With the ever-expanding range of emerging educational technologies that could be introduced to today’s learning environments, making evidence-based decisions about whether and how to best use such tools for instructional purposes is a critical yet challenging task. Yet, how can educators make informed decisions about using particular emerging technologies when, due to their relative newness, there is often a perceived lack of available and “up-to-the-minute” evidence?
Engaging with the conference theme of confluence and spaces, the goal of this session is to identify and propose practical solutions to several key problems regarding evidence-based decision making for technologies in what is commonly called the 21st century learning environment. Based on lessons learned from practice, the presenters will discuss how the concepts of convergence and affordances can be helpful in designing learning experiences, especially given the changing landscape of educational technologies. Learning outcomes include using strategies to mitigate a lack of up-to-date evidence when deciding whether or not to use new technologies in teaching and learning environments.
Using a real-world case study of integrating iPads within a library, the presenters will outline how 1) identifying aims and affordances and 2) using environmental scanning techniques can be applied to decision-making scenarios in different learning environments. The audience of this session is educators in various roles, including instructional designers, librarians and administrators. The presenters look forward to engaging the audience in discussion of contemporary issues surrounding instructional technology and decision making in this session.
Of Interest to: Instructional designers, Educational technologists, Administrators
