Describe the importance of the using a variety of instructional strategies and the value they add to education of students in the 21st century. Evaluate the role technology plays in the implementation of various instructional strategies. How will this affect your teaching of students?
The learning styles of our students
is both diverse and dynamic. As such,
the methods used in instruction must also be varied, to accommodate their
needs. Moreover, different types of
content and levels of understanding lend themselves more or less effectively to
specific instructional techniques. At times it is essential to deliver
information to the entire class and thus a teacher-centered approach such as
direct instruction is employed. More
frequently, it is essential that students have the opportunity to interact with
the content and practice new skills and therefore a student-centered approach
must be utilized. In either instance, the integration of technology can often
enhance the learning experience. A
multimedia presentation can be more effective than a chalk-and-talk lecture
when it comes to direct instruction. An
activity such as a web-quest can allow students to interact with the content in
broad reaching ways that might otherwise be restricted by the classroom itself.
What these concepts have taught me
about teaching is, that much like the students learning styles, my teaching
styles must be diverse and dynamic. There is no one way to teach all content.
An effective educator evaluates the needs and abilities of the students and the
curriculum and caters the instruction accordingly.
