Reflections on the Use of Instructional Technology in Education: A Student's Perspective, Papers of Communication

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Harkiran Grewal

INMD 410; Sp03'

Prof. Pietrzak

Teachers have used objects, tools, and books to promote learning for centuries; however, the formal study of instructional technology and why objects, tools, and books are useful in education is relatively recent. When I began this course, I had the understanding that Technology is being introduced into K-12 education with varying levels of support throughout the nation. I think the use of information technology, computers and Internet in schools increases the engagement and interest levels of students. Technology, in general, encompasses the tools and strategies for solving problems, using information, increasing productivity and enhancing personal growth. Technology, in large needs to be understood by its prospective users so that it can be used effectively. Teachers should spend some time contemplating the future and thinking about how the prepare students for the world of tomorrow. How can classroom technology promote learning? Increasingly, educational researchers are finding that what students think about the classroom is as important as what they do in the classroom. Students' perceptions have been found to influence personal motivation; these perceptions encompass many areas and include self-perceptions (e.g., perceived ability level, goals, interests) social perceptions (e.g., perceived ability of peers, teacher expectations and opinions), and other classroom factors (e.g., course value, environmental factors) (Schunk & Meece, 1992). Furthermore, learning is basically a social activity. As a result of participating in this class, my beliefs have been strengthened. It is all due to the fact the way the instructor selected a variety of strategies and media that fit the goals, objectives, context, and content of instructional events. The best thing I liked in this class was how the instructor selected web sites in class and identified key

the issues and problems with which they are concerned as well as their patterns of processing knowledge. I would try to do activities to which students can relate school learning to important real-life issues, I think they would be more likely to seek and value the perspectives of others---peers, teachers, parents, community members, and experts. In doing so, they develop interpersonal competencies for creating and participating in dialogue with individuals who have different perspectives and backgrounds. Thus, they not only connect content to their own backgrounds, but they also learn how different people interpret and organize content based on their different perspectives. In addition, it builds multicultural understanding while encouraging the philosophical understanding of different kinds of knowledge and the limitations inherent in attending to only one perspective on a subject. Students will thus be better prepared to participate in an increasingly global society. Understanding and valuing multicultural perspectives emerges from dialogue in a classroom that is a community of open and sustained inquiry. Another good learning experience was while doing the Illinois Learning Standards Project. I came across several naturalistic research studies about the effects of specific instructional design principles, such as Core Concept Programs. From the knowledge I gained through the different studies I realized that the implementation of the new standards in schools would help to develop students who are successful learners (Special Ed)---learners who are knowledgeable, self-determined, strategic, and empathetic. By focusing on core concepts and treating them in depth, students acquire a firm conceptual base for organizing the content they learn into coherent knowledge

structures. Following are the results that support my reasoning from an experimental study done by Woodward and Gersten, which investigated the use of Mastering Fractions with seven, secondary special education teachers in a large district. There main concern was how well the entire program would be implemented, how students would learn, and generally how teachers would react to this kind of instructional method over a six week period. “Participating teachers attended two one-hour training sessions prior to implementation in which they were provided with an overview of videodisc technology, an introduction to the fractions curriculum, a demonstration of how to operate the videodisc equipment, and guidelines for implementation of the program in the classroom. This training was intentionally restricted in order to emulate a typical amount of in-service time devoted to new curricula. The seven participating teachers used the Mastering Fractions program with their students for a period of six weeks. The number of lessons teachers covered in this time was contingent upon the day-to-day progress of their students. At the end of the implementation, most teachers had completed approximately 24 of the 35 lessons of the program. The teachers were observed throughout their implementation and interviewed two weeks into the study and immediately after the six weeks of instruction. At the end of the six weeks, student growth in their knowledge of fractions was impressive (approximately 50% from pretest to posttest). Most importantly, teacher reactions at the end of the intervention were unexpectedly positive. All seven teachers reported that the interactive videodisc was easy to use. Considering the complexity of most educational technologies, and the fact that only one of the teachers had previous

because it helps teachers with organization. The neat aspect is that the tools provide areas of course documents, assignments, and other information that can be readily categorized. It makes locating documents easier for teacher and student, and can provide quick method to updating and revising content. The course Web site for this course was helpful. Since it is handy, I would use it in my future classroom for alternative lessons, which might be used perhaps when teachers are absent. In addition, assignments and lecture notes can be posted, and students can have continual access to them. I also believe that by interacting with a course site, students can develop many different skills, from simple keyboarding to research skills. Activities that require software and hardware utilization, and integration of technology into the learning process will help make students technologically component. “A Web-enhancing course also provides benefits for students. By using course site, students commit to learning how the course delivery tools work and taking responsibly for their own learning.” (Simonson, 2000). Aside from skill development, a course that requires students to access the course site provides a way from them to stay connected to the course, even when absent from class. Enhancing classroom studies with Website material can provide an excellent means of introducing students to the Internet as a learning tool, and allows teachers to model the effective use of technology in their classroom. I think it is vital that teachers should understand how children learn and develop, and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social and personal development. Following are the some ideas of how I would use information I learned from my beginning experiences in education field to a real classroom environment.

The teacher has to understand:  How learning occur, how students constructive knowledge, acquire skills, and develop habits of mind and knows how to use instructional strategies that promote student learning.  How student’s physical, social, emotional, moral and cognitive development influence learning and knows how to address these factors when making instructional decisions.  Should be aware of expected developmental progressions and ranges of individual variation within each domain, can identify levels of readiness in learning, and understands how development in any one domain may affect performance in others.  The teacher appreciates individual variation within each area of development, shows respect for the diverse talents of all learners, and is committed to help them develop self-confidence and competence.  The teacher is disposed to use student’s strengths as a basis for growth, and their errors as an opportunity for learning.  The teacher appears to value the importance of eliciting and addressing student misconceptions. Incorporating games and puzzles into learning makes the process of learning more enjoyable, fun, and effective. I think that all teachers need to realize that regardless of the age or grade level, students and children are people too. They may not be able to express their ideas and feelings in the way that an adult can, but it does not mean that those emotions are not there. No one likes to feel humiliated, discriminated, or made to

basics about using computer tools to support the teaching/learning process, “Teaching students about computers, Using a computer as teacher, and Using computer tools to assist students to acquire and learn information and develop higher-order thinking skills.” (Thorsen, 2003, p11). Class discussion, lectures and demonstration helped me learn concepts and processes as I visualized the relationships among ideas, especially the Magical Triangle, Multiple pathways by McCarthy and Gardener’s Theory of personality. Finally, while developing the Professional Homepage I discovered that excessive graphical elements should be avoided in Wed design because they may become distracting, the use of appropriate graphic design strategies such as, size and color of the text, use of sound and amount of white space help enhance instructional motivation. Additionally, the use of organizational design strategies such as frames, image maps and tables are very effective. There is a need for educators to understand how Web sites can be designed to attract learners to hold their interest long enough to explore the site. I still strongly believe that teaching and learning should connect ideas and disciplines to each other and to the personal experiences, environments, and communities of students. Consequently, the process of teaching must be dynamic and reciprocal, responding to the many contexts within which students learn. Hence, the positive outcome of this course is the 5 applications (Problem solving, Communication, Working in Teams, Using technology and making connections). I am eager to meet the changes that Education field has to offer me and I am confident that my commitment along with my ability will afford me success in the Education field.

References

Internet source, Technology in Eduaction:170 Ideas and Resources for Teachers. http://www.neiu.edu/~mwpietrz/inmd410/ideas.html Schunk, D.H., & Meece,J. 1992. Students perceptions in classroom. Hillsdale, N.J: Lawrence Eribaum Associates, Inc. Simonson, M., S. Samaldino, M. Albright, and S. Zvacek. 2002. Teaching and Learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Merrill. Thorsen, C. 2003. TechTactics: Instructional Models for Educational Computing. U.S.A: Pearson Education, Inc. Woodward, J. 1993. The Technology of Technology-based Instruction. Education & Treatment of Children, Nov93, Vol. 16 Issue 4, 16p.