Additional Pieces of the Teaching Puzzle

Section Contents Ethics in Teaching Lecturing Presentation Suggestions Learning Technologies Dealing With Difficult Group Members Using Concept Maps Information Seeking Skills Evaluating Web Sites Writing-to-Learn

Learning Technologies (Source: Aldo Caputo, Teaching Support Services, University of Guelph) The use of technology in teaching and learning is rapidly expanding. The world of education is merely reflecting the larger reality - the web is becoming pervasive and "surfing" for information second nature; technology is playing a growing part in our everyday lives. Technology and education is really nothing new ­ people have been touting the benefits of technology for decades. Throughout the 1990s each new innovation has come with its own promises of revolutionizing the field of education: radio, film, TV each has come and gone, while the education system has remained essentially the same. What can we learn from this? First, technology in and of itself isn't going to change anything ­ real progress requires a change in attitude, a fresh look at how people teach and learn. Beaming a lecture halfway across the world doesn't change the fact that it's still a lecture, with all the benefits and drawbacks inherent in that teaching method. However, there are some characteristics of new technologies that are positive and do help us move in a new direction. Up until this decade, technology was predominantly about broadcasting information. Now, the Internet has shifted the focus to connectivity, communication, sharing information, and bringing people together. Hopefully, you will take advantage of this focus in your teaching. Here are some key points that will help: The most important question to ask when contemplating the use of technology in education is "will using technology in this situation enhance the potential for learning or make learning more accessible?" In other words, don't use technology for its own sake; because it's 'sexy' or the trendy thing to do. Good reasons to use technology are: to do something otherwise impossible; create safe exploration and self-evaluation tools; or to accommodate diverse interests, learning styles, or skill levels. Technology is a medium. Using it won't make you a good or bad teacher. It's HOW you use it that's critical. Just like with "traditional" teaching methods, good planning, design, and execution are the keys to success. Take advantage of the connectivity of the new technology to facilitate group work, problem-solving, simulations, etc., and let student-centredness and active learning guide your design. Technology should not be a peripheral tool above and beyond the rest of your students' work. If you are asking students to use it, it should provide a valuable learning experience and be an integral part of the course (i.e., it should be worth something). Students will resent using something that is a waste of time, or that does not help them do well in the course. Keep it simple. Use the least complex technology suitable to the job at hand. Don't become enamored with complex, high-tech solutions when a low tech approach will do the job as well or better. Example: Why distribute tiny, jerky video over the web which takes hours to download, when there is already a proven, high quality technology available ­ videotape? Never assume students will know what to do in an environment, which includes technology. Give clear instructions and communicate explicit expectations. This is especially true of online communication, where many people lack any prior experience or socialization. Knowing how to behave in a classroom is second nature for most ­ knowing how to behave online may not be (refer to 'Facilitating On-line Discussions' for additional information). Make sure that any technology used has been tested and made as foolproof as possible. Remember Murphy's Law ­ if something can go wrong it will, and if there is a bug, a student will find it. This possibility increases exponentially with the complexity of the system and the lack of testing. Make sure help and support are available for students using the system. Start slowly and build. Don't try to initiate massive change for both students and yourself. Experiment with small pieces, see what works and what doesn't, and build on that experience. People tend to take on too much and then fail and blame the technology. Be ready to participate as much as or more than the students, especially in on-line discussion. Technology should not be used to distance yourself from students. So remember that technology provides you with a few more tools in your arsenal, but is not a magic bullet. Look for opportunities to use those tools that make the learning environment better for students; to do things as a TA that could not be done before. Use technology to facilitate new and better learning activities, not to replicate old ones (they're not going to get any better). Above all, keep in mind that it's the underlying design and approach you take to teaching and learning that will determine how effective your strategies are, not the technology you use.  FMI For more information on the use of learning technologies, or instructional development support, contact Teaching Support Services: Richard Gorrie Room 217 Day Hall, Ext. 53731 Web: http://www.tss.uoguelph.ca Email: rgorrie@uoguelph.ca Web Courses ­ Indexes http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/tl/ http://www.utexas.edu/world/lecture/ General Learning/Web Design http://classes.aces.uiuc.edu/ACES100/ http://www.d.umn.edu/~dfalk/tlweb.html http://www.aln.org/alnweb/index.htm http://www.assiniboinec.mb.ca/user/downes/cmc96/intro1.htm http://english.usu.edu/jcurry/wbi.html http://edtech.nepean.uws.edu.au/learning/ http://www.funderstanding.com/theories.cfm Previous Section | Next Section