Reflective Blog #1

Educational Philosophy Rough Draft

The role of a software trainer can be described as providing software instruction so the end user understands the software, how to use it and how to incorporate it in their work flow.  The role of the trainer is of a mentor, content expert and facilitator. Each training session should be centered on the needs of the learner or group of learners.

As a software trainer, I assess each group to see what their specific needs are and deliver the training so they can best apply the skill to their jobs. The material is presented in a clear step by step format taking time to make sure each learner not only understands the required steps but also learns productivity tips. After instruction learners practice the new skill using examples that apply to their jobs.  

The software trainer and learner are teamed together for the goal of learning a new or better job skill. The trainer needs to focus on the outcome so the learners are able to be more productive and confident in their jobs.  

Why Have an Educational Philosophy?

By writing down an educational philosophy I have identified areas that are important to me and what can help me become more effective in my job.  As we move through this class hopefully I will broaden my scope to become a better trainer.

Blogging

Blogging has yet to meet its potential due to a couple of factors. In the public schools there is a fear of the Internet and allowing students outside the protected realm of the school network. The K-12 educator has to protect the students from pornography and certain words, so there are tight controls put in place. This inhibits the ability of the average public school teacher of fully using the Internet for blogging in certain schools. Since there are always protective ways for students to blog, I think the biggest determent is the technical ability of the average K-12 teacher. Until our older instructors retire, we will continue to have a digital divide between many teachers and their students. In college there is somewhat of a digital divide also and will change as the older professors retire.

My Reaction to Creating a Culture for Teaching and Learning

I found November’s first point quite thought provoking.  When teaching people how to use information on the Internet it is challenging to teach what to believe and what not to believe. We are bombarded with digital information from emails and websites. Wikipedia is the first place my son searches for information. Wikipedia is a good resource, but can it be used as a source for accurate information? My mother constantly sends me alarmist emails about different events to watch for. I have placed a link to Snopes.com on her desktop to check these stories, but if it is in an email it must be true so she never bothers to check before forwarding.

Class Expectations

I hope to get a good overview of the discipline of Educational Technology.