Philosophy of a well traveled student - Technology and Learning with a Disability

I am 31 years old. I am a product of multiple school systems, both domestic and international. I have mostly spent my early  life within the DODEA school systems while my parents were active duty. Later in life, after one parent retirement and re-entry into the DOD civilian workforce, I became a member of the domestic, stateside education system. Some schools were very successful and highly invested in children's learning experiences while other schools investment in learning is but a second thought. The major difference between each school was the technology available to educators to use in their classrooms. When I was in the DODEA system, they highly prioritized students accessibility to technology. My first computer class was in the third grade and granted it was basic typing and learning how to use Microsoft office products, it impacted the way that I learned curriculum as a student with a learning disability. Throughout this post I am going to reflect more on those experiences and how technology can shape a student's learning experience.

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Introduction

Technology is two sides of a blade, one side can be dull, representing a pleasant experience that a student had with technology while the other side can be sharp, representing a disastrous experience that a student may have with technology.  Technology can have an impact on students attention spans and social developments and a good example of a great instructional tool is gamification of course curriculum to enchance the student learning experience.

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What is Instructional Technology?

Instructional technology is defined as "the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources” (Januszewski & Molenda, 2007). This definition is has upgraded from Low technologies such as film slides, photos, and film projectors to the high technologies such as audio, video, computer presentations, AR, VR or any sort of gamification that can be incorporated into the curriculum. The progression of these technologies has turned these technolgies from an outside resource into an enhancement that can be seamlessly integrated into the curriculum.  The key challenge is having the time and commitment to fully know these technolgies strengths and when to apply them.

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How should Instructional Technology be utilized?

As a disabled learner, I recognized that students have different goals and expectations as well as different learning styles from a young age. When I learned about Gardner's Theory and Bates' SECTIONS model, I resonated with this style of teaching on a spititual level. This model and theory provides great examples of strategically utilizing various technologies for specific learning styles and goal expectations to further engage with more students. I have referencd back to the SECTIONS model to help me help clients select appropiate learning technologies for courses. I have created a limited number of base questions during the learning analysis phase to figure out what outcomes they want to see for their learners and ultimately how my company can help them achieve that goal.

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Ponderings

As we continue to progress towards a world that becomes more and more integrated with AI technologies, there will be a high demand for Instructional Technologies and Instructional Designers. My only fear going forward is how will the instructors combat the abuse potential that AI may have when it comes to falsifying work, misinformation and mitigating those risks among learners. It is up to the instructor to carefully consider which technologies to utilize that will benefit all students to provide them with a great learning experience that help them achieve their goal.

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Resources:

Mayer, R.E., (2017). Using multimedia for e-learning. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 33(5), 403-423. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12197

Januszewski, A., & Molenda, M. (Eds.). (2007). Educational Technology: A Definition with

Commentary (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203054000

Bates, A. W. (2015).  Choosing and using media in education: the SECTIONS model. In Teaching in a Digital Age. (8.1 - 8.10).

National University. (2021, May 13). The Negative Effects of Technology on Children and What You Can Do. National University; National University. https://www.nu.edu/blog/negative-effects-of-technology-on-children-what-can-you-do/ 

Smiderle, R., Rigo, S.J., Marques, L.B. et al. The impact of gamification on students’ learning, engagement and behavior based on their personality traits. Smart Learn. Environ. 7, 3 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-019-0098-x