Over the past six weeks of term, I have
learnt that e learning is not just the incorporation of technology into a
classroom; it’s also the pedagogy behind technology that is crucial within
educational settings. One must know the
where, when, how and why of technology use in the classroom. Communication in the 21st century
is evident in a global and digitally rich society (Ewing, Lowrie & Higgs,
2010). Subsequently, it is extremely
vital that all learning managers are skilled in knowing how to use these vital
skills for learners to learn best in today’s society. As an avid technology lover, I couldn’t
imagine not using technology in my future learning experiences, even O’Donnell
et. al states “one appeal of technology-enhanced learning and teaching is its
potential to promote students’ engagement” (p. 460, 2012). I’ve written quite a few blog postings over
the past five weeks and have learnt a lot of helpful information. Though I was already familiar with most of
the tools, I still learnt about new programs and how exactly it’s best to
incorporate technology, to ensure effective learning experiences and the
importance of connectivism.
Though it can usually be an enjoyable
learning experience when technology is incorporated, over the past weeks I’ve
learnt that even though I am familiar with a digital tool – that may not be the case
for others. I definitely found myself
not enjoying some of the weeks work as I felt like I wasn’t learning anything
new. For example, I knew a lot about the
group 3 tools, PowerPoint, Prezi and Glogster and I didn’t feel challenged, it
taught me a lot about how I could incorporate a certain tool if my students had
limited knowledge. Though teachers of
the 21st century have the advantage over the teachers of yesteryear,
with their students being digital natives, teachers cannot expect students to
know everything about a certain tool and expect it’s use to be successful. As apart of incorporating technology,
teachers need to use TPACK – Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge,
as a foundation. The biggest thing I
learnt in the early weeks, is that it is vital that TPACK is used to the
fullest extent before incorporating technologies – this helps to ensure
effectiveness.
Aside from learning about TPACK, another
great scaffolding tool for learning effectiveness was SAMR. Personally, I found SAMR to be a wonderful
scaffolding tool, when I was only familiar with De Bono’s Thinking Hats or PMI
charts. In some of the first blog postings I wrote, I reflected a lot on technology use against the SAMR
model. I personally found that, I was
able to pull deeper meaning from technology use with SAMR than other
scaffolds. By effectively deciphering my
technologies, I would be able to ensure that the learning experiences I
conducted reached students at all appropriate levels, to transform their
learning rather than just extend. To
Modify and Redefine, rather than Substitute or Augment. The SAMR model is one that will be
incorporated into my teaching practices.
One of the learning theories that I really
connected with – was connectivism. I
truly believe that the final frontier of ones education, lies in being able to
find the knowledge you seek in your own ways.
There is such a myriad of ways to source information and learn new things
that more and more doors are being opened than ever before. In fact, there are even online courses
available to those who would like to learn about being more connected in the
digital world. For the blog posting that
we had to compose about our thoughts on the use of mobile phones within the
classroom, I truly understood what connectivism was about. I learnt that a lot of people think exactly
like I do, and that I have the opportunity to learn a lot from others who had
thoughts that didn’t even cross my mind.
We were able to work together on a single platform, which would prove to
be a good resource for teachers of the modern world to ensure that all students
are participating and can work together.
Connectivism is a learning theory that I definitely wish to incorporate,
so my future students can know how they can find new information.
Though I believe I’m equipped with the
tools of knowing how to use a technological tool, I have a long way to go in
regards to fully understanding the when, what and why of technology
incorporation. Students of the 21st
century are more interested in technology than ever before and we need to
harness that interest for successful learning.
Technology is ever changing and using technology within the classroom
will ensure successful learning experiences and also learners who are prepared
to use technology in their future careers.
(Tilley, Marsh, Middlemiss, Parrish)
References
Ewing,
R., Lowrie, T., & Higgs, J. (2010). Teaching & communicating
rethinking professional experiences. South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia:
Oxford University Press.
O'Donnell, Dobozy, Bartlett, Bryer, Reeve, & Smith.
(2012). Educational Psychology. Milton, Queensland, Australia: John
Wiley & Sons.
