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Learning with Technology
The key to success is knowing the research and how to apply it. One can't just slap a little technology onto a lesson plan and expect results. Successful integration of technology depends on applying what the research supports as best practices. Technological activities require careful planning to make lessons compatible with the knowledge and abilities of the learners. Relevant technology must be chosen to support each activity. Research is a non-negotiable requirement in choosing, planning, and integrating appropriate technologies to content (Duffy, 2003).
Technology is novel, but that should not be the only reason to use it. Slideshow presentations are a particular technology that has gotten a bad rap. Who hasn’t been in a meeting and groaned at the sight of the projector being hooked up to give a slideshow presentation? Snooze time! It has gotten a bad name because oftentimes presenters use it for its novelty and as a prop. It can be so much more. Research supports the idea that adding graphics, audio, and video to text enhances teaching (Duffy, 2003). The key to success is knowing the research, and how to apply it. One can’t just slap a little technology onto a lesson plan and expect results. Successful integration of technology depends on applying what the research says to instructional activities that warrant its use.
Technological activities require careful planning to make lessons compatible with the knowledge and abilities of the learners. Relevant technology must be chosen to support the activity. Research is a non-negotiable requirement in choosing, planning, and integrating appropriate technologies to content. Learning environments are not limited to traditional classroom settings. The environment where learning takes place and ideas are shared must be considered when planning instruction that is complemented by technology. In traditional classrooms, directions and expected outcomes are an integral part of the planning and instructional process. Without face to face interaction these directions and expected outcomes can be ambiguous for the online learner if they are not explicitly and directly conveyed.
Technology is the vehicle for learning. It is the means, not the end all of learning. Instructional designers and instructors need to know how to use technology to deliver learning and to support instruction and assessment. Technology is novel, but that should not be the only reason to use it.
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