Readings

= __Chapter 1__   Summary: ﻿  = ==== In this chapter, the author introduces the term “educational technology” and doesn’t just define it in one way. The author defines the term from 4 different perspectives. The first perspective was the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), which defines educational technology as media and audiovisual communications. What this basically means is that they use media such as films and slides to deliver information in a more effective way than lectures and books. The second way educational technology was defined was as instructional systems and instructional design by the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI). What this basically means is that they believe both human and non-human resources can be effective in teaching and presenting information to both students and other colleagues. The third perspective was from the International Technology Education Association (ITEA), who defined educational technology as vocational training, which prepares students for the careers they plan to go into by teaching them the technology that they will have to become familiar with in order to succeed in their careers. The final perspective the authors used to define educational technology was from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). They defined educational technology as computer systems, or educational and instructional computing, which originally came from the 1950’s and 1960’s when it was discovered that computers would be an essential tool in classroom education. ==== ==== This chapter also talks about how and why educational technology has influenced education in the past, how it currently influences education, and how it will continue to influence education in the future. The three eras that influenced educational technology were the Pre-microcomputer era, where University projects used mainframes and minicomputer systems to present information; the Microcomputer era, when computers entered the school system and gave students access to spawn software publishing, Logo, and ILS movements; and the Internet era, where the first world wide web browser was introduced to make it possible for students to receive information on the Information Superhighway. Educational technology can increase motivation for students to complete work, which enhances instruction and should be a huge rationale for teachers. Another rationale to use educational technology is that it provides support for new instructional approaches, such as visual demonstrations and access to learning opportunities. ==== ==== There are also factors that play into the emergence of educational technology. These factors are Societal, or economic challenges and laws (NCLB); Educational, or standards movements and the reliance of the Internet; Cultural and equity factors, such as the Digital Divide (where technology separates different types of students even more than they already are; ex. Low-income students that don’t have regular access to a computer); and Legal and ethical factors, such as plagiarism, viruses and hacking, and privacy. ==== ==== While all these things are good, teachers (for now at least) seem to not be using the advance of technology in their classroom to help improve their instruction. The National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) was established by the National Council for the Accreditation of Technology Education (NCATE) and the ISTE to make the integration of technology into education in order take advantage of emerging technological capabilities. I think in the future, though, that educational technology integration of NETS will have a huge, positive impact on education. ====

==== Web Enrichment Activity #3 : Technology Integration - [|NASA Resources Enrich STEM Curricula]- ﻿ a) After watching this video and referring back to the four perspectives of educational technology, this video contains 3 of the 4. The three perspectives shown in this video are the AECT perspective, the ISPI perspective, and the ISTE perspective. The AECT perspective is evident in this video because students were given the opportunity to present their projects not only to other students on the school's television studio, but they also have the opportunity to present their information to NASA officials over a VoIP conversation. The ISPI perspective is evident in this video as well because the teachers were using not only human resources (teachers, guests) to present information, but they also used media such as videos to teach the material. The last perspective shown in this video was the ISTE perspective, which was evident because they were using a lot of computer technology such as VoIP conversations, visual presentations, and using the tv studio to present information. ==== ==== b) The elements that show educational technology integrated in the classroom from watching this video were Illustrations of real-world relevance, connections with distance audiences, interaction and immediate feedback, visual demonstrations, and opportunities to study systems in unique ways. The real-world relevance in this video was shown by having the girl explain what she has learned that would help her become an engineer later on in her life. The connections with the distant audiences came in two ways during this video. One way was having the tv studio in school where students presented information over the television and the other audience was the VoIP conversation with the NASA officials, which also provided interaction and immediate feedback. The VoIP conversation with NASA officials was also a unique way to learn because it looked like it was a good experience for students since they were able to ask them questions and get immediate answers. ====

__TIP Model Scenario #5__ : Societal Issues
5.1) Even though this sounds like a great idea, there would be some problems that would arise from this proposed idea from the way that it was presented. One problem with this idea is that there seems like there would not be enough time for students to accomplish anything significant. Even though it is an afterschool program, most students will not want to stay afterschool since they have already spent 8 hours in school already, they will most likely want to head home. Another factor with time is that there would probably be a maximum of 2 hours for the club since most teachers and students would want to go home. Again, students have already spent at least 8 hours in school and even though the use of a computer would motivate the students to stay after school, I doubt that all students who do not have regular access to a computer would be interested in staying later for computer time. The last significant problem with this idea is that there is not enough supervision. When there is not enough supervision, a large group of students will be more prone to go onto websites that are not academic (example: a gaming website or a social networking site). Though they may not act like it during the time, there is still the possibility of them minimizing the windows of these sites faster than the supervisor could see to avoid the loss of priviliges or avoid getting in trouble.

5.2) Though this strategy has its flaws, I think this strategy would help the digital divide some since it would give students time to get introduced to technology and have some time to get used to the technology shown to them. Even though it would not be much time, if the students were able to stay focused and on task, I believe this would help address the digital divide. But as stated above, the world we live in is not perfect, so students who do not have staff directly focusing on what they are doing, they are more likely to end up doing something they are not there to be doing.

= __Chapter 2 __ =

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**__Summary__**: In this chapter, the main things that the author talked about were the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, theory foundations, and the Technology Integration Planning (TIP) Model. The chapter also referred back to different learning theories. =====

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The learning theories that were reviewed in this chapter were Gagné’s Cognitive-behavioral theory (Gagné, Wager, and Rojas, 1981); John Dewey’s Social activism theory, Vygotsky’s Scaffolding theory, Piaget’s Child Development theory, Bruner’s Discovery learning theory, and Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory. Being familiar with all of these learning theories is essential to get the most out of technology integration because students learn in different ways, and also have different ways to go about learning information. If a teacher is not familiar with these theories, then they will not be as successful as someone who is familiar with all of these theories. The theories were then broken down into Direct models, which are shaped by objectivist theories (Skinner’s Behaviorist theory, Gagné’s Cognitive-behavioral theory, information-processing theory, and the systems theory); and Constructivist models which were shaped by constructivist theories (Dewey’s Social Activism theory, Vygotsky’s Scaffolding theory, Piaget and Bruner’s Child development theory, and Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory). =====

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The next main point from this chapter was the TPACK framework, which is the metacognitive tool teachers are able to use in order to enhance technology integration into their classroom. This framework seems to work because it helps the teachers visualize how their technology knowledge and skills can work with the other knowledge they possess about teaching and learning, which goes back to the learning theories stated above. The framework “attempts to capture some of the essential qualities of knowledge required by teachers for technology integration in their teaching, while addressing the complex, multifaceted and situated nature of teacher knowledge” (Mishra & Koehler, 2006, p. 1). Basically using this framework requires more from the teacher than just technology, pedagogy, and content alone; rather it shows that the teacher needs to combine the use of all 3 types of knowledge in order to have the most success with TPACK. =====

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The next main point from this chapter was the TIP Model. This learning model is designed to help teachers plan effective uses for technology in the classroom and is more directed for teachers who are new or not familiar with technology. The TIP model is broken down into 6 phases. The first phase is Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge, where teachers need to know where they stand in the TPACK Model, in which the awareness allows teachers to set learning goals for themselves and also making thoughtful decisions for the integration of technology in the classroom. The next phase in the TIP Model is Relative advantage, in which deciding on instructional problems and if the technological approaches would help address such problems. The third phase in the TIP Model is objectives and assessments, where stating the desired objectives to students results in better student achievement, attitudes, and performance. The next stage in this model is Integration strategies, where deciding on teaching activities which incorporate technological resources are able to enhance student learning, which improves the next phase of the TIP model, Instructional Environment, where the teacher decides on resources and conditions for the classroom. The final phase in this model is the Evaluation and revision phase, where the teacher collects achievement data and other important information to determine whether or not the activity was a success by meeting the desired standards. =====

__Web Enrichment Activity__: #1 [|WebQuest]- [|Close Encounters at Mato Tipila]List of 5 aspects that are informed or supported by learning theory: 1) To Foster Creative Problem Solving Strategies- Students have to come up with a solution between the Native Americans and the rock climbers for Devil's Tower 2) To Foster group Cooperation Skills- The students have to work in groups successfully in order to complete this task. 3) To allow for multiple and distributed intelligences- The students have to work in groups, however everyone has different ways of thinking and beliefs, which makes this activity challenging. 4) To remove logistical hurdles to learning- Students doing this activity will need to do a little research on Mato Tipila in order to complete this activity since not everyone will know what it is at first. 5) To develop information literacy/visual skills- The students should understand modern methods of communicating since they not only have to communicate the information with their group, but also have to do a 15 minute PowerPoint that shows why their group made the decision that they did.

1.1) If I were Jim, I would respond to the TPACK analysis first by realizing that even though the lesson may work out and I may know what I am talking about, I lack the understanding that all students need to understand the lesson outcomes and also that technology does not stay the same over time, but that technology is always changing. 1.2) I would use this information to influence my future lesson planning by making sure that I am reaching out to all students who have different ways of understanding lessons by approaching the lesson in different formats. These results would also influence my future lesson planning by making sure that I am incorporating technology that is up to date and not using technological items that are out of date or obsolete.

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