EDLD+5370

**Reflection: EDLD 5362 Information System Management**

This course was very interesting to me. Being a teacher for a number of years I have seen an increased usage of technology throughout the years. In the 60’s and 70’s report cards were written by hand for every student. Educators went from writing report cards and scheduling classes by hand to inputting grades, conducts and absences and scheduling using bubble sheets. We have now gone from bubbling sheets to directly inputting grades into a mass computer system that prints out one report card per student instead of seven report cards per student. I can remember when computer applications were being introduced into the learning environment. Everything was DOS based and knowing how to write programs was a definite plus to get the most out of the machine. “The introduction of PCs provided the possibility for educators to quickly and easily access, input and modify student information, particularly with the convenience of drag-and-drop technology”(Darby & Hughes, 2005,p.3). Today, educators can do an unlimited amount of functions without having to know how to program. I learned during this course that the possibility for integrating technology throughout the curriculum is endless. Tracking student information, state testing information and having access to relevant educational data has become so easily done. With the click of a mouse and the stroke of a few keys the information highway is open and visible upon command.

I learned how to use Power Points to make presentations and how clickers can enhance the learning experience for students. It was amazing to see that I could assign a project and my students could collaborate with other students across the world and not just with classmates. "According to engagement theory, collaborative efforts, project-based learning and non-academic interactions, lead to engagement and authentic learning" (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999). For the teacher interview I decided to interview a teacher that had more than twenty years of experience. I wanted to see how she felt about the changes in technology. I was curious about how much change had occurred and how had the changes affected her. Using technology to reinforce learning and as an educational enhancement tool was very informative. For some of the assignment I needed a visual representation and for others I did not. The actual building of the assignments helped increase my understanding a great deal. The resource articles presented the different views of including technology into the student learning process. "The most obvious benefit of the electronic classroom is that it achieves what progressive educators could only dream of: a union of work and play. There is no certainty that the elec­tronic classroom will actually fulfill this promise, but it is this hope that makes the realization so attractive" (Ravitch, 1987, p. 28). It is the dream of every educator to reach as many students as possible at their level and pace of learning. Incorporating the use of technology into the curriculum brings the realization of uniting the worlds of work and play.

**References ** Darby, R., & Hughes, T. (2005, October 1). The evolution of student information systems. //THE Journal.// [] Kearsley, G., & Shnelderman, B (1999). //Engagelment theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and// //learning.//

Ravitch, D. (1987). Technology and the curriculum: Promise and peril. In White, M.A. (Ed.), What curriculum in the information age. New Jersey: Lawrence Elbaum Associates (August 18, 2008 p.1)