Using technology effectively in learning: My personal journey

Podcasts are digital audio files that can be used to facilitate learning. Videos provide the visual component to accompany the audio information.Both forms of technology can be useful for instructors to facilitate instruction and/or creating engaging student assignments using the technology. Following are some pros and cons to consider when including technology for either of these purposes: Pros: Portable and can be globally shared, meaning we can "cultivate the means to building and sustaining global scholarship communities" (King & Cox, 2011, p. 34).  Technology is simple and inexpensive Ability to build assignments that "generate deeper research, analysis, and knowledge construction" (King & Cox, 2011, p. 34) Connect creativity to content Instructors can record lectures and turn them into podcasts or videos so students who had to miss the lecture can still have an opportunity to hear it Instructors can slice lectures into smaller sections that ...

Skype: Friend or Foe? The focus of this week's blog is real world experience with using technology in curriculum. I interviewed Shanna Jager, Project Director of Professional Workforce Solutions in the School of Family Studies and Human Services at Kansas State University. Shanna teaches a course at Kansas State University on Global Campus and uses Canvas for students in that course. In addition, she holds monthly webcasts with the Kansas State Department of Children and Families using Skype. I selected Shanna for this interview because she is hesitant to use technology. She refers to herself as "old-fashioned" and isn't comfortable using technology. I wanted to hear her reflections on using technology as a reluctant user to learn more about how she thought it helped or hindered her instruction. Click this link to hear our interview! Thanks for listening!