After completing Integrating Technology in Learning, I am struck by how many online resources are available to teachers and learners. From video creation, mobile learning, mind mapping, and creating original designs for 3D printers, technology has come a long way since I was a young learner. When I started to teach Art History several years ago, the only source of technology I used was PowerPoint presentations. Over the years, I have included mobile learning in the classroom and online gaming to enhance learning. Before, I considered infusing technology in my classroom as a task set for me: that I would be the only one designing classroom content to share with students. Now, I can see that it is best used when online tools are given to students so they can design their own content. Handing over the steering wheel to the learners is a great way for learners to not only learn the technology, but to learn the content as well.
Some of the technologies that I enjoyed using the most are Animoto, Quizlet, and Tinkercad. Animoto is an online platform that can be used to create and share original videos. It is user-friendly, even for those with limited technology knowledge. The platform is highly adaptable, allowing for a variety of personal choices. There are many resources they provide, and they also allow the user to upload their own content. Designers can add text or voice over the video with content. Quizlet is a great online resource that my students introduced me to years ago. You can create sets of flash cards, share with others, and play games in order to learn the content. Tinkercard is a free online platform that allows the user to create their own designs for 3D printing. Using 3D printing is an excellent way of having a hands-on element in learning the foundation of art and architecture. Here is an informative tutorial on how to create using Tinkercad:
Many of the online platforms were very difficult, if not impossible to use. My least favorite resources were Mobin Cube and Second Life. Mobin Cube is meant to help facilitate mobile learning in the classroom, yet I found it difficult to customize content. It also had limited options when trying to design content for the classroom. Second Life is an online virtual reality platform. I found this technology to be the most frustrating and the least helpful. As soon as you join and create an account, you are bombarded with strangers trying to get your attention. I felt as though this game was nothing more than an online chatroom, which, in my opinion, are dangerous places to loiter, especially for young learners. I was also frustrated with the fact that I could not create my own content: I was restricted to using content designed by the developers. Overall, I think the best technologies for learning allow higher levels of creating unique content to fit the unique needs of the classroom.
In the future, I can only imagine that technology will be become more and more useful for teaching and learning. Despite the many roadblocks I faced trying to learn various platforms, I’m sure that the offerings can only get better over time. I worry that these tools will not be free to users forever, but I think that aspect is necessary in order to make these tools available to teachers and learners, regardless of financial availability. As I continue to explore technological options for my classroom, I will look into incorporating assignments where the students are responsible for creating useful content to share with the class. Having the opportunity to create meaningful content themselves, students will gain two important skills: learning how to use advanced technology, and experiencing enhanced learning in a whole new way.
All3DP. (Jul 7, 2017). Getting started: a tutorial for complete beginners. [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60xfIu-lqAs
Tracy Collamore PLE Project 