As facilitator educators finding ways to support student achievement is paramount to the success of our students and our designs. With the addition of technology, we can provide individual experiences that facilitate feedback, access, assessments, and a wider choice of learning materials.
Online courses are ideal for creating environments that promote feedback and critiques. Throughout the more than 200 discussion posts required in the MET program, we have ample opportunities to express our thoughts and debate those ideas with our classmates and instructors. We are not only limited to written responses either. With the right tools, we can provide feedback in multiple formats, including audio, video, and traditional methods, and evaluate success in real-time. Our courses can use real-time assessment tools, like clickers, polls, or online chats, to provide a formative assessment during a lesson.
The incorporation of technology also allows facilitator educators to support student achievement through the application of various tools. I know how invaluable it is to have all the information consistently presented to all my students in a single place on their schedule. Using an LMS has been key to providing this type of environment for my learners. We have also explored the idea of maker spaces in designing an online curriculum course. By giving this specialized zone for creation, we can focus on our students and their favorable experiences with information.
When we incorporate technology into our assessments, we can better serve our learners. With the implementation of online testing, we can provide real-time feedback and facilitate further learning. Beyond testing, technology allows students to develop projects beyond the traditional. With the aid of online tools, we can ensure our students are supported in ways that help make them accountable for their experiences. I built websites and recorded tutorials in several of my MET courses. I have provided multiple methods of instruction today that would not have been available when I was an undergraduate (a million years ago).