Ed Tech Then and Now:
Status: In progress ✔Suggested Due Date:
- Find an example of current (or recent) educational technology and try it out yourself:
- Now, think back to a technology which made an impression on you in your own learning experience (earlier technology):
- Analyze the two technologies according to the following instructions.
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For the deliverable:
For both the current and the earlier technology, give a quick description of each technology for those who might not be familiar with it and ideally link to information about it. Who was the intended primary audience and what does the user do when s/he uses the technology? Then answer the following questions:
- What do you think are some of the author’s goals regarding the technology? Does the technology direct the learner toward a specific goal or is it more open-ended? How and what might the learner learn from interacting with the technology?
- How specifically does it seek to engage the learner? How does it seek to motivate the learner?
- Based on your experience, did the technology meet its goals? Why or why not? Did it have other potentially unintentional effects (either positive or negative)?
- Choose one aspect of the experience that is common to both technologies. For instance, maybe both technologies (old and new) ask learners to complete practice problems. Or, maybe both have a user interface that allows the learner so see his or her progress. Next, compare the two experiences; tell us about differences and similarities.
- Were there other differences and similarities (not necessarily about a common experience) that you found to be especially striking? Tell us more.
- Overall, did you find one technology that was especially thought-provoking? Let us know your thinking.