Module 6 Blog Responses

I responded to the following blogs:

http://jygreensblog.blogspot.com

http://anethaj.blogspot.com

Module 6 Blog: Learning in a Digital World

The Impact of Technology on Learning

Technology has and will continue to have a significant impact on learning. It has changed the very way in which we learn. In this day and age students are “digital natives” and the need to learn in ways that are meaningful to them. This makes the integration of technology into learning of great significance.

Technology had done more than merely support learning, it has ultimately transformed how we learn. Learning can no longer be confined to the years that a student spends in school or the hours that they spend in the classroom; learning must be lifelong, life-wide, and available on demand.

In order to effectively prepare our students to learn throughout their lives and in settings far beyond the brick and mortar classroom, we must change what and how we teach to match what our students need to know, how they learn and where and when the6 learn and change our perception of who need to learn. We must bring technology into learning in meaningful ways in order to engage, motivate, and inspire our students to achieve.

Differences in the Online Learning Environment and the Face to Face Learning Environment

The online learning environment provides a learning experience that is different than in the traditional learning environment. Historically learning has been content driven and teacher centered. Online learning has been widely accepted as student-centered learning. In the online learning environment students are in control of their learning. This environment gives students the opportunity to take ownership of their learning.

Constructivism

Driscoll (1994) describes constructivism as a learning theory that makes the assumption that knowledge is constructed by learners. It is so important for students to be given the reigns, when it comes to their learning. Educators must take a step back. Their roles will no longer be the same. They will transform into facilitators; they will facilitate student learning.

References

Driscoll, M. P. (1994). Psychology of learning for instruction. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

 Pamela Loder

Module 5 Responses

I responded to the following:

http://raycoxphd.blogspot.com

http://anethaj.blogspot.com

http://jygreensblog.blogspot.com

Module 5 Blog: New Technologies

 New Technologies

Clickers were introduced as a pilot program they were distributed to teachers chosen by their principals to be technology ambassadors. The devices allowed students and teachers to instantly receive feedback during lessons or tests. Each student was given a clicker; the device was numbered, allowing teachers to identify each student’s answer. This technology was to engage students and encourage them to participate as opposed to teachers calling on just the students with their hands raised.

I quickly discovered that some teachers found the change in teaching style daunting, and as a result I was met with some resistance. Their attitudes about this new technology were far from positive. One behavioral characteristic that some of the teachers developed was they asked for more and more information about the new technology but, no matter how much information I provided the, they insisted that they needed more.

Resistance is an emotional response; it is a very natural reaction to change associated with the implementation of new technology. I thought that this new technology was so great I failed to realize that resistance might occur. Now that I look back on it I realize that the realization that resistance may occur was critical, in order for me to successfully manage the resistance so that the energy that the teachers were using on resisting could have been used to support the implementation of this new technology rather than cripple it.

If I had used Keller’s ARCS Model I could have promoted and sustained motivation in this technology using attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction. I could have used inquiry arousal to stimulate curiosity by posing challenging questions or problems that could be solved using this technology. I could have established the relevance of this technology to increase motivation. I could have elaborated further on the present worth of the technology and the future usefulness of it. Confidence could have been further established by expressing my confidence in the technology. I could have presented evidence of the success of the technology. This model could have changed the motivation of the teachers and encouraged success.

References

Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.