Topic 3: What constitutes 'Good Practice' in teaching with new technologies?
Historically, teachers were seen to need basic skills with new technologies so that they could pass these on to their students. The nature of these skills has changed over time. An example of this could be the initial use of computers for programming and a move to computers as a word processing tool and more recently web-page creation and multimedia and even more recently on online activity such as wikis, podcasts and Web 2.0. However, the use of new technologies to support and enhance pedagogies and learning experiences, to scaffold distributed learning and to provide learners with rich resources are some examples of a much broader role for computers in the education sphere. Unfortunately, at times, there is a perception that teachers, teacher educators and particularly Teacher Education institutions have done a poor job of developing these kinds of understandings in their graduates. This week we ask you to investigate what is being said more recently about 'good teaching' in relation to new technologies. One article that might be of interest:
Lustbader, P 2011, The Right Tool for the Job: Best Practices in Enhancing Teaching and Learning with Instructional Technology, Social Science Research Network, retrieved 3rd March 2013, <http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1861338>.
In the previous sessions you have examined a wide body of relevant research literature. In this session we will examine a third body of literature based around professional practice and curriculum to help prepare you for Assignment 1.
In this session our question is: What constitutes 'good practice' with new technologies in learning and teaching?
You will examine some claims in regard to 'good practice'. Use your personal (professional) experiences and ideas emerging from Week 1 and Week 2 to critique some of these claims of 'good practice'. If possible locate your critique in terms of your own workplace practices.
By the end of this session, we hope that you will be able to identify some aspects of practice which are perhaps sufficiently robust to be classified as 'good' in a specific culture and context.
There is an enormous literature regarding new technologies and teaching that is relevant to this weeks focus. We suggest two journals that should provide a useful starting point: Technology, Pedagogy and Education and the Journal of Technology and Teacher Education. You might also like to review some of the materials on the Edutopia (George Lucas Education Foundation) site that claim to be exemplary in their use of new technologies, addressing learning styles, multiple intelligences etc.
Topic 3 Task
1. Investigate what is being said more recently about 'good teaching' in relation to new technologies.
2. Identify what the articles are saying. What claims are they making?
3. What evidence do they use to support their contentions?
3. Do their findings make sense to you? Why or Why not?
4. Create a summary in a text form or as a concept map to organise your notes on relevant aspects of 'good practice' for use in your position paper (Assignment 1).
5. Share your summary with other students, using the Topic 3 discussion area.
6. Review and respond to at least two posts made by your fellow students.
Topic 3: What constitutes 'Good Practice' in teaching with new technologies?
Historically, teachers were seen to need basic skills with new technologies so that they could pass these on to their students. The nature of these skills has changed over time. An example of this could be the initial use of computers for programming and a move to computers as a word processing tool and more recently web-page creation and multimedia and even more recently on online activity such as wikis, podcasts and Web 2.0. However, the use of new technologies to support and enhance pedagogies and learning experiences, to scaffold distributed learning and to provide learners with rich resources are some examples of a much broader role for computers in the education sphere. Unfortunately, at times, there is a perception that teachers, teacher educators and particularly Teacher Education institutions have done a poor job of developing these kinds of understandings in their graduates. This week we ask you to investigate what is being said more recently about 'good teaching' in relation to new technologies. One article that might be of interest:Lustbader, P 2011, The Right Tool for the Job: Best Practices in Enhancing Teaching and Learning with Instructional Technology, Social Science Research Network, retrieved 3rd March 2013, <http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1861338>.
In the previous sessions you have examined a wide body of relevant research literature. In this session we will examine a third body of literature based around professional practice and curriculum to help prepare you for Assignment 1.
In this session our question is: What constitutes 'good practice' with new technologies in learning and teaching?
You will examine some claims in regard to 'good practice'. Use your personal (professional) experiences and ideas emerging from Week 1 and Week 2 to critique some of these claims of 'good practice'. If possible locate your critique in terms of your own workplace practices.
By the end of this session, we hope that you will be able to identify some aspects of practice which are perhaps sufficiently robust to be classified as 'good' in a specific culture and context.
There is an enormous literature regarding new technologies and teaching that is relevant to this weeks focus. We suggest two journals that should provide a useful starting point: Technology, Pedagogy and Education and the Journal of Technology and Teacher Education. You might also like to review some of the materials on the Edutopia (George Lucas Education Foundation) site that claim to be exemplary in their use of new technologies, addressing learning styles, multiple intelligences etc.
Topic 3 Task
1. Investigate what is being said more recently about 'good teaching' in relation to new technologies.2. Identify what the articles are saying. What claims are they making?
3. What evidence do they use to support their contentions?
3. Do their findings make sense to you? Why or Why not?
4. Create a summary in a text form or as a concept map to organise your notes on relevant aspects of 'good practice' for use in your position paper (Assignment 1).
5. Share your summary with other students, using the Topic 3 discussion area.
6. Review and respond to at least two posts made by your fellow students.