Vision/Mission Statement

Amber Bigelow

Boise State University

The evolution of technology has gone from a stroll to a sprint in the last 50 years. For students of the 80’s & early 90’s, technology had yet to become an important focal point in their life. Today, technology literally sits at a student’s fingertips every moment of their day. It is a powerful tool that deserves to be front and center in the classroom. With the surge of technology in our daily lives students now, more than ever, need an education that incorporates all technology has to offer. We must explore the full potential of what technology can teach our students by creating realistic learning opportunities that set them up for success in their future. (Dewey)

As an educator, my goal is to engage and motivate my students by incorporating technology into instruction. This provides an instant access to creativity and motivation that a paper and pen cannot. (Roblyer) By following a constructivist approach of inquiry-based instruction I will create an authentic learning experience that allows me to scaffold their learning in a hands-on environment. I will foster connections between peers in and out of the classroom while teaching students digital citizenship. Students will learn to work collaboratively as they work through problems or develop new ideas. (Roblyer)

Technology also allows students to access and process information in a way that meets their instructional needs. Through many multimedia options, students can expand their knowledge as they seek information from unique access points and convey that information through many outlets. As students navigate the inquiry process, prerequisite skills will need to be taught to further their ability to complete a task, such as spelling or grammar. (Roblyer) Using drill and practice programs students to quickly learn the material in a more effective way. (Gagné and Bloom) Through these programs, students can learn at their own pace and be ready to collaborate with a group on a project.

Technology will continue to develop at a faster pace with each passing year. Our job as educators is to enable our students to not only keep up with the rate of change but to be on the forefront of cutting-edge technology.

Resource

Roblyer, M. (2016). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (7thed.). Massachusetts: Pearson.