they also need to
have the appropriate lesson taught to them. It’s a fine line to dance on,
making the lessons technologically engaging, however also focusing on the TEKS
and helping students pass a pen-and-paper standardized test.
Reiser, Robert V.; Dempsey,
John V. Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (3rd
Edition). Pearson HE, Inc.
Jaclyn,
ReplyDeleteOnce again, a great post. I agree completely that the focus needs to stay on the lesson, with the technology being a supporting factor. And, I also agree that it is a VERY fine line to hit just the right combination. I think that one thing that would help in this regard is to use the knowledge with which the students come to us and re-direct it toward the use which they need to be making of it in their lessons.
For example, if they come to us already familiar with online games like what they find on FOG (freeonlinegames.com), we could use some of the games on HoodaMath.com to re-enforce concepts and give application examples of those concepts. This way, there would be less need to teach them how to use the technology and more time to focus on the concepts and skills.
I, too, have sat through any number of PD sessions where the technology took center-stage, and where I came away with no impressions other than how wonderful the technology was. In a lot of those cases, the presenter was pushing the platform, either blatantly or subtly. For example, I recently attended a session that was supposed to teach teachers how to use Schoology to almost automate their classes. In this instance, there was no need to sell anyone. Our school already had Schoology and was making more and more use of it every year. But, this particular presenter did nothing more than run an infomercial for Schoology, talking about how great it is and all the stuff it can do. Not on instant of the session was focused on HOW to make it do all the wonderful things he claimed for it. In this case, I can say that the presenter achieved what he came there for, but completely failed at what he was SUPPOSED to be there for. Everyone in the room walked out enthusiastic about what Schoology could do, AND complaining that we still had not learned how to actually use it.
I am with Terry. It was very interesting to learn about Edmodo. I think I have heard of it in the past, possibly in the news, but you are right. Technology such as the LMS has both the good and the bad. It can be this incredible tool to tell us what lessons are working and for what student, but at the same time with so much privacy being hacked these days it is a very vulnerable spot. I know the Universities go through a very stringent filtering system when they are approached by outside vendors for cloud storage. If it does not have enough cyber security in place because of Human Subject testing that vendor is immediately told no.
ReplyDeleteIt has been great working with you and Terry in this class. I have actually gained a lot more information that hopefully will have worked its way into one of my schemas. Best of luck in the future to you all.
Excellent work, team!
ReplyDelete