Integrating technology in college and university teaching can be a polarizing topic. There are enthusiastic proponents and adamant critics. We’ve all experienced situations where digital tools and resources can introduce problems and get in the way of content in a learning experience. There are, however, many opportunities to enhance teaching and learning with technology. The trick is, how do you sift through all of the options and how can you devise effective uses of technology in teaching?
The TEI Project
This is the question we set out to explore in designing a professional learning experience for faculty through the Technology Enriched Instruction (TEI) program three years ago. With support from Microsoft Education, a faculty design team developed a full-day, inquiry-based workshop that helped faculty member participants to consider how to best integrate technology with their disciplinary content and chosen teaching and learning activities. The course is framed around a model of pedagogical reasoning that helps faculty discover ways to integrate technology in meaningful ways.
The experience begins by considering the kinds of skills and experiences that would best prepare our students for the 21st century world of learning and work. From there we introduce the 21st Century Learning Design framework (described here) and encourage participants to examine the degree to which students engage in these skills in a course they teach. We then consider how technology can be aligned with disciplinary content and appropriate learning activities to support one or more 21st century skills. By the end of the workshop, participants redesign a course session, project or assignment that they can use in their teaching.
TEI Online
To this point, participation in a TEI workshop was limited to face-to-face events hosted by universities around the world. Recently, however, we’ve launched a fully online, interactive, and self-paced version of the workshop through the Microsoft Virtual Academy. For a quick “trailer” of the course content, please take a moment to watch the video below.
The TEI Project
This is the question we set out to explore in designing a professional learning experience for faculty through the Technology Enriched Instruction (TEI) program three years ago. With support from Microsoft Education, a faculty design team developed a full-day, inquiry-based workshop that helped faculty member participants to consider how to best integrate technology with their disciplinary content and chosen teaching and learning activities. The course is framed around a model of pedagogical reasoning that helps faculty discover ways to integrate technology in meaningful ways.
The experience begins by considering the kinds of skills and experiences that would best prepare our students for the 21st century world of learning and work. From there we introduce the 21st Century Learning Design framework (described here) and encourage participants to examine the degree to which students engage in these skills in a course they teach. We then consider how technology can be aligned with disciplinary content and appropriate learning activities to support one or more 21st century skills. By the end of the workshop, participants redesign a course session, project or assignment that they can use in their teaching.
TEI Online
To this point, participation in a TEI workshop was limited to face-to-face events hosted by universities around the world. Recently, however, we’ve launched a fully online, interactive, and self-paced version of the workshop through the Microsoft Virtual Academy. For a quick “trailer” of the course content, please take a moment to watch the video below.
While this is a beta version of the course, I hope that you might consider taking part in the learning experience. It’s free and can be completed in a relatively brief period of time. By engaging in this pedagogical reasoning process, our hope is that you are able to more strategically consider the potential benefits of integrating technology in your teaching.
How have you navigated the opportunity and challenge of integrating technology in your teaching?
Please post your comments below.
How have you navigated the opportunity and challenge of integrating technology in your teaching?
Please post your comments below.
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