Technology Skills

I can do just about anything with a computer but program and have no interest in programing. I was taught the basic things about computers and office programs and then taught myself everything else I know about computers. I build my own computers and have built computers for friends. I am proficient with Microsoft Office (i.e., Excel, Word, Outlook, & PowerPoint). I know Access but have not used it enough and I am rusty with it. I can build and edit webpages and I use Dreamweaver to do this. I am proficient with WebCT and can design courses with it. I use Adobe Photoshop to edit images for webpages and edit pictures. I can find just about anything on the Internet and enjoy surfing the net. When I write papers, I do most of my research over the Internet through the libraries access to on-line journals. I make very few trips to the library itself and I know all you librarians hate that but I could write a whole research paper without setting foot in a library and all my sources would be legitimate. What I love about computers is the fact that you can never learn everything there is to learn about them or the Internet they provide access to and I am looking forward to the new things I will learn in this class.

Definition of Educational/Instructional Technology

When searching for a definition of educational/instructional technology, the Internet was sighted as the primary tool making up this group of instruments intent on enhancing learning. There are many instruments that are used in educational/instructional technology ranging from the computer to the projectors used in classrooms. The computer opens up a whole world of technology when access to the internet is made available. There is a vast wealth of knowledge available through the internet but the reliability of this knowledge must be brought into question and learners must be taught how to distinguish between what is reliable and what is not. Educational/instructional technology is the use of electronic medium for enhancing the learning capabilities of individual’s searching for knowledge. The types of educational/instructional technology that I am interested in learning about are developing effective learning communities over the internet and which types of educational software like WebCT and Blackboard are the most effective in enhancing on-line learning. In addition, I would like to know some basic things about Java script because as of now I do not understand anything about it and I have run into it at work when editing the webpages for UIL.

Murray, L., Hourigan, T., Jeanneau, C. & Chappell, D. (2005). Netskills and the current state of beliefs and practices in student learning: An assessment and recommendations. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36(3), 425-438.

Moyer, P. S., Bolyard, J. J., & Spikell, M. A. (2001). Virtual manipulatives in the K-12 classroom. (Report No. SE-066-585). Washington, DC: Office of Educational Research and Improvement. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED-468-203).

Introductional Blog

I am taking this class as an elective because I am interested in instructional technology. I want to learn more about building communities on the internet. I did not know this was going to be part of the class but was glad to find out we would be learning about using the internet to build learning communities.

I am working on the doctoral degree in higher education because I want to increase my knowledge of higher education. In addition, I want to teach psychology or sociology as a full-time instructor at a community college and I believe this degree will increase my qualifications for obtaining a full-time position.

My current goal is to finish my doctoral degree and gain as much technological knowledge as possible. My future goal is to teach full-time and I want to teach on-line courses as well as face-to-face courses. I have already taught sociology completely on-line with WebCT and I really enjoyed it. I used to work in the education department at SFA helping to develop courses in WebCT so I designed the sociology course and taught it for Panola College in the Fall of 2005.