DR. RILEY PIZZA

Competency 3:

Incorporating Technology in Your Teaching

Completed 5/12/23 (9:00-10:15am) workshop
"Incorperating Technology in Teaching"
Dr. Stefanie Baier


Description of Core Competency:

From chalkboards to smartboards to projectors, technology has come a long way since I started my schooling in 2000. The amount of teaching technology tools at our disposal has grown exponentially, and it can sometimes be overwhelming to digest. Should technology always be used in the classroom, or are there times that it isn't appropriate? What tools should you use given the learning objectives of a given course? These questions and more are important for all educators to grapple with.  The goal of this competency is to consider the types of activities that may be enhanced by technology, and what kinds of technology are availible.

Artifacts, Materials,  and Rationale 
During this workshop, we utilized a technology tool (Jamboard) to discuss the pros and cons to using technology in the classroom.











While we had a lively discussion, we came away with three great points. First, using technology to create activity where students can participate in low-stakes ways can be a beneficial way to increase student engagement. Second,  technology can allow students to share their ideas while also remaining anonymous. Finally, we discussed the importance of creating activities with the learning objectives and goals in mind: technology should not be used just for technology's sake

Reflection
Utilizing technology can make your lessons more effective for your students, but only when used correctly. Utilizing backwards design can help you identify when technology may be a beneficial tool (you should not decide to use technology just because you can) by moving from learning outcomes to learning objectives. I can use jamboard or iclicker in my courses for low-stakes participation and engagement, even in a large class.