Emerging Instructional Technologies

There were several “cool” things mentioned in this chapter as well as some disturbing ideas for the future use of technology.  I love the idea of the I-PULL where the student’s learning style is determined and the environment within which they will be taught is customized to their needs It was stated in the text that these intelligent tutoring systems get close to the one-on-one tutoring results. I wonder, however, how this will affect the teaching field if a program can replicate or replace a teacher. It wasn’t stated explicitly in the text that this would be the case, but it must be inferred that this is a distinct possibility—especially in light of today’s cash strapped state governments and the clash between unions and elected officials.

The advanced performance tracking or “body tracking” was one technology that I thought was very interesting. I was thinking of the other applications beyond becoming proficient in a particular sport and wondered how it would work with learning to play an instrument. What about the creation of art? Could such a technology help guide brush strokes properly or how to manipulate pieces of clay? How much more can people produce if they pair their minds with technology that speeds up their ability to learn new information and physical skills?

To me, life is about learning and creating and producing. If technology can aid us in that—without taking away, altering, or discriminate against  us for our own private thoughts, beliefs, and values—then I look forward to the future of technology. I also hope that the value and necessity of human contact and interaction is not somehow lost along the way. No matter how great a tutoring system may be, it can never replace a teacher’s smile, encouraging words, or admonitions in guiding them towards becoming positive members of our world.

FAVORITE HANDS-ON ACTIVITY

My favorite activity this semester was screencasting. I first heard about Jing and screencasting at the 2010 MACUL conference in Grand Rapids. It has been on my “got to learn how to work with” list since then, but with so much to do and keep up with in my day-to-day workload, I just never got around to it. This class forced me to pick it back up again and dive in, for which I am very grateful.

I think screencasting has the ability to duplicate myself in a way. It will take time to develop lessons and record them, but once the wheel is invented…Something I heard a presenter at this year’s MACUL conference say was that video has power to make teachers “rewindable”. This really struck me and has stayed with me. I have a flip cam and that will allow me to record mini lessons for students to go back to as needed or if they are absent, but with a tool like Jing, I can combine my document camera or my Mimio interactive white board and capture lessons that are presented that way, too. I don’t have to worry about the battery dying in the middle of a presentation or going back to upload it to my computer.