| Sir Edward William Elgar - Pomp and Circumstance March No.1 .mp3 | ||
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 | Found at bee mp3 search engine |  |
As I reflect on my class this semester, EPSY590 Mobile Learning in Education, I realized that my conception of mobile technology has changed direction. When I began this course, I thought of mobile technologies as mainly social devices that were disruptive in the workplace and within the classroom, but really fun nonetheless. In my exploration of the different applications and tools that have been developed around the purpose of education and my field, marketing, there are so many benefits that I had not explored. Whether it be using Twitter in the classroom to promote student engagement, sharing and collaborating on research using Diigo or using Augmented Reality to extend learning to the real-time environment, I have come to realize that there are multiple purposes to mobile technologies and we must be creative in our application and use. As educators or employees, we must be the driving force, the leaders in how to reach that next level. The way in which we think about teaching must not remain stagnant, but move with the rapid mobility of the world we live in.
With a background and interest in psychology, naturally my immediate interests lie in human behavior and theories. I was particularly interested in Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory
which was discussed in the book we read, Disrupting Class (Christensen et al, 2008). Christensen's description of our education system as a "monolithic batch system" really made me wonder how my journey in education could have been more fulfilling if I wasn't part of the monolith. I really enjoyed applying this theory of multiple intelligences towards my advocacy project, using mobile technologies in a foreign language classroom. My next steps, since I have graduated (yeah!), is to learn a foreign language and hopefully do so using a more multimedia approach rather than a rote memorization approach. Wish me luck!
I was also able to tie Christensen's Disruptive Innovation Theory and think about it in terms of how we approach change. My course previous to this one was on Change Management. I think this is key when approaching technology. We can't force technology into a system or "culture", a topic addressed by Edgar Schein) of education, we must do so using a process, get buy-in from teachers, administration, parents, etc. How we implement technology usage in the classroom will determine how easily and how much it will be embraced within that environment. I believe Christensen was getting at this idea in his discussion of "stages of disruption" and the idea that the innovation has to compete against non-consumption (where the alternative is nothing). I do believe that edging into the system in areas where their is no alternative offering is a way to exemplify how technology can be beneficial; however, addressing the culture of the "monolithic batch system" will be the hardest and most important in the process of changing how our education system looks at learning and teaching.
On a side note, I have had the opportunity to introduce QR Codes in my workplace (marketing) and I am getting ready to have a implementation meeting with my managers on how we can use QR Codes at conferences and on brochures to add a multimedia effect to an otherwise flat marketing brochure. Which I feel really cool to have developed this idea. In fact I was so excited about this implementation after I explored QR codes, that I couldn't fall asleep that night... I was too busy coming up with applications for my workplace! And I also have to mention that I have realized the power of blogging. Without personal reflection on what you are learning, I feel like the learning is only surface level. Blogging brought me deeper into my learning and left me with an artifact, both my own and my classmates, to reference at anytime.
Since this is my last class, I am proud of myself and relieved to have graduated; however, I am going to miss my classmates (Viva El Ocho!) and the wonderful professors at the University of Illinois. They have guided my journey and allowed me to explore how I learn best and what my interests are rather than dictating both the concept and content. I plan to use technology to continue my learning and growth. Cheers to open source education, TED talks, and all the other learning opportunities that exist out there in the "cloud" of knowledge.
With a background and interest in psychology, naturally my immediate interests lie in human behavior and theories. I was particularly interested in Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory
which was discussed in the book we read, Disrupting Class (Christensen et al, 2008). Christensen's description of our education system as a "monolithic batch system" really made me wonder how my journey in education could have been more fulfilling if I wasn't part of the monolith. I really enjoyed applying this theory of multiple intelligences towards my advocacy project, using mobile technologies in a foreign language classroom. My next steps, since I have graduated (yeah!), is to learn a foreign language and hopefully do so using a more multimedia approach rather than a rote memorization approach. Wish me luck!
I was also able to tie Christensen's Disruptive Innovation Theory and think about it in terms of how we approach change. My course previous to this one was on Change Management. I think this is key when approaching technology. We can't force technology into a system or "culture", a topic addressed by Edgar Schein) of education, we must do so using a process, get buy-in from teachers, administration, parents, etc. How we implement technology usage in the classroom will determine how easily and how much it will be embraced within that environment. I believe Christensen was getting at this idea in his discussion of "stages of disruption" and the idea that the innovation has to compete against non-consumption (where the alternative is nothing). I do believe that edging into the system in areas where their is no alternative offering is a way to exemplify how technology can be beneficial; however, addressing the culture of the "monolithic batch system" will be the hardest and most important in the process of changing how our education system looks at learning and teaching.
On a side note, I have had the opportunity to introduce QR Codes in my workplace (marketing) and I am getting ready to have a implementation meeting with my managers on how we can use QR Codes at conferences and on brochures to add a multimedia effect to an otherwise flat marketing brochure. Which I feel really cool to have developed this idea. In fact I was so excited about this implementation after I explored QR codes, that I couldn't fall asleep that night... I was too busy coming up with applications for my workplace! And I also have to mention that I have realized the power of blogging. Without personal reflection on what you are learning, I feel like the learning is only surface level. Blogging brought me deeper into my learning and left me with an artifact, both my own and my classmates, to reference at anytime.
Since this is my last class, I am proud of myself and relieved to have graduated; however, I am going to miss my classmates (Viva El Ocho!) and the wonderful professors at the University of Illinois. They have guided my journey and allowed me to explore how I learn best and what my interests are rather than dictating both the concept and content. I plan to use technology to continue my learning and growth. Cheers to open source education, TED talks, and all the other learning opportunities that exist out there in the "cloud" of knowledge.
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