Standard I
Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.
- Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
- Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
- Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
- Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments
Reflection
This standard is about bringing together domain knowledge with knowledge of pedagogy and technology. This is about finding creative way to help students apply their knowledge in the real world and to work together with their peers to find answers, or, to find the question. Technology is making it possible to break out of learning management systems and to collaborate more and more. The artifacts below do not represent all that technology can currently do under this standard, but they do represent collaborative ways to learn and communicate using digital tools.
- In IT648, we were asked to focus on one communication tool and give instructional strategies, tutorials, examples of use, the pros and cons of the tools, and all of our references. I built a site in Weebly to review TOR Messenger. This was a communication tool based on the anonymizing technology of the TOR Project, a network that consists of servers that have been volunteered to connect through a series of virtual private networks. The technology is controversial, so, the tool itself is a learning and communication platform but the concept is also a learning opportunity. TOR Messenger can be used for discussions and group work, but also as the focus of critical thinking assignments. I believe this reflects the standard by finding new and creative ways to increase collaboration and learning opportunities.
- This tool, diigo, provides a way for students to create online annotated bibliographies. They can create collections of bookmarks with abstracts that can be shared with groups. Groups can highlight, leave each other notes, and share their bookmarks. Bookmarks can be collected and curated in online documents called, “outliners.” These documents can be shared online, downloaded, or printed. Students can also install the diigo app on their phone to capture sites from their mobile devices. I believe this reflects the standard by using digital tools to collaborate on assignments and to share individual assignments.
- Schoology represents a way, outside of a standard website or typical course management system, to present educational content and assessments to present content in a low-cost way. Files, such as PDFs and PowerPoint slide shows, can be uploaded. Audio files and Microsoft Word documents can also be used. The application includes way to embed quizzes and tests and have them automatically graded. There is also a discussion board section for assignments and to increase student collaboration. Outside resources can also be linked to inside each module. One unique aspect of Schoology is that groups can be joined and created by instructors and students outside of the course. These can provide ways to connect with others personally and professionally. I believe this reflects the standard by providing an interactive way to learn and connect with others.
Communication Tool
diigo
Schoology
Artifacts
Access Code: DX9CP-42XGB
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Future Learning Goals
I believe, that with increasing use of technologies like augmented reality and mobile devices, learning can break free of the classroom and the course management system more and more. I hope to find way to make learning more interactive and collaborative, even for students who are not sharing the same space at the same time. There are many exciting possibilities and developing applications is becoming more and more user-friendly.