Final Reflection on Technology and Learning

I came into this class with a great deal of knowledge concerning software and hardware in the business world. I also have a solid psychology, theology and philosophy background, just not very recent academic experience. I anticipated that this course would help me the most transition to the education world and it did, just in an unexpected way.

I knew that technology has never been the magic bullet that solves all educational challenges. It has been a catalyst. If you want to accomplish something, it can help you get there faster. More specifically, technology is primarily a communication catalyst. My experience with this course provided ample theory, practice and opportunity to experience this communication catalyst in an educational setting.

I engaged technology in my first blog by discussing computers versus man in search of meaning. I did carry this theme throughout the course. It is clear, and should say was clear, I did not have much educational theory. An early email from Dr. Wang suggesting Dewey’s pragmatism was a similar educational theorist, has had quite an impact. I have spent a great deal of time reading and connecting with his theory and his process.

Group 2 was not an especially strong group on the discussion boards. The group seemed to get it together on the last task, but not at first. I documented some of the challenges on my first blog reflecting on the challenge of communication over the internet and remote “virtual” classrooms.

Affordance was an interesting. It was a challenge. The “how” technology is used is based on ease of use pathways. It is easy to see the affordance of a hammer. PowerPoint is complicated with many layers. Unfortunately, my blog reflected on my distraction with the dynamics of our group and technologies “virtual” nature, as opposed to my musings on affordance.

Next, we engaged the behaviorist and cognitivist, theories. My psychology undergraduate degree from LSU was from a department noted for its behaviorist leanings. It took a little time and reading to recall details and think how technology works with these theories. It helped that the examples were software packages I knew very well. In sum, if humans were fancy biological computers, then behaviorists and cognitivists are completely correct. Education is identifying small steps, repetition, reward and creating hunger.

We then engaged constructivist and social constructivist theories. I began to define where I stand theoretically as a Dewey pragmatist. I found social context is important as the constructivists and social constructivists assert, but Dewey speaks of the living creature (context) that creates meaning, truth or beauty by connecting to the aesthetic. I also continued my reflection on technologies unintended consequence of “virtual” learning.

The lesson plan pulled it all together. I was able to see how others actually worked with technology in a classroom setting, and get feedback on how I would use it. The semester marked a big change from not using educational theory and tools to now comfortably competent with educational theory and tools.

Finally, my experience in EDT as a virtual classroom experience has solidified my sense that technology is a communication catalyst. The “full” learning experience occurs in many areas and not just visual reading. The nuances and cues available to the student in a face-to-face setting is a significant factor in acquiring and using information. If the real teachable moment experience is limited or sanitized with an emphasis on virtual learning, technology or in any other manner, then learning is hampered. If technology allows for the extension of the teachable moments to reinforce and extend learning then it is a catalyst to enhance learning.