Summative Reflection

What did you learn about education and design throughout the course?

One of the big takeaways from this course is the more in-depth knowledge of technology-related learning models. I was amazed by the evolution of the learning models; many had been originally developed years before the education technology boom, but have been revisited and restructured to reflect the changes in the classroom. One such model is the self-determination model. This model originated in the 1980s but was introduced into the classroom in 2008 (Reeve & Halusic).

Another significant takeaway from this course is the concept of the Fifth Estate. The concept originated from when journalism was introduced and created a fourth estate, where the public were given access to information instead of relying on the clergy, monarchy, or nobility to inform them (Torphy & Drake, 2019). The fifth estate includes the introduction of web 2.0 tools which remove boundaries and allows the public to be producers of information; social media is a major component of the fifth estate, allowing participants to share their ideas with a variety of followers and viewers on the Internet (Torphy & Drake, 2019).

A final takeaway was the deep dive into augmented reality (AR) applications in education. Not only was I able to explore the positive impact on academics, but the positive impact on the emotional well-being of students. One study I reviewed found a connection between AR use in mathematics coursework and students' anxiety levels lowering (Chen, 2019). In addition to the positive impact of AR on education, I explored the reasons why this resource is not used more in the classroom. Shaheen and Watulak (2019), explain that four reasons exist that adversely affect AR, and other accessibility technologies, from being included in the classroom; they are a lack of awareness, divisions between special education departments and technology departments, difficulty identifying the features, and financial roadblocks.

Chen, Y. (2019). Effect of mobile augmented reality on learning performance, motivation, and math anxiety in a math course. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 57(7), 1695–1722. https://doi.org/10.1177/0735633119854036

Reeve, J., & Halusic, M. (2009). How K-12 teachers can put self-determination theory principles into practice. Theory and Research in Education, 7(2), 145-154. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477878509104319

Shaheen, N. L., & Watulak, S.L. (2019). Bringing disability into the discussion: Examining technology accessibility as an equity concern in the field of instructional technology. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 51(2), 187–201.

Torphy, K. T., & Drake, C. (2019). Educators meet the fifth estate: The role of social media in teacher training. Teachers College Record (1970), 121(14), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146811912101406