Discussion Summary

Topic​: Technology in the classroom and the Gratification Model

Participants​:Patrick, Cindy, Kat, Andrew, Neila

Date​: April 20th - 21st 2020 (Monday/Tuesday)

What I did: ​Conducted an online discussion over two days using the platform provided
within the EDUC 5203 classroom. Started the discussion with a welcome post, informing the
participants of content and providing some definitions of the terms I would be discussing.
Over the two day period I provided prompt questions for discussion and added links to
YouTube videos relating to my topic, for further understanding.

How it went: ​I believe the discussion went well in the context of relevance and
“gratification”. It was nice to talk to other professionals about a topic that I am interested in. I
believe the topic was also “different” as we don’t always think about the psychology behind
our tech tools.

​ hat did I learn about conducting a professional forum: ​The main thing I learned from
W
conducting the forum was the importance of context when offering writing prompts. At times
it was hard to word the prompts in a way that would get my point across, with the hope that I
would get the feedback I was looking for. At the same time no matter how the question was
worded I knew I would get valuable feedback as although we are all different, we have
something in common, education and our students.

What I learned from my participants: ​I got to confirm a lot of my thoughts but also was
opened up to new ways of thinking about my topic. For example, the psychology of using
technology as a reward versus what we are trying to move towards, which is having
technology be essential or at least so enhancing that it is a best practice tool. As the
teachers and professionals we have to know how to use the tech tools we are providing,
students look for us for guidance and support and if they are not confident in our teaching
they will lose trust and interest.

Each participant also shared a lesson where they used technology and felt gratified by the
result and identified engaging behaviour from their students.​ I will post a table below with
the comments regarding these lessons.
Participant Topic Technology Instructor Student
Gratification Engagement
Observation

Kat Angles Coding Sphero “ It not only “They were

allowed them to engaged,
understand moved around
angles better, it helping each
also provided other out, and
them more even asked if
knowledge of we could do it
coding” again!”

Andrew N/A Kahoot “It felt great to “As a teacher, it

watch them all felt great to
focus intently have a lesson
on their device succeed in such
in order to learn a phenomenal
something while way, while still
having fun.” affecting
learning for my
students.”

Patrick Environment Website “They were “The content

creation: Wix extremely well was strong and
done.” websites were
well thought
out.”

Cindy The effects of Video creation “I was very “Some students

alcohol pleased with created a video
the results of and they had a
their learning lot of fun doing
and so were it.”
they. It was a
win-win
situation.”

Cindy “Temperature, Students were “ It was exciting “While problem

CO2 levels and to program a for me to see solving, to create
humidity levels micro bit them be so a more ideal
environment,
of the involved in the
students were
classroom.” project and excited to try their
hear them using ideas to see if it
the language would make a
and knowledge” difference to the
from the lesson. measured levels.”