Certificate in College Teaching
Michigan State University
Core Competency 3: Incorporating Technology in your Teaching
Description
Certificate in College Teaching Workshop - Incorporating Technology in your Teaching was a session which discussed 1) our understanding of technology and 2) various methods instructors can apply to improve student learning. Specifically, the persons who led this workshop shared with us a number of case scenarios that showcased the value of implementing technology in the college teaching. Learning this core competency is essential to become an effective instructor as it appears to target the changing climate of teaching that depends on technology and how it can be used to meet the needs of students with different learning styles. In addition, it challenges instructors to consider the characteristics of their students and what technological tools can be used to maximize learning.
Artifacts
Artifacts Rationale
The workshop provided many resources that we can access to learn to incorporate technology in our teaching. The four website above offer a variety of detailed information on how to advance learning through the innovative application of technology.
Learning Activity Created Based on Technology Workshop
An example of using technology is in my Measurement in Kinesiology course. There is a chapter on using technology in measurement and evaluation. I lectured on how to use Excel and SPSS, which are the two most commonly used software. I also designed a lab assignment that requires students to use either Excel or SPSS to calculate statistics (i.e., frequency, percent, cumulative percent, mean, median and mode) for a number of raw scores. By completing this lab assignment, students gained hands-on experience on how to use technology in their daily life.
Interpretation/Reflection
The workshop and session about incorporating technology in your teaching helped me become a better educator. I learned that different strategies can be used in a classroom and they do not have to be complex. It does not have to be electronic or computer. No matter what technology is used, connecting it back to course content is crucial. Having a clear pedagogical objective is the most effective use of a variety of technology.
Although this workshop session covered various technologies that I can use to enhance learning, I still have no idea on when too much technology is incorporated into the classroom. A lot of technology is appealing at first sight and I want to include a lot of it, which may make these methods less effective. Additionally, I am still uncertain about how much time is needed to prepare lectures/lesson when incorporating a new technology in my class.
The idea that different forms of technology can give students a voice is empowering and something that I want to include in my classroom. For instance, clickers or poll everywhere to be applied to get students involved in class activities. Instructors need to think outside of the box. They should limit themselves to “technology”. There are many different forms of technology that can be applied to my classroom. Moreover, social media can be used to enhance learning as well.
