Discussion Post:
As stated by Davis (2011), a crucial part of integrating technology in the classroom is "the ability to discern appropriate technologies based on the desired outcomes of a task".
1. Read the section entitled Technology Definitions and Concepts in the Learning, Teaching and Leading with Technologies document.
https://resources.ibo.org/ib/works/edu_11162-417664?lang=en
2. Explore the section Discernment: Technology literacy's fundamental skill to better understand how technology is integrated in schools.
Discernment: Technology literacy’s fundamental skill
What is discernment?
Discernment is the skill of applying technological things and concepts effectively in a variety of contexts. In other words, you don’t choose “technology” to teach and learn: you choose which “technologies” you need to use. Discernment is technology literacy’s fundamental critical-thinking skill. To discern when and how to use a technology, you have to articulate why a technology is suited to completing a task (Davies 2011: 46–47). As learners’ ability to discern technologies matures, they are able to discern what a technology might do before they use it: the result is that they learn to use and create with new and emerging technologies more quickly.
Other aspects of contemporary life that technology influences also require discernment.
Information, media and news (What is real? What is “fake news”? What is reliable information, and how is it found and disseminated?)
Digital systems and processes (“Are these solutions going to help me learn?”)
Ways of thinking and doing inspired by computation and numeration (for example, design thinking, computational thinking, learning analytics, the “gig economy”).
Using technologies conceptually: When discernment matures
The most compelling evidence of discernment is the ability to choose, combine, adapt and develop technologies, as needed, for completing tasks and creating knowledge at a conceptual level. This happens in several ways.
Using and discerning numerous physical technologies is the beginning of understanding how “technology” as a concept is applied across areas of knowledge. By seeing patterns in how technologies work, learners start to classify technologies (for example, “this is a drawing tool, this is mapping software”) and conceptually understand how similar technologies might work. Learners can also design technologies with different affordances and imagine how to use technologies differently if they understand the patterns by which technologies are created and learn how to use them faster.
Users begin to understand the affordances and constraints of technologies more generally, then apply the understanding to use, purchase and provision technologies, systems and infrastructure. Discerning how technologies benefit learning, teaching and leading (affordances) and how they limit them (constraints) helps learners, teachers and leaders discern what is most effective for learning and teaching across the entire school community.
Users start to use concepts themselves as “technologies” to apply in learning in order to understand how the world works and how humans live in it. Some concepts related to technology become powerful enough to generate actual solutions: “big data” and “artificial intelligence” are concepts that have become the basis for the devices and solutions we create and use.
Using multiple modes of learning and teaching requires learners and teachers to conceptualize how they want learning experiences to look and function, whether online, face to face, synchronous or asynchronous.
Discernment for all: Teaching multimodally
Schools in the IB community are moving rapidly towards teaching across modalities as a matter of course. Some have adjusted rapidly in response to changing times; others have strategically planned to teach and learn in multiple modalities to meet their communities’ needs. Still others want to transform the notion of “school” by focusing on future-focused practices. Whatever their reasons, schools can use guidance on how to learn and teach across modalities in a way that supports IB philosophy. The IB uses modes of learning and teaching to describe for schools what teaching in multiple modalities can look like.
Modes of learning and teaching
There are four modes of learning and teaching schools can use as part of their curriculum design and delivery.
Online learning and teaching: This mode uses digital tools and digitally friendly strategies to plan, design and deliver learning and teaching entirely over the internet. Online learning is used with the assumption that teachers and learners will not be face to face at any point during learning engagements and experiences. Online learning is also designed for more powerful devices, such as laptops and videoconferencing software, and often requires stable and fast internet services to run smoothly. Online learning requires careful timetabling as learners often have screen-time limits and because both learners and teachers can experience screen fatigue.
Distance learning and teaching: This mode uses physical and/or digital tools and strategies to facilitate interactions between teachers and learners when they cannot be in the same physical space or time zone. Distance learning and teaching is used with the assumption that teachers and learners will not be face to face during learning engagements and experiences. Distance learning and teaching can include sending work plans or assignments via physical mailing or delivery, scheduling online assignments and interactions, conducting learning by telephone, or any other strategy that can be done over a distance or across disparate time zones. Distance learning often requires significant teacher planning and set-up, and most online tools used for it are to make content accessible to learners without using too much internet time, bandwidth or interactivity. The tools teachers use for distance learning are meant to help set up learning engagements and experiences.
Emergency remote learning and teaching is a subset of this mode. It transfers face-to-face teaching and assignments to online environments or sends plans for independent learning of content that was intended for a face-to-face classroom. It is done quickly and without the benefit of being able to design for distance learning in advance or as part of regular teaching practice. Emergency remote learning and teaching is an important part of a school’s education continuity plan but should only be used as a short-term solution.
Mobile learning and teaching: This mode uses digital tools optimized or designed for use with mobile devices or for access only to mobile networks. Mobile learning and teaching involves less content production for teachers and learners, more interactions with mobile-friendly apps, and often more one-to-one interactions with teachers and learners via phone conversations and chats. Mobile learning also takes advantage of learners being mobile. They can use the environments around them as part of their learning, especially for data collection, observation and assignments that are less writing-intensive. This mode can take advantage of the functions of mobile devices.
Blended learning and teaching: This mode uses a combination of digital, mobile or physical tools with online and face-to-face strategies that can easily transition between face-to-face and other modes of learning and teaching. Blended learning and teaching is used with the assumption that teachers and learners will be face to face for some learning engagements and experiences; it is designed to take advantage of two modes that transition as seamlessly as possible. Blended learning can happen between face to face, online or mobile learning and teaching and still be considered “blended”. What makes learning and teaching blended is the smoother transition between modes; combining distance or remote emergency learning and teaching with face to face is very difficult.
How and why we use multiple modes of learning and teaching
Modes of learning and teaching are simple categories by which teachers can design and facilitate learning experiences. They are meant to be used at the unit and lesson plan level: teachers and learners choose modes to make the most of content, concepts and the learning environment. They are also meant to provide multiple means of achieving understanding and to include all learners, creating opportunities for them to use as wide a variety of technologies as possible. Teachers and learners should not limit themselves to digital technologies: television, phones, postal services or even transportation are all technologies that can enhance multimodal learning environments.
Modes of learning and teaching require deeper coordination of resources and collaboration in the community. The newer a mode of learning is to a school, the more time and effort it takes to make it work. Teachers are not alone in adopting new modes of learning and teaching: they need the support of leadership, non-teaching staff and the wider community, including their learners, to make effective learning and teaching possible. Both resource coordination and collaboration are vital to the success of IB programmes more generally, and these are required of all schools in the IB community—changing modes of learning and teaching make it even more important. Some practical considerations that the school community needs to consider in this process are as follows.
How can the best use of teachers’, learners’ and the wider community’s time be made? When a school must change the number of students in a classroom, move any learning and teaching online, or create distance-learning materials, time is the resource that is the most vital and often the most overlooked. Balancing the time of teachers and learners makes them effective and preserves their welfare and well-being. Both teachers and learners can become overwhelmed if the time they spend online adversely affects their well-being. Guidelines concerning screen time can be found in the resource Online learning, teaching and education continuity planning for schools on the programme resource centre.
Using multiple modes of learning and teaching is challenging, but it also offers unique opportunities for removing barriers to learning. Teachers can choose more ways to represent inquiries and content, and can choose different lengths of time for learners to explore and complete work. The IB expects schools to practise inclusion and to remove barriers to learning; this should be taken seriously by the entire school community. For some schools, the ability to be online is a barrier to teachers and learners owing to lack of access, time or resources. Any plan to change modes of learning and teaching needs to work against and around these barriers so everyone can participate.
The privacy, safety and well-being of teachers and learners is very important. Teachers and leadership need to ensure that what happens in any mode of learning and teaching safeguards private information, minimizes inappropriate behaviour and does not expose learners to content that is not relevant to learning experiences, especially when using a wide variety of digital solutions.
When teachers and learners use more than one mode, they are practising multimodality—a strategy that uses multiple media and ways of communicating to enhance learning and teaching. Schools in the IB community are expected in policy and practice to “foster intercultural understanding through communicating in a variety of ways in more than one language” as stated in Programme standards and practices (0301-04).
Using multiple modes of learning and teaching fulfills a fundamental aspect of IB programmes.
Teaching in multiple modes is reinforced by approaches to teaching. Online and mobile contexts provide new experiences for learners. Learning and teaching in multiple modes supports removing barriers to learning; creating more access and inclusion of different kinds of learners through effective learning design. Promoting and documenting effective relationships through multiple modes enriches teaching professionally and creates more support for learners. Multimodality also gives learners opportunities to explore different perspectives and conceptual understandings of what they learn.
Choosing effective technologies for every mode of learning and teaching
The IB does not recommend any specific technologies for schools in the IB community. Many technologies are available to teach effectively, and the numbers have increased dramatically as schools have moved towards online and blended learning. It is sometimes difficult to choose the most effective technology for a mode or task. One way to evaluate technologies more quickly and accurately is to group them into classes of technologies: the rough categories they fall into based on their function and use in learning and teaching.
The list of classes below for digital and mobile technologies can help teachers and leaders decide what to use for their work. Table 1 defines the classes of technologies teachers and learners might use, then suggests the modes of learning for which they are most effective. The check symbol (√) indicates that technology is appropriate for the mode. A check-plus (√+) indicates it is very compatible and a check-minus (√–) indicates it is less compatible and is not recommended for the mode. For blended learning, consider what mode is in use in each activity, then select the technology class based on your judgment.
Schools are by no means limited to the technology classes listed here: the resource is meant to help teachers quickly assess the value of a technology for a mode of learning they might choose. Non-digital (analogue) technologies are also not included in this list, but it is assumed that teachers will choose them to design learning experiences as well.
Class of technology | Definition | Online | Distance | Mobile | Blended |
Aggregators | Tools, usually websites, that collect related items of content into linkable and shareable lists. | √+ | √ | √+ | √ |
App creators | Tools that make it easier to program new apps for limited or personal use. | √+ | √– | √– | √ |
Assessment-makers | Tools that provide several formats to design, distribute and grade assessments. | √+ | √ | √+ | √ |
Augmented-reality tools | Tools that make use of filters to provide extra information on a physical space using digital information. | √– | √– | √+ | √+ |
Blogging tools | Apps or websites used to create blogs. | √+ | √ | √– | √ |
Calculation tools | Calculators or counting tools. | √ | √ | √+ | √ |
Chat tools | Text-based tools for chatting online. | √ | √ | √+ | √ |
Collaborative-writing tools | Tools that allow more than one writer to work on a single document. | √+ | √– | √– | √+ |
Databases | Repositories of information that can be accessed for research and data collection. | √+ | √ | √+ | √+ |
Drawing tools (2D) | Tools used for drawing new images, colouring and shape-making. | √ | √– | √– | √ |
Drawing tools (3D) | Tools specifically designed to draw or draft three-dimensional (3D) images, often used in architecture and the sciences. | √ | √– | √– | √ |
e-Portfolios | Tools that facilitate collecting digital evidence and presenting it in a formalized, shareable way. | √+ | √+ | √ | √+ |
e-readers | Tools with the capability to read e-books. | √ | √ | √+ | √ |
Games | Interactive tools that gamify some aspect of learning or make it possible to include games as part of learning. | √+ | √- | √+ | √ |
Image editors | Tools that edit images downloaded from the internet or other software. | √+ | √ | √+ | √ |
Image galleries | Tools that can be used to present images in a formalized way. | √+ | √+ | √+ | √+ |
Internet browsers | Tools used to surf the web. | √+ | √ | √+ | √ |
Learning management systems (LMS) | Systems used to deliver content and assignments, track learning and sometimes facilitate lessons and discussions. | √+ | √ | √– | √+ |
Media players | Tools that play videos, audio or slideshows. | √ | √- | √+ | √ |
Mind mapping/mindmappers | Tools that use shapes and lines to map or organize ideas, discussions or concepts. | √+ | √– | √ | √ |
Movie-makers | Tools used to make movies out of footage or images. | √ | √+ | √+ | √ |
Operating systems | The base system used on a device that makes other tools work. Operating systems can limit the other tools teachers and learners can use. | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Plagiarism checkers | Tools designed to review original content and check for uncredited sources or copied work. | √+ | √ | √– | √ |
Presentation tools | Tools used to show images, information and graphs as part of a presentation. | √+ | √– | √– | √ |
Quiz-makers | Tools used specifically for making quizzes. | √+ | √– | √ | √ |
Screen-capture tools | Tools that take images of a screen and capture screenshots. | √+ | √– | √ | √ |
Sensor tools | Tools that are used to measure physical attributes using a device’s sensors, such as camera options, infrared or internal counters. | √– | √ | √+ | √ |
Simulations | Tools that use data to create virtual scenarios or to test hypotheses about how systems work over time. | √+ | √– | √ | √+ |
Spreadsheets | Digital tools that arrange data in rows and columns that can be manipulated and used in graphs and calculations. | √+ | √+ | √ | √ |
Survey tools | Tools used to make surveys. | √+ | √ | √ | √ |
Trackers | Tools designed to help learners document and comment on their learning (“skill trackers”, “task trackers”, and so on). | √ | √+ | √ | √ |
Video-conferencing tools | Tools used to hold online discussions that use the camera on a device so that participants can see each other. | √+ | √– | √ | √ |
Virtual gallery presenters | Tools that allow users to place digital objects into a virtual space for presentation purposes. | √+ | √– | √– | √ |
Virtual-reality (VR) tools | Tools that create mobile virtual environments the user can experience. Most VR tools use goggles to achieve this effect. | √+ | √– | √ | √ |
Website creators | Tools that make it simple to create a website. | √+ | √+ | √– | √ |
Wiki makers | Tools that create information in a wiki style (like Wikipedia). | √+ | √+ | √– | √+ |
Word-processing tools | Tools that facilitate writing longer, more formal assignments and content. | √ | √ | √– | √ |
Workspace tools | Tools that combine several functions to put all a user’s work into once space. The tools usually include many content-creation options. | √+ | √ | √– | √+ |
As with modes of learning and teaching, classes of technologies can overlap in function, and some solutions satisfy more than one class. For example, many two-dimensional (2D) drawing tools are also image editors, or many media players are also movie makers. If a solution can be used across multiple classes of technologies effectively, that is a benefit provided that the solutions are not too difficult to learn or use.
Discernment for all: Affordance analysis
Affordance analysis is the formal term for the process of matching learning activities and engagements to specific supportive tools; it ensures that technologies are used consistently and effectively (Bower 2008). Affordances are the perceived and actual advantages a technology might provide to any user (Norman 1999). There are many technologies available for learning and teaching, and it is important that the affordances of the technologies are matched to what learners and teachers need and want to do. When technologies are not evaluated for their usability, this often gives rise to a situation where too many or too few are in use that the school depends on and that learners may not want to invest in. If a school does not regularly audit and evaluate the technology that it uses, it may lead to a waste of resources and to learners who are not interested in using the technologies available.
An affordance analysis evaluates whether particular technologies have appropriate features to support learning and teaching aims and designs decided by the school. The affordance analysis should involve:
identifying the learning and/or teaching experiences a technology might support
articulating the learning aims or goals associated with those learning and/or teaching experiences
classifying activities and actions in which learners and teachers engage in the identified learning and/or teaching experiences
listing and exploring the features of the technology in question
comparing the learning and/or teaching experiences to the technology’s features to see how well the technology supports learning and teaching experiences.
Any match between the learning experiences and a technology’s features is considered an affordance of the technology. Any mismatch or limitation of the technology on learning, teaching or, sometimes, leadership aims and objectives, is a constraint.
Example: Choosing videoconferencing software
A school with a cohort of 100 students and 7 teachers has recently decided to move some of its curriculum online. The school has a technology specialist who must choose the software the school will use for video chats. The specialist reviews the school’s curriculum, then interviews teachers and learners to find out what they are learning and how they want to interact online.
The specialist then reaches out to a few providers who specialize in videoconferencing software for education, considering usability and cost based on a predetermined budget. This is enough information for an affordance analysis. The chart below illustrates a few of the features the technology specialist considered when exploring one possible solution. Based on the chart, can the specialist discern whether this solution is the right one for the school?
Discernment for leadership: Developing strategy with technology
Choosing new technologies versus emerging technologies
School leaders are expected to make decisions around which technologies they should acquire and promote for use in learning, teaching and administration. One school may value technologies for the reliability in support of programme implementation; another may choose the innovativeness of technologies that may drive programme implementation in different ways. This is an exercise in discernment, so it is important for decision-makers to go through the process of discernment for the sake of the school community.
The “why” of choosing particular technologies is dependent on a school’s context, but all schools must understand the implications of choosing technologies that are fit for purpose and wise investments both strategically and financially. Some common indicators associated with choosing “new” but established technologies versus those that are “emerging” are shown in table 2.
New (to a particular school) | Implications | Emerging (to any school) | Implications |
There are extensive examples of use of the technologies in other schools and/or educational contexts. | There are more opportunities to see how the technology can be used quickly and in context, but creativity with the tool may be limited as a result. | There are few examples of use, or technologies used in contexts other than education. | Teachers and learners need time to experiment with how the technology can be useful to them, but creativity may increase while using the technologies. |
Communities of practice using the technologies are readily available online. | It is easy to get help from practitioners. Multiple opinions on the value of the technology are available. Negative reviews may call the technology into question. | No—or very small—communities of practice using the technologies are findable online. | A few “experts” with the technology are available, and they emphasize its positive aspects. Teachers and learners may not agree with the experts’ opinion on the technology. |
Case studies and research are available from sources other than the technology provider. | More information is available on the pedagogical value of the technologies, with assurance of their efficacy and value. There is less opportunity to engage in new or innovative research about the technologies. Early adopters can support trialling the technology with many learners and teachers. | Only position papers, marketing material and limited, provider-sponsored case studies are available. | The school is piloting or contributing to the research about the technologies in question. Opportunities for innovation are more likely, as learners and teachers are the creators of the body of knowledge concerning the technologies. Early adopters are likely the best choice to trial the technology. |
Professional development (PD) using the technologies is available from many sources. | It is usually less expensive to train teachers, or development can come from many sources. | Limited sources for PD are available, or are only available from the technology provider. | PD is more likely to be tailored to a particular school. Users may be asked to contribute to PD content. |
The technologies are designed for many infrastructure types. | The technologies do not cause significant changes to infrastructure. | The technologies are designed for specific or more developed infrastructures. | The school will need to invest in new or more complex infrastructure. |
Discernment for teachers: Technologies and learning environments
Introducing technologies to the learning environment
Teachers are at the front line of technology integration, as they must support and facilitate its use with learners. A wide variety of apps and systems are available for every aspect of learning and teaching. Many teachers have technologies pushed at them, all promising to make their classrooms more efficient and effective. It is true that technologies can encourage many kinds of learning, teaching, engagement and creativity, but that depends on what teachers and learners do with them. The most important thing to remember when introducing technologies is that they should aid and extend learning and teaching, not limit it or force learners into specific behaviours.
It is recommended that teachers use established technologies rather than try to introduce emerging ones if they are new to technology integration, especially if the school does not offer technology coaching or support.
The indicators in table 3 can help teachers identify and choose the technologies that work best for their context and expertise.
New (to a particular environment) | Implications | Emerging (to any environment) | Implications |
There are extensive examples of use of the technologies in other schools and/or educational contexts | There are more opportunities to see how the technology can be used quickly and in context, but creativity with the tool may be limited as a result. | There are few examples of use, or technologies used in contexts other than education. | Teachers and learners need time to experiment with how the technology can be useful to them, but creativity may increase while using the technologies. |
Communities of practice using the technologies are findable online, sometimes by learners and teachers. | It is easy to get help from practitioners. Multiple opinions on the value of the technology are available. Negative reviews may call the technology into question. | No—or very small—communities of practice using the technologies are findable online. | A small number of “experts” with the technology are available, and they emphasize its positive aspects. Teachers and learners may not agree with the experts’ opinion on the technology. |
Learner examples, case studies and research are available from sources other than the technology provider. | More information is available on the pedagogical value of the technologies, with assurance of their efficacy and value. There is less opportunity to engage in new or innovative research with the technologies. | Only position papers, marketing material and limited, provider-sponsored case studies are available. | The school is piloting or contributing to the research on the technologies in question. Opportunities for innovation are more likely, as learners and teachers are the creators of the body of knowledge concerning the technologies. |
Professional development (PD) using the technologies is available from many sources. | It is usually less expensive to train teachers, or development can come from many sources. | Limited sources for PD are available, or are only available from the technology provider. | PD is more likely to be tailored to a particular school. Users may be asked to contribute to PD content. |
Discernment for teachers: Using frameworks for technology integration
Teachers must be able to meet the challenge of planning quickly, creatively and collaboratively in order to use various technologies for learning and teaching. It is well established that visual and comprehensible frameworks assist in the planning process (Parkison 2009) and encourage learners and teachers to work together to use the technologies they have on hand across subject areas, disciplines and activities. Just as with modes of learning and teaching, technology integration frameworks make the process of choosing and using technologies more effective.
The IB encourages the use of technology integration and other heuristic frameworks when thinking about, and planning for, technology in the curriculum. Educators and staff in any role can benefit from understanding what frameworks are and how they might be used. Frameworks can also be used by learners to develop their own understanding of how technologies support them.
Designing a framework: Guidelines
Many practitioners choose to modify or create frameworks that are fit for purpose; most of the frameworks provided in this publication were designed to fulfill specific needs, as determined by their designers. It is helpful to first consider other existing frameworks before attempting to design a new one, as minor modifications to a framework are often adequate. If a new framework is the better solution, however, some basic guidelines help to make any framework’s design and purpose appropriate to IB programmes.
A framework should be simple to use (but may require time to understand).
It should balance technology, things and concepts.
It should have principles that educators and students can follow.
It should be visual as well as textual (including images and texts to explain it).
It should have a clear application. (Is it a literacy framework? Digital citizenship and responsibility? Subject-specific?)
It should have a clear purpose. (Is it determinant? Evaluative? Meant to be both for a reason?)
It should represent both thinking and doing, either by suggesting a cycle or process, or by a combination of thinking and doing in its principles.
School communities can come together around a framework as it is a way of thinking and doing that creates shared terminology and understanding. It is a tool for discussion and implementation. The process of choosing or creating a framework can be transformative, which is the primary reason for choosing one for the school community to use and share.
The IB has created two frameworks to support technology integration in schools, and has provided guidance on heuristic frameworks for computational, systems and design thinking in other sections of this resource.
Source:
International Baccalaureate Organization. Learning and Teaching Using Digital Technology – A Multi‑Modal Approach. International Baccalaureate, 6 Mar. 2025, www.ibo.org/crisis-support-resources/learning/learning-and-teaching-using-digital-technology--a-multi-modal-approach/. Accessed 14 July 2025.
3. For your Discussion Board post, describe at least one way you have integrated technology in your classroom (or would like to integrate technology in your classroom).
Identify a unit or a lesson in which you used (or would like to use) technology-inspired pedagogy and ways of thinking. Give a short description of the unit (or lesson) and the technology that was used (a description or a link).
Unit/Lesson Summary and Technology-Inspired Pedagogy
The provided lesson is part of an ENG3U (Grade 11 University-Level English) unit introducing Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman through a two-part WebQuest. This approach is grounded in student-centered inquiry and exploration, where students collaborate to complete tasks that contextualize the play historically and thematically.
Students participate in a WebQuest consisting of two phases:
WebQuest 1: American Life in the 1940s
Students explore historical events, economic data (e.g., unemployment), social values, and myths from the 1940s to better understand the world in which Death of a Salesman is set.
WebQuest 2: Arthur Miller & the Play’s Context
Students examine the author’s works, compare theatre productions, research symbolic references in the text (e.g., "Studebaker"), and define vocabulary found in the play.
Each task includes collaborative group work, digital research, creative outputs like collages or Venn diagrams, and guided teacher check-ins.
Technology Used
The lesson incorporates several forms of technology-enhanced learning tools, including the following as listed below,
Online research and infotexts
(e.g., websites on Black Friday history, 1940s America, John Steinbeck, and fallacies)
Digital collage/poster creation tools
(e.g., Canva, Google Slides, or equivalent platforms)
Web-based Venn diagram generators
Assistive technologies for reading comprehension and support
Multimedia elements such as videos and archival photos introduced during the hook
Technology-Inspired Pedagogy and Thinking Models
This lesson draws on several modern pedagogical approaches as listed below,
1. Inquiry-Based Learning via WebQuest
Students construct knowledge through scaffolded, guided exploration of real-world resources.
Emphasizes problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking.
2. Constructivist Learning Theory
Learners actively create meaning through experiences (collage creation, comparing historical data, evaluating myths).
3. Digital Literacy & Media Fluency
Students evaluate sources, navigate websites, synthesize visuals and data, and create digital content.
4. Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Offers multiple means of engagement and representation (videos, text, visuals, digital tools).
Incorporates assistive technologies to ensure accessibility.
5. Collaborative Learning in Tech-Enriched Environments
Group structures foster communication, shared responsibility, and peer-to-peer support using digital tools.
b. Explain how the technology was used effectively to accomplish the learning task. In other words, why was this technology suited to completing this task?
This blended learning environment empowers students to build contextual understanding and critical engagement with literature using technology, media, and 21st-century skills. The technology in this lesson was used effectively because it directly supported the lesson's learning objectives: to help students understand the historical, cultural, and thematic context of Death of a Salesman and develop digital literacy, critical thinking, and communication skills.
The purpose is to investigate historical periods, social issues, economic trends, and cultural myths from the 1940s and today. It’s Effective because it proivdes access to real-world, up-to-date data and historical documents allows students to build authentic context for the novel. Furthermore it promotes independent learning and evaluation of digital sources—key media literacy skills aligned with curriculum expectations.
In creating digital posters, it encourages creative expression and collaboration using accessible visual design tools (e.g., Canva, Google Slides). It also allows for multi-modal learning, reinforcing knowledge through both visual and textual means—ideal for diverse learners.
In regards to digital comparison tools, it creates a more engaging hook and helps students visualize unfamiliar concepts like 1940s America or early theatre. Assistive tech (e.g., screen readers, text-to-speech) ensures inclusivity and accessibility for students with different learning needs. Fosters organized, interactive comparison of visual and thematic elements. Furthermore supports analytical thinking in a visually structured way, ideal for visual learners and ESL students.
The technology was not just an add-on—it was integrated purposefully to provide access to authentic materials, allow for multimodal expression, support differentiated learning, promote collaboration, and mirror real-world digital practices.
This alignment between task, tool, and outcome made the use of technology both appropriate and effective for achieving the lesson goals.
*This response should be concise, consisting of no more than a few sentences for each question.
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The above is referencing the lesson plan that can be found here,
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Reflective Practice:
We will use the Thinking Routine Compass Points for this week’s Reflective Practice journal entry.
1. Read Technology Literacy: An IB multiliteracy in the Learning, Teaching and Leading with Technologies document and The IB and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools.
*If you are interested in better understanding the IB's stance on Artificial Intelligence use in schools, I encourage you to read Evaluating 13 scenarios of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in student coursework.
https://resources.ibo.org/dp/topic/Academic-honesty/resource/11162-426077?lang=en
https://resources.ibo.org/ib/works/edu_11162-417664?lang=en&root=1.6.2.4.7
2. Use the compass points to reflect on and evaluate the ideas relating to the role of technology and technological literacy in your IB programme. Answer the following questions:
a. E = Excited
What excites you about these ideas? What’s the upside?
b. W = Worrisome
What do you find worrisome about these ideas? What’s the downside?
c. N = Need to Know
What else do you need to know or find out about these ideas? What additional information would help you to evaluate things?
d. S = Stance or Suggestion for Moving Forward
What is your current stance or opinion on these ideas? How might you move forward in your evaluation of these ideas?
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a. I am excited to build more opportunities to bridge the learning gap between students who have strong agency over their topic/studies through the careful integration with the more dense concepts or tasks in the class conent.
b. Something that seems worrisome about the idea of integrating technology into the classroom, the raising concern in academic integrity. Trying to maintain consistently authentic and well-paced tasks for students that do not call upon too much instructional time.
c. I would like to think that I know most things about the use of technology, but more or less, I guess teh access of resources across languages, how does the IB view research done outside of the language of instruction? That being said, how do the external asssessments utilizee technological literacies. Understanding this better would allow teachers to better prepare students for external assessments acccordingly.
d. Moving forward, my reflection is that I should continue to manipulate the learning environment and offer hybrid/blended opportunities for learning that calls upon students to work with paper-based resources as well as researched online reading which they transcribe to their written work.
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