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Technology Integration for Teaching: Module 1

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Research and Theory in Educational Technology

Before you begin this course, it is important to consider your reasons for engaging with the content. Are you here to learn new strategies? To consider new teaching methods? To find ways to engage students in your online course? I hope that this course will give you those outcomes, but one thing to remember is that, while teaching online is different from teaching face-to-face, your core educational values still apply. Teachers tend to internalize certain myths about online learning because of experiences we have had in the past, and I challenge you to consider what assumptions might be holding you back from becoming a truly extraordinary online teacher (or even more extraordinary than you already are). Dr. Bernard Bull from Concordia University discusses the myths of online learning in the following video, and my hope is that it will help reorient how we think about online learning.

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Now that you have considered these myths and maybe some other assumptions you have about virtual learning, it is time to begin working through the module. To complete Module 1, you will:

  1. Watch the Educational Technology PowerPoint video

  2. Share your thoughts about traditional and contemporary ed tech on the community Padlet

  3. Read 

  4. Reflect on discussion questions 

  5. Explore educational technology resources and SAMR

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Note: I did not mention this in the PowerPoint, but there is a great TED talk by Alan November about teachers in the digital world. In it, he talks about what I referred to as technology in education, and says that it is "doing old work with new tools." He calls technology that we use for that purpose the "$1,000 pencil."

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Also, I apologize for the one slide that cuts off abruptly. 

Educational Technology vs. Technology in Education

Share your thoughts on Padlet

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Ed. Tech. vs. Tech. in Ed.: Check Your Understanding

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Read 

Exploring Research and Theory

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Once you have finished the readings, reflect on each of the following using the discussion forum. Ideally, you will also find someone with whom to discuss your ideas face-to-face.

 

Reading discussion and activities:

  • Magaña & Marzano ch. 1

    • Review Table 1.5 on pg. 22-23. What areas do you feel most unsure about? Create questions to answer as you work through the course.

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  • Koehler & Mishra

    • Define each element of TPACK

    • How does technology fit into your existing pedagogy?

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  • Fullan

    • Define each of the following terms and come up with at least one example of how each applies to your classroom. 

      • Irresistibly engaging for both students and teachers

      • Elegantly efficient and easy to access and use

      • Technologically ubiquitous 24/7

      • Steeped in real-life problem solving

Research and Theory: Share Your Thoughts

To extend your understanding, explore at least 5 of the suggested educational technology resources provided by Magaña and Marzano (at the bottom of the page). Choose one resources and post about it in the discussion forum:

  • Give a brief overview of the resource

  • Describe where it could fall on the SAMR model. If it could exist in multiple categories, how?

  • Describe if this could be implemented as an educational technology or if it is technology in education.

  • Describe the types of assignments the technology could it be used for.

  • What challenges, if any, might exist regarding implementation (see Hall, 2010)

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Technology and SAMR

Congratulations on completing Module 1 on Research and Theory in Educational Technology. In this module, you were introduced to important foundational ideas and researchers in the field. In the next module, you will learn about educational technology as a new pedagogy and the ethical considerations associated with virtual learning. If you have feedback on this module or questions about what you learned, please email me. 

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