Technology Enriched Teaching

I have learnt that in order to have a successful technology enhanced lesson I need to take a number of things into consideration. Through the ASSURE model lesson plan I have realized that in order for the teaching and learning to be effective, I need to take the following important issues into consideration. 

·        I have to know my learners thoroughly i.e. age, status, their problems both financial, social and cultural, whether they have some prior knowledge of the topic or not. Knowing them helps me to plan for them accordingly.
·        I have to have the objectives of the lesson properly stated so as to conduct the lesson in a way that would lead to the achievement of those objectives. The objectives should be aligned in such a way that they ensure that there is learning expected to take place. As I teach I keep in perspective the objectives set out for the lesson. This helps me to keep in line with the requirements of the lesson.
·        Lessons require specific materials for successful learning process to take place.  Identifying and assembling these materials makes the lesson easy to conduct and the objectives easy to achieve. 
·        The teacher needs to select appropriate methods to use to conduct a lesson. This course has taught me to put into consideration the methods I intend to use for each lesson. You get the opportunity to select the appropriate methods required before hand and match them to meet the objectives of the lesson. 
·        One gets the time to decide which media is appropriate for that lesson/topic and also have websites lined up for students to visit to enhance the mastery of the concept/skill/ topic.
·        I have learnt that utilizing the methods, media and materials lined up for the lesson eases my work as a teacher and at the same time helps me to conduct the lesson in a systematic way that enhances the learning process. The utilization of these materials helps in providing a deeper understanding of concepts/ skills/ topics. Getting the students to use the media and the materials gives them the chance to experience the things and learn more through experiencing.
·        Learners also get chance to participate in their own learning. They get to experience and carry out hands-on activities that are very essential in the entire process. Experiencing something is the best way to learn. Getting the students/ learners to experience is the best way to teach the learners. Children love to work with computers. When brought in touch with the computers their interests are aroused, they are eager to touch and explore and tin the process they are acquiring deeper understanding of the concepts/ skills/ Topics.
·        There is need to carry out evaluation and revision during and at the end of the lesson. This gives me a chance as a teacher to ascertain if there is any learning that has occurred and to what degree it has been achieved.  At the same time it helps me to ascertain whether the objectives set out for the lesson from the start have been achieved.