My reflections on Learning with Technology

Previously I stated that my personal learning theory might be entitled Cognitive Constructivism. I believe that every individual should be responsible for their own learning. That their natural curiosity should lead the way to building and refining knowledge and understanding. In a sense, my teaching is only as effective as their learning. The two sides must connect in the learner's mind.
Through the study of different theories I have come to the conclusion that instructional and learning epistomologies are not a set of guidelines to follow. Instead they are hypotheses which allow us to consider how, when and in what circumstances optimal learning is most likely to occur. And, it reinforced my hypothesis that no one theory alone can seek to prepare all our students for a future that we can only imagine. Lever-Duffy & MacDonald (2008) seem to sum this up best when they advise: "(A)s an eclectic instructor, you can choose to implement those parts of the theories that best match your learner's needs and the characteristics of a particular lesson's specific objectives."

However, focusing in on each theory did assist in a better selection of strategies and tools. Being more specifically selective and better able to account for my choices has allowed me to see my immediate goal of revising the level of technology I use in my classroom. As somewhat of a technophile myself, I know I can often become dazzled by the latest innovation. I am eager to jump in and test it out with my students but, at times, this means that I am not thinking carefully enough about how the tool might actually be (or not be) enhancing their learning.

In the short-term this means that I must take stock of the tools that I am using and cut back on those which maybe superfluous and/or beyond the students' needs and abilities.
As a longer term goal it means making a more conscious effort to integrate technology into my pre-planning; keeping the learning objective at the core and ensuring that the technology actually fulfills that objective.

To ensure more seamless integration I will need to increase individual access to technology. Currently my students have limited access to cumbersome and out-dated hardware. The students lose valuable time just dealing with the mechanics and, in this day and age, that should no longer be the case. It is a little like my students having to turn pulp into paper and whittle their pencils to a point before beginning their essay.

In order to achieve my goals I will need to stay abreast of new technologies and their applications for learning. Maintaining a strong personal learning network and regular scholarly reading will be crucial to developing my own knowledge and understanding and to empower me to present a much stronger case to those who make the funding decisions.

References
Lever-Duffy, J., & MacDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

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