User:Ricpierce/Exploring Educational Technology

This page acts as the home for both EDUC 2201 Instructional Technology and EDUC 6305 Advanced Instructional Technology, a (3) hour graduate course. The focus is on integrating technology into learning, and learning with technology. The content of the course will involve a combination of a variety of instructional methods including, self paced, group work, reflection on how people learn and the role that technology plays in the learning process. A central theme will be how technology is being incorporated into traditional direct instructional strategies or conversely how technology is transforming the teaching and learning processes. There is a heavy emphasis on the International Society for Technology in Educations National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers ISTE NETS-T and the Interstate New Teachers Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) principles. In addition the coursework should be considered within the Partnership for the 21st Century Skills framework. This course provides a practical forum for teachers, corporate trainers, and other educators to investigate how the Internet and multimedia applications can be used to support education. Progression through the course will advance from usability and design issues, to development and publication of personally developed educational products.

This course is about technology integration into learning--our learning and our students' learning. Throughout the course there will be opportunities to explore how you learn new skills, new information and how you create new knowledge. We will explore on line learning, project-based learning, modeling, thinking in a context, community-based learning and teaching strategies that transfer more responsibility to the learner. You will be able to chose from a broad range of technology tools to enhance your learning individually and in small groups. Ideally, your work and effort in this class should be mindful of how your improved skills may improve the lives and learning of children. However, the focus of the course work should be on your own personal learning. Those who understand their own learning make better teachers. Since knowledge is context-specific and learning is a socially embedded process of negotiation and acculturation. These classes will be treated like a research and development facility or art studio in which we collaborate, engage in discussion and learn to use specific software packages when a "teachable moment" occurs. Face to face sessions will concentrate on basic skills required for success in this class namely the Web, FTP, email, and Blackboard. Asynchronous sessions will be spent, discussing the assigned readings and current events. There will also be opportunities to solve student problems.

The backbone technology in the course is the Internet. We will be using the Web, FTP, email, reference materials, and other software to support our learning, on-line class discussions, for constructing web pages and other instructional materials. Students in this course will work individually and collaboratively, so each can pursue his or her own interests and utilize individual talents while at the same time contributing to our collective learning community.