I started this master’s program thinking I would find new ways to use technology to engage my students. I had not expected that I would end up reevaluating my entire instructional strategy. I now realize I looked at technology as a teaching tool, but did not understand its power as a learning tool. What I used was appropriate, but I had never taken full advantage of my digital natives' ability to manipulate technology to learn on their own.
This course has strengthen my belief that all of the learning theories need to be present in any Personal Theory of Learning. No one theory takes into account all the unique factors that are present in today’s classroom. One principal that Dr. Orey stressed at the beginning of the course has been proven true for every learning theory – the student must be active in his or her own learning (Laureate Education, 2001). As we explored the different learning theories, it was evident that technology can be used to actively engage students in many different ways. This study of the theories has caused me to reevaluate my own instructional methods to consider each of the theories and how to incorporate the best of each.
This new understanding has had an immediate effect in my classroom. I have incorporated more technology in various ways. These steps have been incremental so that I could be to evaluate the effectiveness of each technology use or change in instructional style. Each new technique has been successful. So much so that I intend to completely revamp almost all of my lessons for next year. The most successful tool was my experiment using ActivInspire, free software offered by Promethean. It allows for student interaction with the information on a computer screen like a smartboard does for an entire class. My first attempt at using independent learning at computer stations was having students take notes from PowerPoints. They had to travel around the room to see each of five shows. It was essentially the stations concept used mostly in elementary school. It proved so successful that I was inspired to develop a more in-depth lesson with ActivInspire. The second technology tool that I will definitely continue to use is educational social media. For the final project, students have the option of creating a Fakebook page, an educational site that mirrors the look and application of Facebook. For next year, I plan to expand social media tools such as Edmodo into the class instruction itself.
This course has convinced that I need to turn more of the responsibility over to the students. I plan to have students use stations and interactive software to not only review material, but also to learn it. I have always used technology to have students synthesis information through the formation of a final project using PowerPoint. Now it is time to truly integrate technology into all stages of the instruction. Over the summer I plan to look at every unit and mix technology into each. Some units will start with pre-knowledge analysis using Google Docs poll. Some units will use PowerPoints at stations for note-taking while others will use ActivInspire to deliver instruction. I used ActivInspire to reinforce teaching, but plan to use it to deliver instruction as well. Students learn from mistakes so using interactive software will be powerful. A PowerPoint with triggers or ActivInspire can be used for some units for review. I know that the different learning styles benefit from different aspects of technology. I need to make sure all styles are actively covered. I’m good at providing lessons for visual learners, but need to take more advantage of reading software and videos for auditory learners and use more manipulates such as ActivInspire for kinesthetics.
I also plan to use social media, specifically Edmodo, to connect with my students. I tested three websites – Wikispaces, Edmodo and Fakebook – through my enrichment time aka co-curricular activity time. It was dramatically and immediately apparent that students both enjoyed using this type of technology and were able to figure out the technology on their own. I gave no instructions on any of the sites other than how to access each. They were soon instant messaging each other and emailing me. The experience other class members shared also showed that students can learn to use this technology effectively. The bonus is that students will also learn and model their own understanding of the appropriate ways to use social media.
Technology for its own sake is not necessarily effectively. Technology used in a deliberate way to engage students in their own learning can be powerful on many levels. Instructional technology can be woven into the very core of the instructional theory in ways that benefit students.
