| By Becky Cottrell
I love using new technology, and trying out new tools as they become available, but often find myself using a new tool because it is cool or fun, and not paying attention to the pedagogical purpose of my tech activity. In this time of online learning, students may be using a variety of new tech tools in each of their classes, and they can get fatigued with too much novelty without a specific educational goal. What is the PURPOSE of this activity?Before creating an activity with a tech tool, spend a few minutes thinking about the purpose of your activity in the course. Are you trying to build community? Are you working to meet specific learning outcomes? What is the place of this activity in the bigger picture in your class? Technology is engaging, but students don’t want activities that don’t contribute to their learning. You can use fun new tools, but they should have a purpose in helping students achieve their academic goals. What is your class MODALITY?When creating an activity, it’s best to think about the type of class you are teaching. Are you teaching online, face-to-face, or hybrid classes? How does use of this tool change as depending on class type? How is this tool supplementing other class activities students are completing either online or face-to-face? How will you ASSESS student learning?When designing a class activity, it’s always a good idea to know in advance how you will be assessing the activity. What does success look like? How will you measure success? Do you need to provide a rubric or grading information? Considering these questions will help you to design an activity that students understand. What do students need in order to ACCESS the tool?Do your students need information on creating an account or logging in? Do they need instructions on how to use a tool? Providing this information up front can help alleviate stress when students are using a new tool. It’s also best practice to try out a new tool for a low-stakes participation activity before requiring it in a project that is worth a lot of points. What do you want the students to DO with this activity?Now you are ready to create your activity. When you are creating it, please make sure that you provide clear instructions for students so they know exactly what you expect of them. If you are deliberately leaving instructions a little vague to allow room for creativity, then make sure you express that, and provide a reason. Clear directions with reasonable explanations help students know what to expect, and will help them feel more comfortable trying out something different. What other tools are students using?Finally, as you create your activity, ask yourself how many other tools students are using this semester. If you are using Canvas, Zoom, and 1-2 other tools in your class, that doesn’t seem like a lot, but if each student is taking 5 classes, that could add up to 10 different tools a semester. Making sure that your activity has a purpose, that all students have access to the tool, and that your planning a thoughtful and engaging interaction will help avoid overusing technology tools. Using technology is a fun way to add a little excitement to your class, and can engage students with each other, and with the course content. Being intentional about how and when you use technology tools will help students be successful and will help you to have a great experience! |