Ed Tech Theory Reflections

Taking the MAT610.F16 Educational Technology has been very important toward mu teaching, specifically regarding educational theory and its application to technology. The coursework I participated in focuses on the big four of learning theories: behaviorism, cognitive theory, constructivism and constructionism. Now I am able to identify various learning theories that may be considered in designing and interacting with educational technology as well as understand how learning varies at different developmental stages and ages in order to recognize the learning framework underlying educational media and software. Being able to apply these theories to my pedagogy has offered me a well-rounded perspective toward approaching my teaching techniques and how I develop my lesson planning and class activities. The skills and reflection practiced in this graduate course also assist me with how I integrate technology into my curriculum. Through tech integration measurement techniques, I can now recognize when my activities are not surpassing the substitution phase and need to reach more modification or redefinition levels. The theory learned in this course gave me a foundation which I could build my approach toward using ed tech theory in the classroom. Moreover, the theories studied in this course shaped my perspectives and beliefs toward learning theory and how those beliefs influence my teaching and my students' learning. For example, the ed tech course has empowered my social justice pedagogy by allowing me new ways to reach students. It has offered me more diverse ways of reaching students and making my teaching accessible to all. The ed tech course is also going to be a huge drive behind my capstone project, allowing me to identify and integrate different learning theories through different technologies which will help me to create relevance for my students and engagement. I also acquired the ability to select and implement appropriate assessment tools and strategies. Another big take-away is to be aware of my pedagogical beliefs and to not let my views hijack students' education. What's more, by applying elements of each of these learning theories, I am able to successfully reach a diverse and ever-changing student population by utilizing technology and its diversity to appeal to each student's unique and individual learning modalities.

Ed Tech Time Line

During my 37 years on this planet, technology has certainly advanced exponentially throughout my life time, and possibly, at the historical height of its explosive growth during my life time. Seems only about 15 or so years where smartphones did not exist, I learned and contributed my first blog in 2000 during my undergraduate coursework, we got our first computer lab and six computers for students to use in my 6th grade class and cell/car phones were a status symbol in the 80s. Even though I am a borderline Gen X and Y kid and grew up at the cusp technology growth, I avoided it often because of where grew up and not really needing it. I would not have considered my self a digital native at all.

Presently, the MAT-T has changed my life. Over time I had become a digital native by necessity and in the beginning of taking this masters degree, I was skeptical about people trying to use technology to try and replace teachers and formal education. However, after advancing through the course work, the Teaching w/Technology Masters has only amplified my teaching and made me a better teacher. It has been a terrific experience in that I can adopt and accept the technology and still teach they way I love to teach. The technology has only made my teaching and student learning better.

Finally, I am not sure what will happen in the future. How about this. . .we will be able to down load our consciousnesses to the cloud and live forever as virtual, online consciousnesses. We will never age or get die, we will forever wonder cyber space as immortals experiencing "life" at the instant we think about what we want.