Teaching with Technology Seminar at University of Nevada, Reno
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I was fortunate to take a Teaching with Technology seminar in Spring 2021. This course exposed me to various teaching designs such as Universal Design for Learning and Flipped Learning Design, which give a different perspective on traditional teaching style and allow me to tailor assignments to fit my student's individual needs to meet specific learning outcomes. This course gave me the tools and knowledge to maximize my efficiency with polling in class to keep my students engaged and following along in lecture, as well as assess their understanding of the material covered. It gave me hands-on training with webcampus and other online software/tools, for incorporating technology into my courses. With the help of this course, I was able to develop my Teaching with Technology Philosophy, as well as implement three techniques (Google Slides, Video Tutorials, and Rubrics) into my Psychology 101 and Psychology 452 courses right after training. It also provided me with resources and training for creating video content for my classes, which I found to be one of the most useful techniques I learned and implemented in Spring 2021. My students and I found my newly-developed, teaching with technology skills to be very helpful in maximizing learning outcomes of our classes and I make a pledge to use (and improve) on these techniques in the future.
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- Taissa Lytchenko
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Teaching with Technology Philosophy
The importance of integrating technology in teaching has been further supported by global events such as the recent pandemic. Many established in-person instructors have struggled to adopt their current teaching practices to the new modality. However, since my teaching career began on the brink of SARS-CoV-2, I have found it easier to shape my teaching habits with technology at the forefront. Building out my canvas page prior to the semester, gives me the unique ability to breathe life into my course syllabus. It is no longer just a piece of paper the student should avoid losing, but instead serves as an integrated document which organizes the student’s calendar, reminds of upcoming deadlines, and directs the student to a source of knowledge (such as links to class material & where to get help). Beyond the structure of the class, technology is essential in streamlining the process of peer review, which is one of the most valuable skills a student builds in my course during the semester. The fact that it can now be easily done with canvas tools (from random peer assignment to grading), makes it fundamental in my teaching toolbox. By cultivating their ability to read and critique the work of others, the student improves their own critical thinking and writing skill. Not only do they first-hand identify what qualifies as a good paper, but they also have the ability to refine their own according to standard. This assignment is absolutely invaluable for setting the student up for success in manuscript writing and the process of peer review for journals in the future. Finally, as a way to connect my students to the academic community at the University, I make a canvas page for current talks, events, and research assistant listings. Since physical location is no longer binding, I encourage all of my students to attend as many talks as possible, since they serve as the perfect means to inspire further interest in STEM and involvement in local research. While I do not believe that technology can replace established techniques, such as face-to-face lecture/discussion, I do think that tandem use of it will aid students in attainment of goals, understanding & retention of information, and establishment an academic community.