Reflection on Technology Trends - Instructional Design and Technology

Digital Technology has exploded over the last few years. Technology Trends have impacted many people’s education, professional and personal lives. Educational leaders must embrace the two different perspectives:

• Traditional Learner
• Digital-Age Learner

From a Traditional Perspective

School prepares you for life, but students are passive participants in learning and the learning environment was teacher-centered, direct instruction and subjects are separated, emphasized at different times. 

—  Current Trends

• Mobile Learning
• Social Networking
• Personal Learning Networks (PLNs)
• Augmented Reality (AR)
• Virtual Reality (VR)
• Gamification
• Big Data Analysis 

—  The Perspective From a Traditional Learner

—  What Is Your Opinion on These Digital Trends?

Learning the theory and practice from a book

Trends will fade out and learners will not be prepared for the next new trend

—  Predicting the Future On Digital Trends

—  Benefits of these digital trends:

1. —  They will stick around for a long time
2. —  They cater to different learning styles
3. —  Explosion in digital advancement.
4. —  They are also cost effective and inexpensive.

 

—  Can These Technologies Change Society?

Society will become a more connected place where learners are active and collaborate with each other.

—  How are These Technologies Changing Current and Future?

Motivating and Engaging learning activities

Collaboration and Communication opportunities 

—  How Do These Technologies Fit My Lifestyle?

I am not overly digitally enabled. I do use technology but I do not use it in a collaborate or socializing way. I am more of a voyeur when it comes to technology I am not using it to create for personal projects.

• —  From A Digital Age Perspective
• —  School is just a part of your life
• —  Students are active participants in learning
• —  Student-centered – Teacher facilitates learning
• —  Collaboration and communication with colleagues 

—  From A Digital Age Perspective

1. —School is just a part of your life
2. Students are active participants in learning
3. Student-centered – Teacher facilitates learning
4. —Collaboration and communication with colleagues
5. —Subjects are combined emphasized, connection are made.

—  The Perspective From a Digital-Age Learner

—  What Is Your Opinion on These Digital Trends?

1. —  Engage the learner
2. —  Help learners create, communicate and collaborate with others
3. —  Increase critical thinking ability to get work done.
4. —  Engage the learner with hands on learning activities
5. —  Activities will seem real or life-like.

—  Predicting the Future On Digital Trends

Digital technology will connect more people world-wide

Social Networks are a great way to find people to utilize someone’s strength in a group setting

1. —  Can These Technologies Change Society?
2. —  Digital technology is changing society almost everyday.
3. —  Being connected is a part of life
4. —  Using technology to be connected in more that just physically is commonplace
5. —  How are These Technologies Changing Current and Future?

   Digital technology is changing the way we live

   Professionally and Personally

   
   
   • —  How Do These Technologies Fit My Lifestyle?
   • —  A lot of the digital technology that is created does not fit my lifestyle.
   • —  I personally do not use a lot of social networks
   • —  But  I do use informational sites for data and decision making situations.
   • —  Conclusions – Digital Technology Trends
   The Gap Among Age Groups and Generations?
   
   Different generations grow up with different technologies and learn to use it at a younger which makes it part of their life. Being connected is the next generations resources that will have to use to do work.
   Is It Possible Those Different Age Groups and Generations Can Co-Exsist?
   Yes, the generations use their strengths and what they know to do work, with changing mindsets, they can compliment one another (Scheffel, Drachsler, Stoyanov, & Specht, 2014).
   Conclusion
   Is It Important For Teachers To Understand Traditional And Digital-Age Learners Thinking?
   It is important because teachers must learn to accommodate everyone's learning style or give them the resources to be successful (Clarke, & Nelson, 2013).
   What Strategies Are There To Bridge The Gap?
    By using digital technology and use the tools, For example Web 2.0 tools, they can collaborate and communicate with learners and teachers. 

   —  References

   Clarke, J., & Nelson, K. (2013). Perspectives on learning analytics: Issues and challenges. The   International Journal of First Year in Higher Education, 4(1), 1-8.
   Cuban, Lawrence. (2015). Content vs. Skills in High Schools: 21st Century Arguments Echo 19th Century Conflicts. Retrieved from https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2015/11/03/content-vs-skills-in-high-schools-21st-century-arguments-echo-19th-century-conflicts/
   Dede, Chris. (2009). Comparing Frameworks for “21^st Century Skills”. Harvard Graduate School of Education.
   Scheffel, M., Drachsler, H., Stoyanov, S., & Specht, M. (2014). Quality indicators for learning analytics. Educational Technology & Society, 17(4), 117-132.