At the start of this unit I was unsure if I would enjoy studying it. After completing almost half I now have a broader understanding of the digital world and the important roles it plays within education. As an aspiring Visual Arts teacher, I could think of little use for technology in the classroom. But now after completing the weekly readings and conducting my own research there are so many programs and applications that can be used in the art room.
Exploring all the free resources available and using PowToon, Audacity, Soundcloud, Nearpod and so many more of the weekly programs has broadened my own digital fluency and I am excited to start using some of these in my lessons. Some programs I felt were limiting. Voki for example, was limited to a minute time length and 600 characters (unless it was a paid account) which wouldn’t meet the outline of the assessment task. However, I did find strong alternatives that would present my information in an effective manner and were quite simple programs to use.
Creating a digital pedagogy is expected from our 21st century learners. Howell (2012) describes our students as “digital natives” (p. 6) which have now developed “digital expectancy” (p. 59-67) across the curriculum. As a teacher I would be expected to develop a strong digital pedagogy to keep the students engaged and to keep up with the times and necessity of technology. I strongly agree with Wainwright’s (2013) research conducted on iPads in the classroom. They have become a necessary tool to all age groups and have proven results of engagement and success.
Following this unit, I can now competently use some of the programs we have explored across the rest of my degree. When I start the Arts units, I look forward to incorporating the digital world into my studies and presentations to stand out from the crowd.
References
Howell, J. (2012). Teaching with ICT: Digital Pedagogies for Collaboration and Creativity. Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press.
Wainwright, A. (2013). 8 Studies Show iPads in the classroom improve education. Retrieved from https://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/8-Studies-Show-iPads-in-the-Classroom-Improve-Education
EDC101 Teaching and Learning in a Digital World 