CHAPTER 14: DIGITAL CURRICULUM

Developing the CurriculumEighth Edition

Peter F. OlivaWilliam R. Gordon II

Oliva/Gordon Developing the Curriculum, 8e. © 2012, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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AFTER STUDYING THIS CHAPTER YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO:• Define literacies and state their impact on the education

environment.

• Define online learning and state the components of successful online learning environments.

• Define blended learning and state the components of successful blended learning programs.

• Explain how computer-based assessments differentiate instruction and will be used to assess the Common Core State Standards.

• Elucidate in what ways open education resources can enhance the educational environment.

• Describe aspects and resources of safe Internet use.

Oliva/Gordon Developing the Curriculum, 8e. © 2012, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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CHANGING WORLD

•All of us have experienced how technology has influenced our lives in recent years.

•Consider the cell phone:○Fifteen short years ago large cellular phones in a bag were in vogue and only owned by a few elite people.

○Now, due to micro-technology, cell phones are hand-held electronic gateways to the world, available for people from all walks of life.

Oliva/Gordon Developing the Curriculum, 8e. © 2012, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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GLOBAL COMPETITION

•As our world continues to shrink and global competiveness dominates the workplace, curriculum planners need to consider the changing environment that technology creates.

•With competition comes opportunity. Schools will have to make the most out of their limited resources to provide strong educational opportunities that include the use of new technologies in classrooms.

Oliva/Gordon Developing the Curriculum, 8e. © 2012, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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LITERACIES

•The workplace is changing and so is the classroom. Using the same digital tools as businesses, teachers are reaching out to students in nontraditional ways.

•Teacher and student use of websites, social media, blogs, email and other means of electronic communication are becoming the norm in today’s classrooms.

Oliva/Gordon Developing the Curriculum, 8e. © 2012, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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LITERACIES

• In defining new literacies the content delivered online is very different from what is presented in print.

•Due to the multiple means of accessing information via the Internet, today’s students need to be critical consumers of information and must be able to scrutinize the content and make appropriate decisions about the “worth” of the material they are reading.

Oliva/Gordon Developing the Curriculum, 8e. © 2012, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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CURRENT TRENDS

•Emerging technologies such as online classes, blended learning, and mobile learning are a few ways in which teachers and administrators can meet the vision of the 21st century classroom.

Oliva/Gordon Developing the Curriculum, 8e. © 2012, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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ONLINE LEARNING

•Online learning, classes or learning opportunities offered via the Internet, broaden access to curriculum and learning for a variety of stakeholders.

•The instructor’s role in the online environment is in many ways similar to the traditional classroom teacher. As with any classroom, providing support and building relationships with the student are critical aspects for student success.

Oliva/Gordon Developing the Curriculum, 8e. © 2012, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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ONLINE LEARNING

•Consideration should be given by institutions as to what curriculum offerings will be provided. The technical abilities of the instructor and of students should be well thought-out.

•The curriculum matters because it is the main vehicle that creates student engagement and is at the core of student learning.

Oliva/Gordon Developing the Curriculum, 8e. © 2012, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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BLENDED LEARNING

•The practice of combining online instruction with traditional classroom instruction (Blended Learning) is increasing in school districts across the country.

•Blended learning increases flexibility of access to the curriculum but challenges exist. The teacher must have strong pedagogy in both traditional classroom and the online classroom to provide a strong learning environment.

Oliva/Gordon Developing the Curriculum, 8e. © 2012, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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MOBILE LEARNING

• Hand-held digital tools (wireless mobile devices) that can access the Internet 24/7 are now opening new avenues for learning. With greater wireless access and faster broadband speeds, mobile learning is on its way to becoming omnipresent.

• Consequently, as demand grows from students and parents to implement mobile technology into classrooms, administrators and teachers are taxed with finding ways to incorporate them in a safe and meaningful manner.

Oliva/Gordon Developing the Curriculum, 8e. © 2012, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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COMPUTER-BASED ASSESSMENTS

• In the era of electronic learning, computer-based assessments play an important role in providing educators with new ways to gather student performance data to drive instructional practices.

• By using technology as a means to conduct formative and summative assessments, educators are better positioned to provide meaningful instruction.

Oliva/Gordon Developing the Curriculum, 8e. © 2012, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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COMPUTER-BASED ASSESSMENTS

•Online assessments can be used to help drive instruction.

• In classrooms, computer-based programs with embedded algorithms that adjust content delivery are used as a means to differentiate the instruction.

• In the near future we may look to state-standardized tests administered via the Internet.

Oliva/Gordon Developing the Curriculum, 8e. © 2012, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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OPEN EDUCATION RESOURCES (OER).

•OER provides educators and students free, legal resources while increasing equity in access to lesson plans, tools, and content to users across the world.

•Challenges are present and the teacher needs to be discriminating for not all content can be considered accurate based on face value.

• It does provide a gateway for increased networking and improvement in educational practices and it is gaining momentum.

Oliva/Gordon Developing the Curriculum, 8e. © 2012, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP

•Providing opportunities for students to learn how to function both ethically and safely so they can become positive digital citizens is an important consideration for today’s educators.

•Using available resources, in both the private and public sector on topics related to Internet safety, can provide assistance to educators in their quest to use technology in the school setting.

Oliva/Gordon Developing the Curriculum, 8e. © 2012, 2009, 2005, 2001, 1997 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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A FINAL THOUGHT:

• It is widely recognized that access to technology in the education environment has increased exponentially in recent years. The increased role of technology in the workplace, school environment, and society makes it imperative that people be able to function in a variety of media literacies.