Using Computers in Education

Course Description

This course examines how emerging technology can affect the classroom teacher, school administrator, school board members, students, and parents. It explores how technology influences curriculum, instructional design, and educational standards. Equity issues and the consequences to students who lack technological skills and knowledge are also the focal points of this course. This course uses a variety of media and technologies to prepare teaching materials, develop curriculum, and deliver instruction.

Topics and Objectives

Current State of Educational Technology

• Compare and contrast four perspectives on the definition of educational technology.
• Justify the use of technology in education.
• Explain the impact of cultural diversity and educational equity on current uses of technology in education.
• Examine critical equity issues in technology.

Educational Technology Standards

• Identify critical benchmarks in the development of national and state content standards related to educational technology.
• Compare and contrast state and national technology standards for teachers.

Technology Integration Models and Theories

• Apply major research findings and models related to the use of educational technology to support integration throughout the curriculum.
• Design staff or professional development instructional activities to facilitate the integration of technology into specific content areas.
• Evaluate staff or professional development instructional activities to facilitate the integration of technology into specific content areas.

Educational Software

• Identify the major types of instructional software and describe their characteristics.
• Plan lesson activities that integrate technology resources using a directed learning strategy and a constructivist learning strategy.
• Analyze Integrated Learning Systems (ILS) and other networked products.
• Describe criteria and methods for educational software selection.
• Evaluate selected educational software packages.

Distance Learning Strategies

• Describe characteristics of successful distance learning courses.
• Identify effective distance learning instructional strategies.

Integrating Technology in Language Arts, Foreign Language, Art, and Music Instruction

• Locate quality teacher educational resource Web sites.
• Describe current issues in language arts and fine arts instruction that may impact the selection and use of technology.
• Identify exemplary Internet sites and software packages for subject-area instruction in language arts, foreign language, art, and music.

Hypermedia and Multimedia

• Identify the components of a product developed with a hypermedia-authoring program.
• Examine planning models to implement multimedia projects.

Integrating Technology in Science, Math, Health, and Physical Education Instruction

• Identify exemplary Internet sites and software packages for subject-area instruction in science, math, health, and physical education.
• Describe current issues in science, math, and physical education instruction that may impact the selection and use of technology.

Integrating Technology in Social Studies Instruction

• Identify exemplary Internet sites and software packages for subject-area instruction in social studies.
• Describe current issues in social studies instruction that may impact the selection and use of technology.

Integrating Technology for the Diverse Learner

• Identify common uses for technology in special education.
• Describe ways to adapt instruction and the environment to meet the needs of diverse learners when using technology.
• Examine strategies for integrating technology resources that support the needs of diverse learners including adaptive and assistive technology.
• Locate exemplary Web sites for special education.

The Impact of Emerging Technologies on Education

• Describe current emerging technologies.
• Identify applications of emerging technologies for education.
• Demonstrate appropriate strategies essential to continued growth and development of skills in understanding and implementing emerging technology concepts.