Maryland Faculty Online Advanced Search Button
Search
Maryland Faculty Online Home ButtonHelp Button
Modules ButtonEvents ButtonResources and Activities ButtonCurriculum ButtonGlossary ButtonFeedback ButtonAbout MFO Button      
 

Module A ButtonTopic A7.3: Identifying and Assessing Available Technologies

Answering the Question "When"
When should technology be used? From a pedagogical perspective, the answer is endless and depends upon the instructional objective. From a technology perspective, it depends on the answers to questions such as these:

 

Support Perspective:

Is this a technology supported at my school? If not, are there other support options such as associations or free resources? If yes, does this support come with a cost that either you or your student will have to support?

Student Perspective:

Is this a technology that I can assume my students know? If not, is there something similar to this technology that they would have experience with and therefore limit the learning curve.

Is this a technology that you have used yourself as a student? Although this is not absolutely necessary, it is helpful to understand what your students might go through when trying to use the technology.

Is this a technology that the student has access to? If not, are there resources where the student can go to use it or is the cost to acquire the technology within reason?

Instructor Perspective:

Is this a technology that you know how to teach? If not, are there resources or services that can help you teach your students in the use of the technology?

Is the introduction of this technology going to require that you add another learning/instructional objective? If so, do you have the time and resources to meet this objective in addition to meeting the core content objectives?

Instructor and Student Perspective:

Is this technology going to change either my or my students§ workload? If yes, what activities might be reduced to accommodate this addition?

Will this technology be secure or private? If not, is it necessary? For example, will you be using copyright material that must have limited access per an agreement? Will you and/or your students be exchanging information that would best remain private to the class?

This is just a short list of questions to ask. Answers will vary from school to school and from strategy to strategy.

 

Learning Activity IV - Answering the Question "When"
Write an instructional objective. Design two learning activities that would meet this objective, one without technology and one with technology. Answer the questions associated with each perspective above. Ask one or two colleagues to review your strategies and provide feedback or discussion on what they learned or how they may have done something differently.

 

Back ButtonNext Button

TOP

  Copyright © 2003 Maryland Faculty Online
Maryland Faculty Online Home Button