Using Technology Into Your Classroom

In order to analyze student participation they "presented an 8 week course on web-based distance learning to Masters students on a computer-integrated education course at the University of Pretoria" (Nagel et. al., 2007, p.41). Matriculated in this course were students from a diverse background and different age groups ranging from 30 to 50 years old.

This paper presents a theoretical model of online instruction and learning to mirror a constructivist approach to education. Constructivism is a common approach to learning and more and more districts are employing online learning environments in its schools. Course content and delivery elements are explored as they apply specifically to online learning in a K-12 environment. Other components of the construction of a web-based learning environment includes student motivation, student assessment, and the role the teacher plays in the online environment. The findings of this research paper depicted that whether learning takes place completely in an online course, or as part of a blended approach to learning, there still needs to be a strong structural foundation for the online learning environment to be effective. Overall, interaction between the teacher and learners, as well as peer interaction, is critical to the success of any online learning.

The use of webquest in the classroom is a tool that every teacher should incorporate in their classroom. Not only is this a new way to teach our future students but it is also an alternative from traditional teaching. Using webquest in the classrooms gives students a boost of motivation, this means that they will be more likely to put forth more effort than what they normally would. Although with using webquest in the classrooms comes with a wide range of benefits, as well as some quite substantial downfalls.

Although the use of technology in classrooms does not mean that teachers, rather than have a lecture with their students will simply tell the students what it is they need to do online and then let’s say, proceed to complete an assignment online also, it is what many teachers have taken

The study performed in this article employs ANOVA analysis to determine the relationship between student learning styles and web-based learning. It is significant to understand that the findings revealed that there was no empirical evidence to support the notion that

I will be using the elementary school scenario for a fifth grade mixed level classroom (special education and regular education) in my discussion for this task.

Teachers can now focus on helping students to pass their examinations with flying colors, as well as polish their soft skills, such as leadership and cooperative skills, in order to produce well-balanced students academically and socially. Hence, it can be concluded that application of web-based learning has led to change in the role of teachers and students in learning processes.

RQ2: To what extent did the students describe their learning experiences using the Web 2.0 tools for advancing their learning?

Using Quizlet Live! allows the teacher to augment the material of the lesson in order to have functional improvement in the classroom. Although students are learning in a rote manner, they are able to use the technology in a competitive, collaborative way. Additionally, the students were active in their own learning, but they did not need to use the entire class period to play the game.

the different assets that can be integrated into the LMS. The committee must also decide if the material will be delivered to the students synchronously, asynchronously, or as a combination of the two. Synchronous learning environments support learning and teaching and offer students and teachers with multiple ways of interacting, sharing, and the ability to collaborate and ask questions in real-time through synchronous learning technologies. Examples of synchronous online technology types include videoconferencing, webcasts, interactive learning models, and telephone conferences (Er et al., 2009; eLearners.com, 2012). In an asynchronous learning environment students are able to actively participate in their own learning, giving them the opportunity to interact with their peers, provide peer feedback, and reflect on the status of their personal learning goals and outcomes (Harris et al., 2009; Simonson et al., 2012). Asynchronous technologies support learning and allow more time for student reflection, collaboration, and student-to-student interactions (Skylar, 2009; Meloni, 2010). According to Meloni (2010) asynchronous communication and learning is by far the more popular learning type because many of the learning tools are free, require minimal hardware, and are used at the student’s pace. Recent research into the usage and efficacy of synchronous tools has indicated that these

Another important distinction between the two types of courses is the limited human interaction in online courses. While conventional classes afford real communication with the teacher, most online classes are done strictly over the Internet which means that in almost all cases the teacher and student will never actually meet or even really interact. These benefits go both ways, students and teachers alike have much to gain from human interaction, whether for a teacher to better asses a student’s understanding through facial expressions or tone of voice while asking questions, or students forming a connection with the teacher and thereby feeling comfortable asking those questions. This friendliness often generates wide ranging discussions, which contribute greatly to the learning experience.

A high level of interactivity - Online tests and quizzes must be available to offer immediate response to learners.

Using Quizlet Live! allows the teacher to augment the material of the lesson in order to have functional improvement in the classroom. Although students are learning in a rote manner, they are able to use the technology in a competitive, collaborative way. Additionally, the students were active in their own learning, but they did not need to use the entire class period to play the game.

There have been many opportunities for me to learn online in the past. In undergraduate school I had the opportunity to work on a project with a with a group of students. Throughout this time, I learned about the challenges that can occur when gathering information for a project. For instance, someone may be active duty in the military and not have the time to provide their portion of work that is required for a project. As a result a discussion with the instructor may be needed in order to explain the circumstances.

Reinforcing these ideas, Omar, Hassan, & Atan (2012) found in an online course the goal is to gain and keep the learner’s attention. Furthermore, engaging the learner by utilizing activities that capture their attention and build on their previous knowledge and interests will be beneficial to the students’ growth in the course. Facilitating student engagement and motivation, teachers are encouraged to provide constant and consistent feedback which includes questions and activities which spark reflection (Larsen, 2012). Additionally, the use of reflection was found to be a critical element to designing an effective online course (Iskander, 2014). Larsen (2012) found that one method of creating effective interactivity is to incorporate activities using reflection. Using reflection, learners are expected to communicate how the content relates to their own lives as well as any prior knowledge they may have about the content (Verpoorten, Westera, & Specht, 2012). The creation of activities using reflection effectively can be as simple as the teacher creating ‘dig deeper’ type questions for the students to answer about the content of the lesson. Additional studies by Barrett (2013) and Grosso, Smith, & Grosso (2012) found that effective online teachers facilitate deeper thinking by posing additional questions to students as they answer the initial questions. That is to say, using ‘how’ and ‘tell me more’ type questions will encourage students to fully engage in the