Introduction

A reflection on the use of technology to support learning

Spectrum 48K

I have created a blog so that I can review, analyse and evaluate a number of ICT applications. I want to break them down and see if they are of any use to me as a teacher. My subject area is Graphic Design so using ICT applications in my teaching is very relevant to my subject. Being in the design industry for well over a decade I am pretty much fluent in using a computer and many of the applications that are around today. I would even go as far as calling myself a bit of a 'Geek'. I suppose I have high expectations of some of the applications I am going to use and this may make me more objective. 

I have always had an interest in computers and technology going as far back as my first 'Spectrum 48k'! I love technology and what you can do with it and I am still amazed at the advancements we have made with it. I am open to new concepts and new applications in technology and I have a natural willingness to learn how to use them and patience of course! 

This blog will also develop my existing skills in reflective writing which is important for me to teach effectively. 

It is going to be an exciting journey for me.....

How reflective writing is important in effective teaching

Reflective practice is very important to me as it helps me to evaluate my teaching, the learning that has taken place and see areas where I need to improve as Mustafa (2005) confirms you can reflect on the events and evaluate the outcomes of your students' in the classrooms, and of the students' learning. 

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References

Mustafa, G., June 2005. Reflection in Teaching. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives, Vol 2( No 2), p. 1.

How technology has changed the way we learn

A decade or two ago students learnt solely from the teacher and reading books. Now it is a totally different story. Learning today covers a broad spectrum.

With the advancement of mobile technologies students can access information instantly via their phone, tablet or laptop. Within the learning environment they have access to a wide range of online resources such as an online library, ebooks, ejournals and much more. No longer is the classroom the only environment of learning. Students can learn anywhere, they can access a multitude of online courses via the internet which they can study in the comfort of their own home. 

The introduction to cloud based applications has encouraged this learning by giving the student online access to resources that enhance and improve their learning. Most students have access to Microsoft Office via their student account and can create their work in the different applications. Within the discipline of Graphic Design students can access Adobe Creative Cloud for different design programs. They can even choose to subscribe to ACC so that they can use it at home compared to years ago when you had to buy the program on disc for a high price and then the version you were using was soon out of date.

Even in preschools they use ipad or tablets to support the learning. In Beschorner & Hutchison findings they concluded that the use of iPads or tablets could be used in different teaching methods to help the young child in class to develop their literacy skills (Beschorner & Hutchison, 2013). 

The introduction of apps for our phones and tablets have widely opened up new areas of learning. The library of apps that you can now access is vast, to learn a new language all you have to do is download an app and you can have learning on the go. According to the BBC 'Duolingo' an app to teach foreign languages through playful games has around 40 million users (Robinson, 2014). This shows how popular apps have become in the learning environment.

Technology has changed the way we learn but is it for the greater good or not? We are overloaded with information and can we cope with this speed of change?  What happens if we lose the internet? Most of these technologies rely on our access to the internet. What happens then.  In a teaching environment you will have to have a back up and be prepared. Will we need to come to colleges and universities in the future or will we just learn from home?

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References

Beschorner, B. & Hutchison, A., 2013. iPads as a Literacy Teaching Tool in Early Childhood. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology (IJEMST), 1(1), p. 20.

Robinson, D., 2014. How computers change the way we learn. [Online] 
Available at: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20141022-are-we-getting-smarter

[Accessed 4th January 2016].