Technology Leap Guide
Based
on your own interests in media, instruction, teaching and learning,
you'll select 2 new or existing media, instructional tools, or pieces
of software to thoroughly research and evaluate and on which you will
report--in writing (minimum of 1,000 words
each) on the topics you choose. These Tech Leap papers are scholarly research
papers that are written in APA format. In your papers, you should
address potential educational applications for the technology you
research. See due dates in the course schedule (worth up to 20 points--10
points for each Tech
Leap).
Please contact the instructor at least three days prior in order to
obtain the go-ahead regarding appropriate topics and to receive
guidance and other assistance.
In class when the Tech Leaps is due, you will also briefly present your TechLeap in class. You may
wish to prepare a slideshow to help your classmates understand your
TechLeap, but a slideshow is not required. In
addition, please post
all materials to Tech
Leap Sharing Forum--accessed on the moodle home page for
this course.discuss what
you have learned with your classmates.
What are Some
Topics on Which I Can Do a Tech Leap?
There are many topics on which you can do a Tech Leap. For example, if
you are a PE major, you could do research on virtual reality tools in
PE or health monitoring tools such as Fitbits and the Apple Watch. If
you're interested in Smart Board applications, do some research on that
topic. What are the latest writing tools for young writers? Seek out
topics in which you have a real personal interest. These are the topics
that will be the most personally motivating.
How do you find and report on these new technologies? Try
searching "new technologies," "new educational software," "new trends in
educational use of technology," etc. Try to find topics in which you have
a personal interest or stake. As we
move through the topics in this course, you will be exposed to many
technologies, principles, and approaches to finding and evaluating
information on the Internet. Use those skills to develop your Tech Leaps.
In essence, the Tech Leaps are micro research topics to help you become
acquainted with the ways you will keep yourself updated and informed about
new and emerging technologies. You will be a practicing action-researcher,
honing your research skills to keep yourself informed about the new trends
in teaching with technology!
When you are finished with each of your
TechLeaps, be sure to share them with me via GoogleDrive. Then share a
copy (not the original) them with your
classmates by posting them to the TechLeap Forum on our course moodle
site. (You're sharing a copy because I don't want your classmates to
have access to your grade or my comments on your original submission.)
Example Tech Leap: If you want to see an example of an excellent Tech Leap, go to this folder on GoogleDrive.
Save your Tech Leap written
reports, any visuals you use, and any other documentation (brochures,
samples, etc.) in your Learning
Portfolio.