A Blended Technologies Learning Community - From Theory to Practice

This chapter of the section will share the journey of a higher education faculty development team as they meet the challenge to modify a state accredited teacher licensure program to be delivered in a technology-enhanced learning environment. The Bemidji/Metro Urban Teacher Education Collaborative faculty for physical education, art, music, educational psychology and Foundations of American Education recently began to develop hybrid (blended technologies and face-to-face) courses which will meet the new K-8 Minnesota state licensure competencies. In this chapter of the section, we will also suggest a model for future blended technologies program development.

Constructing Technology Learning Activities to Enhance Elementary Students' Learning

The purpose of this chapter of the section is to assist elementary teachers to integrate technology into their curriculum through instructions and models of activities and projects. The extension suggestions and supporting information for each activity are provided to assist teachers in designing activities for their students, their learning objectives, and their curricula. The goals of these activities are to encourage and support teachers in their use of technology and to promote students’ engagement in learning through productivity and creativity.

Nothing but the Blues

Too often, computers become the focus of a technological integration endeavor in education. Instructors may well be excited about the potential uses of computer-assisted education, but at the same time feel lost in a high-tech jungle. However, computer technology is just a means to an end. The real question for instructors and course designers is how to understand a course holistically, including its goals, content, structure, teaching methods, and even the underlying theories of learning. This holistic analysis helps determine the best way to incorporate technology, or a variety of technologies, to deliver a course effectively. This chapter describes, through a case study, this holistic approach towards course design and presents the implications for using educational technologies in a conventional classroom setting.

Education, Learning, and Technology

This chapter posits that technology can be used successfully in schools, but that it will be more likely to enhance learning if certain considerations are addressed and appropriate guidelines are followed. After positioning technology within the historical framework of evolving learning theory, the chapter explores some of the issues, controversies, and problems surrounding the use of technology in schools, then discusses some of the current trends and delineates some ideas for the future success of technology-enhanced education.

What To Do With a C.O.W. in the Classroom

The Computers on Wheels project began at the College of St. Catherine as a collaborative venture between the Dean of Education and the McGlynn Computer and Technology Center. We in Computing Services were interested in finding out how a wireless network (LAN) could function in a classroom building. Faculty members in the Education Department were interested in experimenting with the use of laptop computers in teaching and learning. At the same time, we made the decision to set up similar equipment in the library for checkout from the Circulation Desk to use within the building to do a variety of research related tasks such as word processing, printing, and Internet access.

Designing Discussion for the Online Classroom

The purpose of this chapter of the section is to provide some background information on “discussion teaching” as it relates to online discussion. Suggestions are made for a systematic design model that can be used in planning a course, or an individual lesson, that is based primarily on asynchronous, online discussion. The model, with some slight modifications, may also be used to design other types of technology-enhanced learning materials.

Teaching in the Digital Age

In order to teach effectively in the digital age, teachers must realize that “teaching as you were taught” will no longer work. We believe that teachers will come to this realization when faced with three things: (1) research, (2) instructional models, and (3) success stories. We are creating all three in the Ameritech Electronic University School Classroom at Kent State University. The purpose of this chapter is to share our research, success stories, and instructional model with you as a scaffold to help you look forward and create your own new models of teaching and learning.

eTIPS - Educational Technology Integration and Implementation Principles

In this chapter of the section, I present a set of educational technology integration and implementation principles, or eTIPs. These principles are offered as an explanation of the conditions that should be present in order for educational technology integration to be effective. The principles are an elaboration of two premises: First, that the teacher must act as an instructional designer, planning the use of the technology so it will support student learning. Second, that the school environment must support teachers in this role by providing adequate technology support. Thinking about these principles while deciding whether or how to integrate technology can help a teacher to take an instructional design perspective while also taking the “technology ecology” of the setting into perspective.

United We Stand - Divided We Fall! Development of a Learning Community of Teachers on the Net

In this paper I will describe how we have successfully created in our program, with the aid of different types of technologies, a strong educational community of teachers involved with ICT use. I will especially focus on how the first course of the program is organized where I can draw upon personal experience. Many of you are now in the process of creating or changing courses or programs to an on-line format. This article provides a good model to design such courses.

Applying Instructional Design Principles and Adult Learning Theory in the Development of Training for Business and Industry

Learning and instruction exist beyond secondary and post-secondary education. In business and industry, corporate universities and learning institutes are replacing the traditional human resource-based training departments. Learning communities such as Motorola University or SAS Institute Boot Camp are being studied and replicated throughout the world as the importance of knowledge as a resource and knowledge management as a strategic goal become indicators of a system’s economic health (Newman & Smith, 1999). e-Learning, CBT, and WBT can also replace costly training systems and provide a wider dissemination of consistent and up-to-date knowledge and skills throughout an organization without huge impacts on the bottom line (Hyland, 2000).