1. Theoretical Framework of Educational Technology
2. What is Educational Technology?
Educational Technology, as written in a June 2004 report by the Definition and Terminology Committee of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), ‘is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources’. This, in essence, is stating that educational technology is an ongoing process of identifying and incorporating methodologies, resources and technological practices that are geared at improving the teaching and learning process.
Over the past few decades, technology has evolved drastically as evident with the transition of moving from using chalk on a blackboard, to the use of ‘smart boards’. Today, the smart board may be the ‘in-thing’, but who knows what tomorrow brings. It seems like only yesterday, having a projector present in a classroom was a huge event. Not anymore. Many may argue that these new inventions are not aiding the teaching/learning process immensely, but personally I am able to oppose such notion. The implementation of such new technologies in the classroom setting has paved the way for more interactive, informative and interesting lessons. Students are nowadays so overwhelmed with the technological advancements and the latest gadgets, so why not captivate their attentions with what their interests are peaked about, and allow them to learn in the manner the learn best? In addition, classes may be held using video-calling, reducing the cost for transportation to school, and also students are in their comfort zones within which their optimal learning may take place. Amidst the positivism, there is some negativity, but I strongly believe that the positive outcomes outweigh the negative ones.
As a teacher in the classroom, it may seem a bit of a challenge to be on par with the latest inventions technologically, so as to implement these technologies into the classroom for improved learning; however, this is vital to the future generation. As the technological world evolves, so should the teacher in order to equip students to function in such a world overwhelmed and bombarded by technological progress/inventions.
3. Article Critique: Our Brains Extended - Prensky
Introduction
Technology is indeed a tool, created by humans, to aid humans and make life much easier. According to the online dictionary, Dictionary.com, it is defined as the scientific method and material used to achieve a commercial or industrial objective. It is the view of many that technology is the master of humans, but instead, humans are the masters. Human are the ones who use research to garner knowledge, which they then use to create gadgets and/or machinery which help to make complex day-to-day tasks easy, and with less time consumption. It was with this in mind that Marc Prensky wrote the article entitled “Our Brains Extended”.
According to Prensky, technology has become foundational to both education and life, and educators should think of technology in the same way as they’ve viewed reading: the key to thinking about and knowing about the world. It is his view that reading is no longer the number one skill students need to take from school to succeed, and to this I agree. It is arguable that we are in an era that requires extensive use of technology to survive. It is my view that it is not very sensible to take an entire day to complete a task, when other inventors have spent years researching and obtaining ways to complete that same task in an hour. Whilst not disputing the fact that we should always remember our roots/ the old-fashioned way of doing things, however, we should show an appreciation of the hard work that individuals have dedicated to creating these new technologies, by learning how to use the technologies created, and incorporating them in our daily lives to make for easier living. In agreement with Prensky, technology is really an extension of our brains. Everything piece of technological idea was formulated in a human’s brain. Not every individual may think of the same ideas, but varying individuals arrive at solutions to deal with the difficulties, uncertainties, complexities and ambiguities of life, and they are beneficial to the majority, if not all. Technology provides individuals with enhancements to our capabilities, and new ones as well, and just as we would write down our ideas to remember them, typing of a computer is accomplishing the same task, but instead provides various other windows of opportunities to accomplish other tasks, such as e-mailing, scanning etc. Technology should therefore be viewed as an enhancement to the human brain, and not a dependent of the human brain.
Prensky’s new subjects
It is the view of Marc Prensky that the following three subjects should be implemented in the classroom: Effecting Thinking, Effective Action and Effective Relationships.
According to Prensky, effective thinking would commence at the earlier grades with simple mathematical and logical thing, and a focus on obvious flaws. He also suggested that technology would be introduced as a ‘thinking extender’, and also even the use of spreadsheets and other analytics. The students would also learn how to involve world databases, knowledge, sources, and teams in their thinking processes.
The fore-mentioned subject of effective thinking is really one that should be considered. Normally, what a child learns from s/he is younger stays with her/him throughout her/his life. It has been noted that in the nowadays classroom, students tend to not want to think past the obvious, and once the solution is not evident, they tend to get frustrated and not want to continue with the task. By teaching students how to be effective thinkers, this will greatly enhance their lives, and trivial issues will become very easy to handle. In this 21st century, it appears as if the technologies available are way above the thinking capabilities of students. As teachers, it is one of our goals to produce students who are avid and critical thinkers in order for them to be able to use the technologies available to solve problems, and to also use those technologies to produce more useful technological ideas.
The next subject of effective action is slated to include complex challenges in persistence, entrepreneurship and project management, and focus on creative ways to break down barriers and get things done. Prensky believes that students should learn how to start and manage real-life projects that are relevant to the society, or to narrow it down, the community. One such project is that of designing a playground, seeking funding, and getting it built. According to the article, Hands-on is Minds-on by Samantha Cleaver, as students put projects together, create crafts, or use familiar materials in new ways, they are constructing meaning. With this in mind, it is very conclusive that by having students in the actual situations, they will learn beneficial concepts easier. Thus, having students engaging in activities such as managing projects, they will learn managerial skills, responsibility, and critical thinking in order to implement strategies to maintain the up-keeping of the business.
The third topic that Prensky suggested was that of effective relationships. According to Prensky, this would foster students’ high-level communication skills as it relates to groups, communities etc. He stated that it would focus on relationships in both the real and virtual worlds. The students would learn how to maximize their own communication strengths and mitigate their weaknesses. Students would read and analyze literatures that focus on human relations and relationships. This would really better their social skills, and allow for them to interact better with members of society. It would also allow for students to better communicate their ideas to others. In this day and age, communicate is key. A simple miscommunication of an idea can create havoc. Individuals need to break the communication barrier in order to come together and create new ideas. Communication has always been relevant and will continue to be, however, several individuals are lacking where that is concerned. Therefore, introducing the subject of effective relationships will help greatly, and is very relevant in this century.
Implication of embracing the new curriculum – Teacher’s perspective
This new way of teaching will drastically impact the traditional pedagogical norms. More pressure will be placed on teachers to adapt to the new curriculum. Teachers will first need to be taught how to use the technologies, and then be required to teach students how to become effective thinkers, executioners and communicators. This, in turn, may be quite time-consuming for the teacher. Some teachers may also need to return to classes in order to learn how to incorporate technology into the curriculum to achieve this goal. Also, the students, at their stages of development may not be ready for these subjects, in addition to the ones that are already there, and they may also feel pressured, being required to act, and think like adults would.
Implication of instituting this new curriculum from a policy maker’s perspective
As policy makers, a plethora of burdens will be placed on trying to get teachers equipped with the necessary knowledge and tools in order to teach the students to be competent in those subject areas. For instance: a teacher in the system who is not equipped to teach and build students’ relationship skills. In order to implement this curriculum, the teacher will first have to be trained in the area, which may require extra financial constraints, and also time that is not available.
Ways in which the teacher could integrate technology in teaching and learning, to aid in enhancing effective: thinking, action and relationships
According to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, it is essential that teachers and students have regular access to technologies that support and advance mathematical sense making, reasoning, problem solving, and communication. The journal article by James T. Fey, entitled: Technology and Mathematics Education: A survey of recent developments and important problems also stressed that one of the most important tasks in mathematics education today is the revision of curricula and teaching methods to take advantage of electronic information technology. For a Mathematics class, a teacher could incorporate the ideas of the effective action subject, by the use of simulations and role play. For example, the students will be required to create a market scene and bring about the idea of tax. In doing this, the students will have to gain the items needed for the scene, set-up the items in order for it to appear as a market scene, and also show how the calculations may be done using a calculator or some other technological device.
Effective relationship skills may be built through the use of interactive math games online in which students are required to work together to complete tasks, and then have a discussion about the games. There are several sites that allow for collaboration among students that may be used, such as Diigo. The students can also watch excerpts of the cartoon ‘The Simpsons’. This cartoon has a lot of references to concepts in arithmetic, calculus etc. After watching these excerpts, the students will be required to discuss with each other, and then share their understandings of what was said or done in the cartoon.
As it relates to effectiveness in thinking, the students may use tablets/ computers to go online to the site: http://www.aplusclick.com/. The teacher would supervise students as they go onto the site and attempt questions of the desired grade level. The questions on the site are practical, and they require students to thinking critically about the problems given in order to arrive at a solution. If the correct answer is given, students are encouraged and the solution shown. In addition, whenever answers are chosen that are incorrect, students are given motivational words, thus building their confidence in the process to continue. It also gives a grade, and provides students with feedback regarding their performances.
Conclusion
More needs to be done as it relates to integrating technology into the curriculum and producing effective students for the 21st century. As Prensky rightly stated, the three subjects of effective thinking, action and relationships need to be incorporated, however these require great planning by the policy makers and teachers before implementations, as it relates to cost, time-consumption, and also consideration of the subjects being over-bearing to the students and teachers.
4. ASSURE and ADDIE Instructional Design Models
When one refers to ASSURE AND ADDIE, what should come to mind are technology integration and/or Instructional Systems Design (ISD). They are both very useful in guiding the integration of technology in a classroom, and they provide guidance for incorporating technology into the lesson effectively to obtain the required outcomes.
The ASSURE model incorporates Robert Gagne’s events of instruction and involves Analysis of Learners, Statement(s) of objectives, Selection of method and materials, Utilization of method(s), media & materials, Requirement of learner participation, and Evaluation and revision of performances and components.
The ADDIE model is the generic process traditionally used by instructional designers and training developers, and involves Analysis (goals and objectives established, learning environment and learner’s existing knowledge and skills identified), Design ( learning objectives, assessment instruments, exercises, content, subject matter analysis, lesson planning and media selection), Development ( content assets created in design phase), Implementation, and Evaluation (formative and summative).
The aspect of both that I observe to be the most important is that of the Analysis stage. If the learners are not properly assessed, the planning that is done afterwards will be inadequate, thus the execution and all the following processes will be flawed.
Whilst the ADDIE model outshines the ASSURE model in the Evaluation phase (by the use of formative and summative assessment), it is my opinion that the ASSURE model is better overall. The ASSURE model is learner-focused, which is what the ideal classroom should reflect. The ADDIE model does not have a particular stage relating to students’ role. Learning is only taking place at the Implementation stage. Also, special attention is paid to the integration of technology in the ASSURE model as observed that media is stressed in two stages (Selection and Utilization). The ADDIE model does not zoom in a lot on the use of technology, and the whole aim of the models is to deal with the issue of technology integration.
5. WebQuest
URL: http://createwebquest.com/webquest/tiling-floor-area-rectangles
6. Podcast
URL: http://kedeshabailey.podomatic.com/entry/2015-05-14T12_51_17-07_00
7. Assessment in the 21st century
Assessment is the 21st century is now more diversified than ever before. Assessment refers to the act of making a judgment about a matter, and is regarded as the single most effective instructional strategy to increase learning. Whenever conducting assessments, one should always be sure to include all three forms, diagnostic, formative and summative, as this is the ideal method to obtain the best outcomes of learning. It can be quite hectic however for any individual to engage in these three forms of assessment efficiently at any point in time; however we must always strive to achieve such. Students need to be assessed before being introduced to new material in order to identify what they know already and misconceptions; they need to be assessed during to obtain an idea of their progress, and in the end, to identify what they have learnt overall. Assessment is vital to students’ educational development and progress, and it is also important to teachers as it provides them with an idea of how to progress with their future lessons.
Traditionally, assessment is done in the classroom, mostly via the ‘pen and paper’ method. In this technologically evolving society, this is being manipulated to accommodate alternative digital assessment. This digital assessment refers to the use of technology for assessment purposes instead of the traditional pen and paper method. Digital assessment fosters assessment whenever students are ready, is in a medium that students are familiar with, and can occur anywhere, and at any time.
Whilst it is that we are gearing towards incorporating digital assessment more and more into the teaching-learning arena, there are some advantages and disadvantages that are related to this form of assessment that one needs to take into consideration. The advantages include instant feedback to students about work done, a reduction in the cost to print test papers, convenience to students to complete tasks in their comfort zones (which may provide better results from students), varying tests and assessment tools available, easily generated reports, and a decrease in, and possibly removal of, human grading errors. These all sound very good, and one would say, why not go ahead with it then? Well, as we all know, to everything, there are advantages and advantages. So what are the disadvantages of this system? Firstly, the internet is prone to fail. It can be down/fail at any point in time, and students may be unable to access information, tests, upload assignment and so on when the system fails. In addition, these systems may be time-consuming to set up and also expensive. This form of assessment also decreases the human-interactive time, and has an adverse effect on the building of inter-personal skills between students. The likelihood of cheating is also increased, and students may be easily distracted while on the internet by social media.
Whilst it is that we are promoting technology integration in the classroom, we have to be very careful of how, and what technological methods are incorporated. Thus, it may be concluded that digital assessment is a good form of assessment if incorporated effectively, however, it is has its challenges, and it is for the teacher to familiarize him/herself with this form of assessment, and manipulate it accordingly to obtain the best results.
8. Reflection
Over the past few weeks, my thinking has been transformed drastically as it relates to technology and the classroom. The course Educational Technology has really taught me a plethora of ideas, methodologies and information.
To begin with, I actually garnered a better understanding of what educational technology is: the effective use of technological tools in learning. As a teacher who will venture into the classroom shortly, I will be required to employ various technological methodologies in order to facilitate the best learning environment for students. As it is, there is no pair of students who are exactly alike. Students possess various learning styles, and as we move forward in this technological era, students are more and more engaged in the use of technological devices/ gadgets, thus as a teacher, it is my duty to be current and knowledgeable about such. Based on my personal experiences, I have realized that I learn best when I have some interest in the topic being explored, and if there is no interest, I will possess some if I possess interest in the medium through which this information is being delivered. I believe that this is also true for students, and due to the fact that they were born in a technological age, they are technologically-saturated, and thus it is best to teach them using what they are accustomed to and interested in.
I was again exposed to the various learning theories, such as the activity, behaviorism, cognitivist, constructivism, distributed learning, situated cognition and engagement. I had prior exposure to these theories, however, I have learnt about how these theories link with technological incorporation. With the activity theory, students need to be engaged in activities, and they learn better if these activities are computer-based or use any other technological device. With behaviorism, students may be engaged in informative games/ activities with points/ high score values which are interesting, motivating and fun. By intertwining technology and the situated cognition, engagement and constructivist theories, students are allowed to learn in the situation and construct meaning when actively engaged with technology. One should really consider these theories and how to blend these with technology to provide the best learning environment.
Another area in which I was enlightened is that of the ASSURE and ADDIE model lesson plans. Previously, I had little or no knowledge about these forms of lesson plans which center on technological integration. They are definitely formats that I will emulate, especially the ASSURE model. Since it is that we are moving towards a classroom that effectively utilizes technology, we will need a guide on how to do so. These plans involve the analysis of learners, objectives being created, the use of technological devices/methodologies and most importantly, students’ participation. I do believe that these are excellent guides for creating technologically-friendly, and student-centered classrooms.
One of my greatest accomplishments of this course is that of creating a podcast, digital story, webquest and a website. I do possess a love for technology, but had never thought that I would be the author of any of the fore-mentioned. I really enjoyed creating them, and this is really a huge step for me as I am now equipped with more interesting media for delivering information to students. These are also things that I believe will make teaching more dynamic, and I may even go further on to creating them as a hobby. I am very much grateful for this new knowledge, and it will not only benefit the students I will encounter in the classroom, but also myself personally.
During this course, I have also had the opportunity of exploring the advantages and disadvantages of digital assessment. Whilst it is that persons may argue that the ‘pen and paper method’ is more reliable, technology is here to make life easier, thus assessment will be made easier, and students may be able to receive feedback quicker in order to rectify any issues that may arise. In today’s society, I do believe that this feedback may be received quicker if the trend of Mobile learning and Flipped classroom last (which I believe will). Mobile Learning (M-Learning) allows students to anything on-the-go, anywhere and anytime. Almost every student, if not all, has access to mobile technology. After analysis of the way in which technology has been progressing, I can say that M-Learning will definitely be a huge thing of the future. The Flipped Classroom, which I was not very aware of the term, previously, will also be a thing of the future. When students, are able to receive feedback about their school work through digital assessment, they will be able to practice more and more in their own time, and be able to identify the areas in which they are struggling in order to rectify them during the class period. I think that it is best for students to use their class time to actually tackle harder and more complex issues.
I can truly say that I have been saturated with a plethora of important information during this course. I have learnt a variety of new strategies and methodologies which are helpful in creating the ideal environment for students’ learning, which I will employ, and I am very appreciative of all that I have garnered.
9.ASSURE Model Lesson Plan
2. What is Educational Technology?
Educational Technology, as written in a June 2004 report by the Definition and Terminology Committee of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), ‘is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources’. This, in essence, is stating that educational technology is an ongoing process of identifying and incorporating methodologies, resources and technological practices that are geared at improving the teaching and learning process.
Over the past few decades, technology has evolved drastically as evident with the transition of moving from using chalk on a blackboard, to the use of ‘smart boards’. Today, the smart board may be the ‘in-thing’, but who knows what tomorrow brings. It seems like only yesterday, having a projector present in a classroom was a huge event. Not anymore. Many may argue that these new inventions are not aiding the teaching/learning process immensely, but personally I am able to oppose such notion. The implementation of such new technologies in the classroom setting has paved the way for more interactive, informative and interesting lessons. Students are nowadays so overwhelmed with the technological advancements and the latest gadgets, so why not captivate their attentions with what their interests are peaked about, and allow them to learn in the manner the learn best? In addition, classes may be held using video-calling, reducing the cost for transportation to school, and also students are in their comfort zones within which their optimal learning may take place. Amidst the positivism, there is some negativity, but I strongly believe that the positive outcomes outweigh the negative ones.
As a teacher in the classroom, it may seem a bit of a challenge to be on par with the latest inventions technologically, so as to implement these technologies into the classroom for improved learning; however, this is vital to the future generation. As the technological world evolves, so should the teacher in order to equip students to function in such a world overwhelmed and bombarded by technological progress/inventions.
3. Article Critique: Our Brains Extended - Prensky
Introduction
Technology is indeed a tool, created by humans, to aid humans and make life much easier. According to the online dictionary, Dictionary.com, it is defined as the scientific method and material used to achieve a commercial or industrial objective. It is the view of many that technology is the master of humans, but instead, humans are the masters. Human are the ones who use research to garner knowledge, which they then use to create gadgets and/or machinery which help to make complex day-to-day tasks easy, and with less time consumption. It was with this in mind that Marc Prensky wrote the article entitled “Our Brains Extended”.
According to Prensky, technology has become foundational to both education and life, and educators should think of technology in the same way as they’ve viewed reading: the key to thinking about and knowing about the world. It is his view that reading is no longer the number one skill students need to take from school to succeed, and to this I agree. It is arguable that we are in an era that requires extensive use of technology to survive. It is my view that it is not very sensible to take an entire day to complete a task, when other inventors have spent years researching and obtaining ways to complete that same task in an hour. Whilst not disputing the fact that we should always remember our roots/ the old-fashioned way of doing things, however, we should show an appreciation of the hard work that individuals have dedicated to creating these new technologies, by learning how to use the technologies created, and incorporating them in our daily lives to make for easier living. In agreement with Prensky, technology is really an extension of our brains. Everything piece of technological idea was formulated in a human’s brain. Not every individual may think of the same ideas, but varying individuals arrive at solutions to deal with the difficulties, uncertainties, complexities and ambiguities of life, and they are beneficial to the majority, if not all. Technology provides individuals with enhancements to our capabilities, and new ones as well, and just as we would write down our ideas to remember them, typing of a computer is accomplishing the same task, but instead provides various other windows of opportunities to accomplish other tasks, such as e-mailing, scanning etc. Technology should therefore be viewed as an enhancement to the human brain, and not a dependent of the human brain.
Prensky’s new subjects
It is the view of Marc Prensky that the following three subjects should be implemented in the classroom: Effecting Thinking, Effective Action and Effective Relationships.
According to Prensky, effective thinking would commence at the earlier grades with simple mathematical and logical thing, and a focus on obvious flaws. He also suggested that technology would be introduced as a ‘thinking extender’, and also even the use of spreadsheets and other analytics. The students would also learn how to involve world databases, knowledge, sources, and teams in their thinking processes.
The fore-mentioned subject of effective thinking is really one that should be considered. Normally, what a child learns from s/he is younger stays with her/him throughout her/his life. It has been noted that in the nowadays classroom, students tend to not want to think past the obvious, and once the solution is not evident, they tend to get frustrated and not want to continue with the task. By teaching students how to be effective thinkers, this will greatly enhance their lives, and trivial issues will become very easy to handle. In this 21st century, it appears as if the technologies available are way above the thinking capabilities of students. As teachers, it is one of our goals to produce students who are avid and critical thinkers in order for them to be able to use the technologies available to solve problems, and to also use those technologies to produce more useful technological ideas.
The next subject of effective action is slated to include complex challenges in persistence, entrepreneurship and project management, and focus on creative ways to break down barriers and get things done. Prensky believes that students should learn how to start and manage real-life projects that are relevant to the society, or to narrow it down, the community. One such project is that of designing a playground, seeking funding, and getting it built. According to the article, Hands-on is Minds-on by Samantha Cleaver, as students put projects together, create crafts, or use familiar materials in new ways, they are constructing meaning. With this in mind, it is very conclusive that by having students in the actual situations, they will learn beneficial concepts easier. Thus, having students engaging in activities such as managing projects, they will learn managerial skills, responsibility, and critical thinking in order to implement strategies to maintain the up-keeping of the business.
The third topic that Prensky suggested was that of effective relationships. According to Prensky, this would foster students’ high-level communication skills as it relates to groups, communities etc. He stated that it would focus on relationships in both the real and virtual worlds. The students would learn how to maximize their own communication strengths and mitigate their weaknesses. Students would read and analyze literatures that focus on human relations and relationships. This would really better their social skills, and allow for them to interact better with members of society. It would also allow for students to better communicate their ideas to others. In this day and age, communicate is key. A simple miscommunication of an idea can create havoc. Individuals need to break the communication barrier in order to come together and create new ideas. Communication has always been relevant and will continue to be, however, several individuals are lacking where that is concerned. Therefore, introducing the subject of effective relationships will help greatly, and is very relevant in this century.
Implication of embracing the new curriculum – Teacher’s perspective
This new way of teaching will drastically impact the traditional pedagogical norms. More pressure will be placed on teachers to adapt to the new curriculum. Teachers will first need to be taught how to use the technologies, and then be required to teach students how to become effective thinkers, executioners and communicators. This, in turn, may be quite time-consuming for the teacher. Some teachers may also need to return to classes in order to learn how to incorporate technology into the curriculum to achieve this goal. Also, the students, at their stages of development may not be ready for these subjects, in addition to the ones that are already there, and they may also feel pressured, being required to act, and think like adults would.
Implication of instituting this new curriculum from a policy maker’s perspective
As policy makers, a plethora of burdens will be placed on trying to get teachers equipped with the necessary knowledge and tools in order to teach the students to be competent in those subject areas. For instance: a teacher in the system who is not equipped to teach and build students’ relationship skills. In order to implement this curriculum, the teacher will first have to be trained in the area, which may require extra financial constraints, and also time that is not available.
Ways in which the teacher could integrate technology in teaching and learning, to aid in enhancing effective: thinking, action and relationships
According to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, it is essential that teachers and students have regular access to technologies that support and advance mathematical sense making, reasoning, problem solving, and communication. The journal article by James T. Fey, entitled: Technology and Mathematics Education: A survey of recent developments and important problems also stressed that one of the most important tasks in mathematics education today is the revision of curricula and teaching methods to take advantage of electronic information technology. For a Mathematics class, a teacher could incorporate the ideas of the effective action subject, by the use of simulations and role play. For example, the students will be required to create a market scene and bring about the idea of tax. In doing this, the students will have to gain the items needed for the scene, set-up the items in order for it to appear as a market scene, and also show how the calculations may be done using a calculator or some other technological device.
Effective relationship skills may be built through the use of interactive math games online in which students are required to work together to complete tasks, and then have a discussion about the games. There are several sites that allow for collaboration among students that may be used, such as Diigo. The students can also watch excerpts of the cartoon ‘The Simpsons’. This cartoon has a lot of references to concepts in arithmetic, calculus etc. After watching these excerpts, the students will be required to discuss with each other, and then share their understandings of what was said or done in the cartoon.
As it relates to effectiveness in thinking, the students may use tablets/ computers to go online to the site: http://www.aplusclick.com/. The teacher would supervise students as they go onto the site and attempt questions of the desired grade level. The questions on the site are practical, and they require students to thinking critically about the problems given in order to arrive at a solution. If the correct answer is given, students are encouraged and the solution shown. In addition, whenever answers are chosen that are incorrect, students are given motivational words, thus building their confidence in the process to continue. It also gives a grade, and provides students with feedback regarding their performances.
Conclusion
More needs to be done as it relates to integrating technology into the curriculum and producing effective students for the 21st century. As Prensky rightly stated, the three subjects of effective thinking, action and relationships need to be incorporated, however these require great planning by the policy makers and teachers before implementations, as it relates to cost, time-consumption, and also consideration of the subjects being over-bearing to the students and teachers.
4. ASSURE and ADDIE Instructional Design Models
When one refers to ASSURE AND ADDIE, what should come to mind are technology integration and/or Instructional Systems Design (ISD). They are both very useful in guiding the integration of technology in a classroom, and they provide guidance for incorporating technology into the lesson effectively to obtain the required outcomes.
The ASSURE model incorporates Robert Gagne’s events of instruction and involves Analysis of Learners, Statement(s) of objectives, Selection of method and materials, Utilization of method(s), media & materials, Requirement of learner participation, and Evaluation and revision of performances and components.
The ADDIE model is the generic process traditionally used by instructional designers and training developers, and involves Analysis (goals and objectives established, learning environment and learner’s existing knowledge and skills identified), Design ( learning objectives, assessment instruments, exercises, content, subject matter analysis, lesson planning and media selection), Development ( content assets created in design phase), Implementation, and Evaluation (formative and summative).
The aspect of both that I observe to be the most important is that of the Analysis stage. If the learners are not properly assessed, the planning that is done afterwards will be inadequate, thus the execution and all the following processes will be flawed.
Whilst the ADDIE model outshines the ASSURE model in the Evaluation phase (by the use of formative and summative assessment), it is my opinion that the ASSURE model is better overall. The ASSURE model is learner-focused, which is what the ideal classroom should reflect. The ADDIE model does not have a particular stage relating to students’ role. Learning is only taking place at the Implementation stage. Also, special attention is paid to the integration of technology in the ASSURE model as observed that media is stressed in two stages (Selection and Utilization). The ADDIE model does not zoom in a lot on the use of technology, and the whole aim of the models is to deal with the issue of technology integration.
5. WebQuest
URL: http://createwebquest.com/webquest/tiling-floor-area-rectangles
6. Podcast
URL: http://kedeshabailey.podomatic.com/entry/2015-05-14T12_51_17-07_00
7. Assessment in the 21st century
Assessment is the 21st century is now more diversified than ever before. Assessment refers to the act of making a judgment about a matter, and is regarded as the single most effective instructional strategy to increase learning. Whenever conducting assessments, one should always be sure to include all three forms, diagnostic, formative and summative, as this is the ideal method to obtain the best outcomes of learning. It can be quite hectic however for any individual to engage in these three forms of assessment efficiently at any point in time; however we must always strive to achieve such. Students need to be assessed before being introduced to new material in order to identify what they know already and misconceptions; they need to be assessed during to obtain an idea of their progress, and in the end, to identify what they have learnt overall. Assessment is vital to students’ educational development and progress, and it is also important to teachers as it provides them with an idea of how to progress with their future lessons.
Traditionally, assessment is done in the classroom, mostly via the ‘pen and paper’ method. In this technologically evolving society, this is being manipulated to accommodate alternative digital assessment. This digital assessment refers to the use of technology for assessment purposes instead of the traditional pen and paper method. Digital assessment fosters assessment whenever students are ready, is in a medium that students are familiar with, and can occur anywhere, and at any time.
Whilst it is that we are gearing towards incorporating digital assessment more and more into the teaching-learning arena, there are some advantages and disadvantages that are related to this form of assessment that one needs to take into consideration. The advantages include instant feedback to students about work done, a reduction in the cost to print test papers, convenience to students to complete tasks in their comfort zones (which may provide better results from students), varying tests and assessment tools available, easily generated reports, and a decrease in, and possibly removal of, human grading errors. These all sound very good, and one would say, why not go ahead with it then? Well, as we all know, to everything, there are advantages and advantages. So what are the disadvantages of this system? Firstly, the internet is prone to fail. It can be down/fail at any point in time, and students may be unable to access information, tests, upload assignment and so on when the system fails. In addition, these systems may be time-consuming to set up and also expensive. This form of assessment also decreases the human-interactive time, and has an adverse effect on the building of inter-personal skills between students. The likelihood of cheating is also increased, and students may be easily distracted while on the internet by social media.
Whilst it is that we are promoting technology integration in the classroom, we have to be very careful of how, and what technological methods are incorporated. Thus, it may be concluded that digital assessment is a good form of assessment if incorporated effectively, however, it is has its challenges, and it is for the teacher to familiarize him/herself with this form of assessment, and manipulate it accordingly to obtain the best results.
8. Reflection
Over the past few weeks, my thinking has been transformed drastically as it relates to technology and the classroom. The course Educational Technology has really taught me a plethora of ideas, methodologies and information.
To begin with, I actually garnered a better understanding of what educational technology is: the effective use of technological tools in learning. As a teacher who will venture into the classroom shortly, I will be required to employ various technological methodologies in order to facilitate the best learning environment for students. As it is, there is no pair of students who are exactly alike. Students possess various learning styles, and as we move forward in this technological era, students are more and more engaged in the use of technological devices/ gadgets, thus as a teacher, it is my duty to be current and knowledgeable about such. Based on my personal experiences, I have realized that I learn best when I have some interest in the topic being explored, and if there is no interest, I will possess some if I possess interest in the medium through which this information is being delivered. I believe that this is also true for students, and due to the fact that they were born in a technological age, they are technologically-saturated, and thus it is best to teach them using what they are accustomed to and interested in.
I was again exposed to the various learning theories, such as the activity, behaviorism, cognitivist, constructivism, distributed learning, situated cognition and engagement. I had prior exposure to these theories, however, I have learnt about how these theories link with technological incorporation. With the activity theory, students need to be engaged in activities, and they learn better if these activities are computer-based or use any other technological device. With behaviorism, students may be engaged in informative games/ activities with points/ high score values which are interesting, motivating and fun. By intertwining technology and the situated cognition, engagement and constructivist theories, students are allowed to learn in the situation and construct meaning when actively engaged with technology. One should really consider these theories and how to blend these with technology to provide the best learning environment.
Another area in which I was enlightened is that of the ASSURE and ADDIE model lesson plans. Previously, I had little or no knowledge about these forms of lesson plans which center on technological integration. They are definitely formats that I will emulate, especially the ASSURE model. Since it is that we are moving towards a classroom that effectively utilizes technology, we will need a guide on how to do so. These plans involve the analysis of learners, objectives being created, the use of technological devices/methodologies and most importantly, students’ participation. I do believe that these are excellent guides for creating technologically-friendly, and student-centered classrooms.
One of my greatest accomplishments of this course is that of creating a podcast, digital story, webquest and a website. I do possess a love for technology, but had never thought that I would be the author of any of the fore-mentioned. I really enjoyed creating them, and this is really a huge step for me as I am now equipped with more interesting media for delivering information to students. These are also things that I believe will make teaching more dynamic, and I may even go further on to creating them as a hobby. I am very much grateful for this new knowledge, and it will not only benefit the students I will encounter in the classroom, but also myself personally.
During this course, I have also had the opportunity of exploring the advantages and disadvantages of digital assessment. Whilst it is that persons may argue that the ‘pen and paper method’ is more reliable, technology is here to make life easier, thus assessment will be made easier, and students may be able to receive feedback quicker in order to rectify any issues that may arise. In today’s society, I do believe that this feedback may be received quicker if the trend of Mobile learning and Flipped classroom last (which I believe will). Mobile Learning (M-Learning) allows students to anything on-the-go, anywhere and anytime. Almost every student, if not all, has access to mobile technology. After analysis of the way in which technology has been progressing, I can say that M-Learning will definitely be a huge thing of the future. The Flipped Classroom, which I was not very aware of the term, previously, will also be a thing of the future. When students, are able to receive feedback about their school work through digital assessment, they will be able to practice more and more in their own time, and be able to identify the areas in which they are struggling in order to rectify them during the class period. I think that it is best for students to use their class time to actually tackle harder and more complex issues.
I can truly say that I have been saturated with a plethora of important information during this course. I have learnt a variety of new strategies and methodologies which are helpful in creating the ideal environment for students’ learning, which I will employ, and I am very appreciative of all that I have garnered.
9.ASSURE Model Lesson Plan