Rational and criteria for the evaluation and selection of technology to enhance instruction
When?
When evaluating technology for instructional purposes begin with a specific learning objective. Will a technology enhance the engagement of the student in their learning in some way? Will a technology assist the instructor to be more effective, efficient, or engaging?
What?
There are 3 main areas that have the potential to be enhanced in some way via the use of some technology. Technology can be leveraged to:
1. Present content in a more effective or engaging manner.
2. Facilitate collaboration or interaction with/between students in a more effective or engaging manner.
3. Provide feedback, or to assess/evaluate students in a more effective or engaging manner.
How?
Consider and apply this criteria: will this technical solution assist to achieve the targeted learning objective “better, faster safer, easier, or cheaper” in one of those 3 areas listed above? If so, then there is solid rationale to explore the use of the tool or approach or solution for instructional purposes.
Why?
- To explore and understand learning and to practice what learning-centered teaching really means.
- To add interaction, engagement, and visual appeal to instruction.
- To provide student access to student-generated content beyond the end of the term.
- To blur the boundaries of the classroom “box” to take students out into the real world and to bring experts in to the classroom.
- To help students learn to use technology for academic and professional purposes.
- To help students learn how to be safe online and to manage and control their online digital footprints.
- Because it is important to explore, test, evaluate, and learn – continuously improving.
- Because it is important for the future of our students that their instructors participate, evaluate, document and expose and engage their students to and in this process of connected life-long learning.
- To improve student engagement and learning.