Rationale and criteria for the evaluation and selection of technology to enhance instruction

When?
When evaluating technology for instructional purposes begin with a specific learning objective. Will a technology enhance the engagement of the student in their learning in some way? Will a technology assist the instructor to be more effective, efficient, or engaging?

What?
There are 3 main areas that have the potential to be enhanced in some way via the use of some technology. Technology can be leveraged to:
1.    Present content in a more effective or engaging manner.
2.    Facilitate collaboration or interaction with/between students in a more effective or engaging manner.
3.    Provide feedback, or to assess/evaluate students in a more effective or engaging manner.

How?
Consider and apply this criteria: will this technical solution assist to achieve the targeted learning objective “better, faster safer, easier, or cheaper” in one of those 3 areas listed above? If so, then there is solid rationale to explore the use of the tool or approach or solution for instructional purposes.

Why?

1. To explore and understand learning and to practice what learning-centered teaching really means.
2. To add interaction, engagement, and visual appeal to instruction.
3. To provide student access to student-generated content beyond the end of the term.
4. To blur the boundaries of the classroom “box” to take students out into the real world and to bring experts in to the classroom.
5. To help students learn to use technology for academic and professional purposes.
6. To help students learn how to be safe online and to manage and control their online digital footprints.
7. Because it is important to explore, test, evaluate, and learn – continuously improving.
8. Because it is important for the future of our students that their instructors participate, evaluate, document and expose and engage their students to and in this process of connected life-long learning.
9. To improve student engagement and learning.