SLO 4 - Technology Solutions

Candidates will propose innovative technology-based solutions to an identified instructional need.

This program guides students through gaining knowledge about current trends and theories in instructional technology. By meeting this SLO, students have proven they are able to consider those trends and theories in developing technology-based solutions to improve instruction and meet specific instructional needs.

Interview Quest Game

Ayana's Good Reads Website

Course #: MEDT 7467

Course Title: Web Design for Instruction

Description: This website was designed to give book recommendations to students after a school librarian noticed that students were spending a long time in the library or on the library's online catalog choosing books. It includes a total of 20 recommendations over 5 genres and a lesson on introducing the site in the classroom. This website was designed by me from scratch using HTML and CSS.

Rationale

These artifacts are the most creative and innovative assignments that I've completed in this program. Both were designed to help improve identified performance gaps as described above. Though the Interview Quest game was not able to be distributed in my company due to complications between our LMS and the files for the game, those who were able to play said it was a fun way to review the hiring process from a manager's perspective. My website, Ayana's Good Reads, was created to give book recommendations in a more easy-to-navigate way than my old district's online library catalog. Though the end goal is to have students use that online catalog, this website serves as a bridge- it achieves the goal of increasing the number of students using the catalog to find books online and decreasing idle time in the library away from class.

Challenges

These were both very challenging assignments to complete. I used two technologies I wasn't used to. The Interview Quest game was created in RPG Maker which was a completely new program to me. I was often using a split-screen view with a tutorial and the program up at the same time. I also had some issues with the program crashing quite often- I don't think my personal computer is as powerful as it needs to be to run RPG Maker, but I made do. The website I created was made entirely from scratch using the HTML and CSS components I had learned throughout the course. I had to do a lot of troubleshooting to fix small errors and make tweaks so the process was tedious, but rewarding because of that work.

Reflections

I discussed this on the Program Reflections page, but the Digital Game-Based Learning course really sparked my interest in integrating games with learning. It inspired me to be more creative with my projects, which was listed as a point I could improve on in my performance review at the end of last year. Though I can't be completely innovative every time I get a new project, I'm able to think beyond the simple "content on slides with the occasional quiz question" course that almost everyone who has to go through training hates.