ASSURE: Designing Technology-Enhanced Lessons

When objectives are clearly stated, it gives the teacher a chance to prepare a lesson with the materials that align with the stated objectives. The set objectives for the lesson help the teacher to select the instructional methods, media and materials which help in achieving those objectives. Having to select the methods, media, and materials before the lesson is such a lesson enhancing tool that I feel gives the teacher confidence knowing that all the materials required for a successful lesson have been put into consideration and gathered, and are at hand and ready for use. In most cases teachers stammer during a lesson when they realize that some of the items required for an effective learning process have been forgotten. Planning for these things before hand helps to reduce this lack of confidence. With technology, if any of the materials needed for the lesson is missing it becomes a big problem. There is no way students will access the resources/ websites in class if the teacher has forgotten to bring a computer/laptop; or how Microsoft PowerPoint presentation will be carried out without a projector? Therefore, the need to select the methods, media and materials before-hand to ensure that effective learning takes place.

Secondly, once the methods, media and materials have been selected and put together, the teacher indicates which of them will be used at which step of the learning process. The ASSURE model therefore helps the teacher to think systematically and know how to handle the lesson effectively.

 

The Value of Analyzing My Students

It is good to know my students in order to help them learn effectively. If as a teacher, I understand my students I will be in position to get them to produce very good grades. I would find a way of getting closer to them and develop good rapport with them, identify with them in their problems and always try to make it easier for them to approach me and also get them to love the subject. Analyzing my students empowers me with information and gives me an advantage over them that enables me to operate effectively. Through analyzing my students I get to

·       It makes me more aware of their strengths, weaknesses and challenges and plan well how to maneuver them, help the students to overcome them and get my students to learn effectively.

·       It helps me to choose the appropriate instructional method that would best suit the learning process.
·       It makes me aware of the dominating learning style of the students and gives me the opportunity to build from that to ensure effective learning.
·       When I am aware of their preferences in terms of style of learning, I can mobilize what is required, design and set aside tasks that fit within their preferences.
·       I get to know how to handle each of my students so as to get them to learn effectively.

Apps and Software for Teaching

In Designing learning there are several principles of learning that are presented and they all have areas that they emphasize in the process. Authentic learning theory and Constructivist theory give learners chance to experience things in the real world by creating an environment that gives them chance to play their role in increasing their knowledge. It allows them the opportunity to observe, engage in, invent and discover in the way that makes sense to them. It also emphasizes continuous assessment of the learner.  Learners interact with the problem and also have an active role in the problem solving for instance in  drill and practice, quizzes, games and puzzles. The learners are given chance to control their own learning and they set pace and time for it and are given immediate feedback.  There is a vast supply of software on the net that caters for Authentic learning and Constructivist theories. With online learning, learners have a hands-on experience, they do everything themselves, navigate through the links and get answers to the many questions they have, and are also in position to create their own products. With Multiple Intelligence Theory on the other hand, where the teacher or educator is expected to take into account the fact that learners have differing intelligence levels and learn differently, the various software online provides for all levels too. There are instructional games such as brain games like Sudoku, Metrix, mind games, Lumosity , Crossword puzzles. Others software include; Quizzes, Tutorials, Typing lessons, Exam software, developer and programming and e-learning programs. Socratic Approach lays emphasis on getting the learners to think and think of thinking. It also makes it clear that there is never one answer to a question, and that when one question is seemingly answered it raises a string of questions in its wake. As is evident with the software available, there are many questions that are answered and yet there is much that still need to be answered and the process is continuous. Some software is meant to task the students with thinking. Through using the software, the students will also be inspired to also come up with their own questions about a topic. Navigating through the software arouses students' interest and thinking. They will not be satisfied with one answer and that they are made aware of existence of other answers to the same problem. TPACK and  SAMR theories introduce the aspect of technology into the teaching and learning process and offer various ways in which technology can gradually be introduced without causing dismay or panic among the students and teachers.

In all these principles the major/ key issues emphasized include; Collaboration, experiencing, researching, recreating, different intelligence levels, Reworking and observing and giving the learner a chance to make meaning out of these learning situations. In all these situations, the learner is encouraged to make use of technology in their learning process. The principles help the teacher to determine what kind of software to use with each category of learners. Since amongst the available software we have quizzes, puzzles, instructional games, and others about different activities that could be used to engage the learners, the teacher will find little or no problem in identifying the software and apps that would best suit the learning situations of his students.

The different kinds of software have activities set out for students as well as teachers. Some of the activities specified include classroom activities, group discussions as well as individual tasks all of which require collaboration, experiencing, researching, and recreating, reworking, observing e.t.c. The most engaging educational software is the instructional games, and drill and practice software. Adults as well as children are easily captivated and taken up by the online games and quizzes.  Aside from that, the attention is very concentrated and intense when it comes to games. The nature of activities in these software are such that all areas of a topic are touched upon however briefly.