EDT 510

EDT 510 - Teaching with Technology

This course introduces students to the management and integration of technology in education. Students experience and become familiar with technologically based teaching and learning materials; learn methodologies for using technology in specific teaching situations including audiovisual and media methods methods; develop skills effectively evaluating educational software; explore how technology can be used as a problem-solving tool within the classroom environment; and become familiar with application programs, telecommunications and multimedia. Students also log a minimum of 45 hours of practicum experience n an instructional capacity where they have the opportunity to implement a variety of technology-enhanced learning activities that they create. Goals and objectives for this course are aligned with Michigan Standards for the Preparation of Teachers in Educational Technology.

Example 1: Term Paper

Without the ability to implement my lessons, I completed the alternative assignment, a term paper that outlined the impacts and issues of teaching with technology. While researching and following the experiences of my peers who did implement their lessons this semester, I gained insight on practical issues that teachers face while teaching with technology. I learned that through technology, we can give students more freedom, whether that is in flexibility or environment, or by being able to adjust learning experiences to fit their needs. We can open more doors and provide opportunities for students who have had to choose between school and work, for students with disabilities who never felt included, for students across the world who don't have access to quality education.

What I also learned though, is despite technology's ability to transform learning and open doors, it is powerful, and power isn't always good when it doesn't fall into the right hands. Where there is a lack of proper instruction, integration, research and planning, technology can be detrimental to students' learning. Where the level of skill required by technology doesn't match a students' level of skill, it can be distracting and frustrating. I learned that as educators, it is our responsibility to be present and available, even virtually. We need to facilitate the learning from start to finish, so that students aren't neglected between pre-and post-test periods. We need to do our due diligence in choosing the right technology for the right students, be educated on it before we implement it, and provide detailed instruction and resources for students to follow and learn the technology so that it doesn't become cumbersome.

Example 2: Unit Plan

Below I've attached my unit plan outline and three corresponding lesson plans guided by the framework of Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) approach described by Mishra and Koehler (2008). I chose to create a lesson plan that could be implemented in a corporate setting, since my career goals include working as an educator in adult learning and organizational learning.

Skills learned during this assignment include the ability to write a unit plan, action plan, and lesson plans following the TPACK framework. Integrating technology into the classroom takes much more than just selecting a technology. It takes research, careful selection of technology, proper facilitation and instructional guidance, and proper assessment procedures to measure the success of the lesson.