Technology for Technology’s Sake: A Trend in Education
This week, I conducted an interview with Cherlyn Anderson, an Education Specialist with S2TEMCenters SC and former Instructional Technology Coordinator of Lexington School District Four in Lexington County, South Carolina. When I asked her about what technological trends are likely to have a large impact on teaching, learning, and education over the next several years, […]
“Flipped Learning” and My EDUC 639 Intro
Hey, y’all! My name is Ashley Fort, and I from a small, rural town in the Midlands of South Carolina. I love living in the country and being a South Carolina native. My favorite beverage is sweet tea, and I love cooking good Southern food. I also enjoy couponing, refinishing furniture, crafting, and decorating my home. I also […]
Best Practices in Educational Technology for the Primary-Level Classroom
Because today’s young children are so thoroughly exposed to technology, it is reasonable to consider integrating technology into the early childhood classroom. Fortunately, many experts concur that technology in the classroom can prove beneficial to the early childhood student. Clements and Samara (cited in Hertzog & Klein, 2005) insist that computers have a positive effect […]
Flipped Learning
While it is fairly new to me, flipped learning it is a recognized instructional strategy in many classrooms that are attempting to integrate technology into their instruction (Bull, Ferster, & Kjellstrom, 2012). Shenninger (2014) asserts that flipped learning is “proving to be a key asset to modern education” (p. 156). One of the main purposes […]
Review of Clark and Mayer’s Personalization Principle
Clark and Mayer (2011) introduce the personalization principle as it pertains to e-learning in chapter 9 of the text. According to the authors, the personalization principle includes using a conversational style opposed to a more formal one, employing on-screen tutors that they refer to as pedagogical agents, and giving the author a visible presence (Clark […]
Driving Change as Technology Leaders
Sheninger (2014) proposes six factors to driving change in your school: connectedness, vision, value, support, professional development, and embracement. At my school, we put a huge emphasis on collaboration, both for our students and ourselves. Collaboration is one of our district’s three priorities, and we do a great job of promoting it and employing it. […]
Mobile Learning and Formative Assessments
Distance learning via mobile learning environments has exploded in the past few years. For instance, Liberty University’s number of online students from the 2003-04 academic year to the 2013-2014 academic year increased 740% (Bible, 2015). And while there are great advantages to mobile learning, it proposes some challenges for educators, one being assessments. Many courses […]
Follow Me on Twitter!
I’ve only just recently started using Twitter on a regular basis. It actually is required for one of my courses, but I’ve found it to be a great way to connect with other educators and technology leaders. I’m really enjoying it, and you may, too! Please click my new button, and follow me on Twitter, […]
Technology Leaders and Gaining Support
Currently, I am only in my fourth year of teaching. I do not feel like much of a leader in anything . . . However, I know that my Master’s program is training me not only to successfully integrate technology into my instruction, but also to be confident enough to help my peers do the […]
Constructivism and Distance Learning
Like Piaget, I believe that as children develop, they construct meaning and learning through experiences and observations (Slavin, 2012). As an educator I have always identified with Piaget’s theory and constructivist approaches. Constructivism is a popular theoretical framework of education that assumes that knowledge is constructed through learners’ experiences rather than directly from the environment […]