Matching Technology Tools and Resources with Contents and Instruction Procedures

1. Matching Technology Tools and Resources with Contents and Instruction Procedures Han Liu Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania NCSS Denver, November 13, 2010

2. The Challenges • New world – All information goes to digital • New knowledge – 21st century knowledge & skills • New tools (Web2.0 tools) for teaching and learning • New learner – the millennials, digital natives, netizens … • New Teacher???

3. Learning with Technology • learning by gaming • learning by searching • learning by creating

4. Conditions: Technology & Culture • Mediated classroom • Broad band Internet Access • Learners’ possession of computers & handhelds • Free Web2.0 tools • Open sources for teachers and students • Global competition • Government constant initiatives for technology integration at all education levels • Societal gradual understanding of the paradigm change in education • Parental full support of using technology for learning

5. Solutions for Teachers to Address the Challenges • Actively adapt to the change in new ways of teaching and learning. Namely • Match technology tools with contents in terms of gaining of knowledge and understanding, thinking with different reasoning patterns, or acquiring certain performance skills • Match technology tools/resources with instructional procedures, such as selecting tools or identifying resources for engaging, teaching and assessing • Create multimedia instruction products by teachers themselves to better address individual student needs in the real classroom

6. Technology Tools Have Different Functionalities • Technology tools/resources have different functionalities for teaching and learning • PowerPoint is an effective tool for presentation • Spreadsheet is powerful for aggregating and analyzing data • Podcasts provide an auditory communication channel • Animation or movies can establish settings, involve multimedia communication, and demonstrate thinking processes

7. Contents Have Unique Characteristics • Some contents require memorization (names of continents and capitals of states…) • Some demand understanding or reasoning skills (why different animals need different habitats, …) • Some need hands-on activities (create a diorama of your community…) • …

8. Match Tools/Resources with Contents • An effective technology user in the classroom should take into consideration of the functionalities of technology tools/resources and content features and try to figure out the best match possible.

9. Matching Technology Tools/Resources with Instructional Procedures • An expert teacher in technology integration should match technology tools/resources with instructional procedures. • Based on the ETA (Engaging, Teaching, and Assessing) model: • A game or a movie is usually a powerful attention grabber. Digital products in this media format could be used to engage students at the beginning of a class. • Games, images, audios and videos are all great instructional tool to teach real contents in the instruction stage. • Online interactive quiz and game quiz (especially interactive jeopardy games) are the most popular tools for assessing student learning.

10. Create Multimedia Instruction Products by Teacher Themselves • Ready-made online resources or locally installed software are not enough to differentiate instruction in a diverse classroom. • Teacher should tailor-make instructional products based on students real needs by themselves • Teachers should design and create digital products with numerous freeonline tools. • Sample free online tools are listed in the side bar of this presentation website: http://webspace.ship.edu/hliu/conference/ncss2010/ncss2010.html

11. Q & A:

12. Thank you! • The End