Interactive Learning

(Salend, 2009, pp. 49-54) Along with engaging students, the use of these technological tools can help to provide students with skills they will need to succeed in a contemporary society. (Besnoy, 2006, p.34) Although there is a learning curve to any new technology, there are also great benefits that it can provide. For example, using technology-based assessments and clickers not only record and give feedback on student performance quickly, they also help teachers to identify problem areas to address. Another strategy that can be very beneficial is the use of computer sim... ... middle of paper ... ...nd pick areas of comfort.

"Open Directory - Health: Nursing: History." ODP - Open Directory Project. 1 Nov. 2009. Web. 13 Sept. 2011. .

21 Apr. 2011. Talver, Jean AAnnie Jhonson. "Clinical nurse leader role:the new nurse?" Clinical journal of oncology nursing 13.3 (2009): 2.

Other excellent ways to include active learning into classrooms is through group work, various forms of writing activities, and even educational games (Davis, n.d.). Group work is a productive way to give every student the chance to speak and share their ideas. A convenient way to include this in lessons would be to give each group their own topic. Have them read the material, answer questions and find information in which later they can share and teach to the rest of the class. Students’ success in the classroom is dependent upon the amount of active learning they are involved with.

This involves the teacher at the front of a classroom giving a lecture, and expecting the student to regurgitate it later on a test. Sound familiar? Teacher centered classrooms were the norm for many of us. The problem with this approach to learning is not all students learn in a lecture focused setup. Many people need to have the material presented in different ways; this allows them time to processes, and really understand the material.

In order to increase teachers’ Web 2.0 skills, school districts must offer explicit training that models creative and effective uses for these tools in the classroom. Purpose While many teachers embrace technology in the classroom, some hesitate to change their curriculum. Some teachers complain using technology causes more headaches than it is worth. These teachers feel comfortable with their traditional methods and do not embrace change. As the world becomes more interconnected, opportunities for communication and collaboration among peers greatly increases.

While it is true that there are many variables that make up an individual’s learning style, several can be learned by the educator through simple observation and interaction with the students. These would include such items as the lighting or the temperature in the room and the effect they have on the students. The amount and type of noise in the classroom can also provide clues to the students’ learning styles. By simply observing the students and noting things... ... middle of paper ... ...imply do not realize that not everyone learns the same? The next time you hear an educator say, “I just do not know why so and so is not trying to learn.” Maybe you should ask, “What’s their learning style?” It could be your opportunity to educate the educator.

2011. Newbold, Susan K. "A New Definition in Nursing Informatics." Advance for Nurses. Web. 03 Apr.

Retrieved July 23, 2011 from the ASCD SmartBrief newsletter. Meloth, M.S. (2009). Pearson Custom Text: EDUC 4400, Foundations of Learning, Motivation, and Assessment. Chapter 14, Learning Goals, Brookhart, S.M.

Currently educators are encouraged and charged with developing comprehensive technology plans for their classrooms that incorporate the use of software to support assessment of students throughout the year. Educators must heed the differences between assessment of learning (summative), assessment for learning (formative), and assessment as learning, and realize where the emphasis must be placed. Under the current policy and mandate of assessing students many educators meet the task of assessments with trepidation as they create anxiety for students and a perceived increased work load for teachers. If we reflect on assessment as a means of judging performance to inform our method of instruction which in turn allows us to appraise and modify the manner in which our students learn, we can see the benefit and necessity of assessment. In many ways assessments not only show the progress of a student but provide the opportunity for growth as a teacher.