Modeling and Implementing Effective Technology Practices

Abstract

Faculty in the department of Technology and Cognition at the University of North Texas have identified several strategies to enhance students' use of technology and students' level of technology proficiency. In our instructional technology classes, future teachers are being introduced to the effective use of old and new technologies to deliver their lessons. In other courses in the department, innovations in the faster delivery of video on the Internet have allowed department faculty to store portions of videotaped class lectures on the department's server and make a sample of these available to prospective students. Thus, students may read about a class and also view a lecture before deciding whether or not to enroll in a course. Distributed learning models being used in the department make use of multiple platforms. One approach the department has developed is a program for the delivery of asynchronous and synchronous class-lecture videos with the use of streaming media and the Internet.