Reflective Blog #2 - Week 2



“Educational technology is a teaching model with the capacity to facilitate learning by integrating varying forms of technological medium into a student-centered educational environment, which empowers the learner to become creators of knowledge through the application, collaboration, global connections, reflection, and demonstration of skills acquired with the learning community.”

I find it difficult to cultivate a one-sentence definition of educational technology. The vastness of its uses, constant evolution, and contributions cannot be summed up in one sentence. My digital concept map could grow exponentially and still not encompass all the descriptors and uses of educational technology, however it is a minor attempt to describe its impact. From the digital native to the digital immigrants, today's learners still need to be active participants in their education. All students interested in learning want to be engaged. The skilled educator is able to create an environment which allows all students the opportunity to learn new skills, develop new concepts, share and collaborate with peers, and the world through the use of technology. The creation of my digital concept map was an opportunity for me to connect to new tools and develop a new skill. I loved this project and tried out each of the links and a couple of other ones located on http://worditout.com or http://www.wordsift.com .  I am not considered a digital native by definition, but I do like being engaged and given the opportunity to learn.

Educational technology is evolving at a rapid pace and the educator has many more tools available to make learning exciting and useful for the learner. The use of Podcasts, cellphones, blogs, iPods, Wordle, or other technology is another opportunity to diversify the learning environment to meet the learning styles of learners, whether they are digital natives or digital immigrants like myself. Educators of today can incorporate the more traditional teaching methods of lecture or individual writing assignments with the unlimited uses of technology if they are willing to develop their own skills. It takes skill to incorporate technology into a meaningful learning experience. When critiquing my journal article for this week which studied the use of laptops and its effect on flexibility and effectiveness, the researchers noted just supplying the technology did not necessarily translate into effective studying and learning. It once again emphasized the importance of combining technology with an effective curriculum.

Educational technology affords the institution, its faculty, staff, and students with the opportunity to connect and learn from people around the world.  The videos from the course blog shows that most institutions have not scratched the surface when it comes to incorporating effective and meaningful educational technology. Institutions must evaluate how it will incorporate more effective, affordable training and usage of technology,  in order to attract and retain students. 





Reflections Continued Blog #1

This week has been a learning experience. This was the first blog I created and it took me a while to get familiar with the terminology and meanings. I still have a tremendous amount to learn! The joy of taking a course such as this is it opens one up to another form of learning and if done well melds learning and creativity. This exercise has already allowed me to learn from my colleagues just by viewing some of their blog setups. In reflecting on the question for future technology projects for the class, I think I would have a more constructive answer as I learn more.

I can see this sort of tool (a blog) being used as part of my current job as a way of improving understanding of new policies and process. Pushing out new policies are mundane and most people do not want to read them. A blog could be used for clarification, education, and free exchange of question and answers. 

In reflecting on Stephen Downes' article I can say that educational institutions have not used blogging to its fullest potential. Case in point, this was my first blog! I am in the third year of the doctoral program for Supervision, Curriculum, and Instruction. If the majority of the educators incorporating this medium for learning are those in the educational technology field others have not examined the benefits of it's uses. It might be of benefit to have all educators formulate their own educational technology philosophy. I think one of the major obstacles is the "all or nothing" mindset. Educational technology for everything or no use at all. Edcucational technology just as lecture, individual, or group work is beneficial and allows those with different learning styles another avenue for success in the classroom. It is another way to create knowledge and produce active learners. I believe a lot of it is lack of knowledge and how to implement plans that informate and not just automate.

I must say that Alan November's article, Creating a Culture for Teaching and Learning, was one of my Aha! moments. I actually wrote the phrase, "Aha article" on the front after I read it. I have definitely been an automator in the past, however, after reading this article and taking this course, I will be more cognizant and make an effort to be an informator in the future. One of the major issues November discusses in his article, which struck a cord with me, is the potential for technology to continue to widen the gap between the rich and the poor. This lack of connection for a large portion of our population is one of the reasons I want to work in Student Affairs in the future. As mentioned in my edcuational technology philosophy it is about connecting students to tools available to them in navigating the higher education environment. I can see the knowledge I gain in this class assisting in those efforts.

I am taking this class as an elective, however, I chose it because I believe it is vital to engaging and creating knowledge for learners and empowering them to be part of the process. My expectations for this class are that I too will be empowered to create knowledge for myself and learn more about the endless possibilities of educational technology.

Reflective Blog Posting #1

Educational Technology Philosophy

In developing my educational technology philosophy, it cannot be defined without reflecting on the impact and role of my family and the emphasis of education in life’s journey to date. My mother’s mantra was that we should always be able to take care of ourselves. We were expected to make good grades and finish high school. I took her advice seriously and learned from the struggles of my family, the limitations of comfort, and the power of fear - the fear of being stretched, challenged, and limited by one’s own expectations and those of others; the limitations of a high school education. My experiences as an African American female student, lack of resources, lack of knowledge and connections to resources actually available to me made my pursuit of higher education difficult but not insurmountable. These experiences and observations helped shape my love of education and my quest to help other learners navigate the land of higher education and connect them to the power of learning.

The foundation of effective teaching and learning is the educator’s rational and purpose for what is how teaching and learning takes place. There must be a constant examination of pivotal questions, “What do I want the student or individual to learn?”, “What will it look like?”, and “Is actual learning taking place?” Because of the diversity of the individuals in the learning environment, from the former traditional older students to the new generation of students born into the world of technology, the effective educator creates a productive learning environment that engages, empowers, and challenges the learner. This requires the educator to be a creator, seeker, and active participant in his or her own learning and skill development. Educators who seek to research and personally develop their own skills, particularly in technology are able to develop courses in which learners are provided with opportunities to be discoverers, creators of knowledge, and active participants rather than passive recipients. Effective and meaningful educational technological methods can be used to explore these opportunities uses by the learner, which extends beyond texting and social networking. One of the major advantages educational technology offers is the ability to allow the learner to learn from those in the classroom and around the world. The value of this type of education and its boundaries are unlimited, yet still demands the educator to teach the learner employ critical thinking, and analysis of information to discern fact from fiction.

A major strategy I believe often overlooked by educators is obtaining knowledge about what resources the learner has at his or her disposal and in return connecting learners to avenues and resources available to assist them in the learning environment. Technology is a major conduit to communicate, facilitate, and create knowledge. It is also a major component in connecting those without the means to opportunities and possibilities for success in education. It will play a significant role in my goal of linking students to the resources, expectations, assimilation, and navigation in the college environment.

A major concern as described by Alan November’s article, Creating a New Culture of Teaching and Learning, is the potential of technology to become the channel that widens the chasm between the rich and the poor. A very false assumption which I believe has unconsciously seeped into the minds of the majority of educators and society as a whole, is the belief that every learner has unlimited access to the internet! According to a U.S. Census, report by Eric C. Newberger (2001), Home Computers and Internet Use in the United States: August 2000, computer and internet access varies by family income, age, and race. As sited in the report for adults (18 years and older) 87% of households with incomes of $75,000 or more, have home computer access compared to 28% for households with incomes of $25,000 or less. The disparities extend to race. Sixty percent of White non-Hispanic and 66% of Asian and Pacific Islander households had home computers, with 42% and 43.7% having internet access. Thirty-seven percent of Black households and 35% of Hispanic households had home computers, with 20% and 17% respectively also having access to the internet. To quote Alan November, “If we do not invest and move technologies and capacities to the home, ….schools will actually be contributing to the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.” November suggests creating “information communication community network plans.” These plans link resources in one learning network. One of my goals and strategies as an educator will be to help make these connections.

Education can be the great equalizer and whether pursued formally, for personal growth, or as a job requirement its benefits can extend beyond the classroom and beyond just monetary gains. The purpose of education is to provide a foundation and environment that encourages lifelong learning for the student, educator, and those whose lives they touch. Having a sound educational technology philosophy and an understanding of its importance in learning can no longer be denied and should be embraced.