Reflective Summary II

Using Technology to Scaffold Learners and to Facilitate Learning

Why do we really use technology in instruction? Obviously, we use technology for several purposes including communication, storing the data, creating instructional products, collaborating, utilizing the media it supports, etc. So, it serves us to facilitate learning. Gay, Rieger and Bennington (2001) have made a research regarding the educational implications of using mobile computers in field experience. Gay et. al (2001) state “The purpose of developing mobile computing applications is to provide resources and communication abilities where they are needed as well as to help prepare students for applied scientific practice. Mobile computing can potentially enable students to share information, coordinate their tasks and more generally, function effectively in collaborative activities. Such skills will prepare students to make the transition to a working world that increasingly stresses the interdisciplinary teamwork” (p.525). In the context of that research, the researchers believe that they should help learners to develop their collaborative skills, and that’s why they chose to use mobile computers as tools to achieve that goal. Some of the activities that learners do through mobile computers are entering notes, uploading data to a central site where their classmates can access all of the collected data, analyzing group findings, and making comments and annotations. So, the mobile computer technology facilitates collaboration through its attributes, and learning occurs. Below is an illustration of the relationship among the goal, instructional strategy and technology as a tool:

Goal: Involvement in teamwork to prepare for working world

Instructional Strategy: Encouraging collaboration in field experience

Tool: Mobile Computer
(It can enable students to share information, coordinate their tasks and more generally, function effectively in collaborative activities)

How about the role of instructor in such a context? We have discussed several times in this course that the instructor is only the facilitator as opposed to being the authority in collaborative learning environments. The instructor only monitors and provides support whenever needed.
My Virtual Learning Community

“I will design and develop an online course for the institution I work. The course is going to be about Fundamentals of Technology. That course will provide students with the fundamental concepts, principles, and ideas needed to understand how business is operated and managed in a rapidly changing global environment, which is needed for success in business-related careers. Basic computer, database and Internet skills will be covered. This course will also provide job readiness skills and soft skills that are critical for success in any workplace setting (Ataman, 2010)”. In my course several instructional strategies/scaffolding will be used. For example, in order for learners to improve their computer skills to get ready for their career, the instructor will demonstrate computer procedures and record instructional videos to be posted online. Smith and Ragan (2005) suggest that demonstrations are useful for teaching procedures.

Also, sharing computer-related resources and ideas will be encouraged in discussion board to facilitate peer interaction and collaboration. Additionally, students will be encouraged to open a LinkedIn account, which is a professional social networking community, to be involved in community of practice to get information about the uses of computer in their field. This will also motivate the learners. “Community of practice is a concept closely related to situated cognition because the community provides a meaningful context for active knowledge construction and meaning making. Students learn to think like professionals while engaging in meaningful, real-world problem solving activities, as shown in the example of Brown and Campione’s (1996) Fostering a Community of Learners (FCL), where the learning community extends not only horizontally across a classroom, but vertically across grades, which allows for learning topics to be revised at increasing levels of disciplinary sophistication (Ge, 2010)”.

Technology provides great opportunities to scaffold and motivate the learners during the learning process, however this doesn’t mean that use of any technology would be helpful. Technology should be selected carefully and used appropriately to achieve our learning goals. Also, students should never be left alone while learning through technology. Instructor or technical support should be provided any time to ensure learning.



References

Ataman, I. (2010, February, 28). Reflective Summary I. Message posted to http://technologyineducation-perspectives.blogspot.com/

Brown, A. L., & Campione, J. C. (1996). Psychological theory and the design of innovative learning environments: on procedures, principles, and systems. In L. Schauble & R. Glaser (Eds.), Innovations in learning: new environments for education. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Gay, G., Reiger, R., Bennington, T. ( 2002 ) Using mobile computing to enhance field study. In Miyake, N., Hall R, and Koschmann, T. (Eds.). Carrying the conversation forward. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum
Ge, X. (2010). Community of Practice Definition in “Situated Learning and Constructivist Perspective” PowerPoint Presentation.

Smith, P. L., & Ragan, T. J., (2005). Instructional Design (3rd ed.). NY: Wiley.