I enjoyed the materials and preparation for this assignment more so than the creation of the actual lesson plan. I particularly enjoyed reading the Horizon report and comparing it to what we are currently implementing at the technology company where I work. Overall, the report closely mimics what we have done or are in the process of doing for clients. This observation indicates that the business sector is slightly ahead of the higher education in adoption of new technology. I suspect this is due to the ability of the private sector to act independently of any government agency.
The focus of my lesson plan is tablet computing using mobile apps. The lesson plan specifically focuses on the use of the iPad within a corporate environment. Unlike many of the web based apps that we use for our coursework, the corporate sector still relies heavily upon proprietary software running on dedicated servers within a data center. As companies’ expectation of increased employee results with fewer resources continues, mobility is no longer a luxury but a necessity. With this comes the question of security. How do you free the workforce from the confines of the cubicle, while maintaining a secure connection to vital company resources? My lesson plan introduces low cost apps for the iPad to ensure the network is not compromised for the sake of an agile workforce.
In addition to addressing the security of tablets, I also use mobile apps as a utility within the structure of the class. The students use StudyBlue to interact with the material presented in class, with the instructor and with their classmates.
The creation of the lesson plan proved challenging for me. Although I have created and facilitated many training sessions, I have never created a formal lesson plan. Typically, I outline the topics that I am to cover. My lack of experience as an educator left me a bit unsure of how much material I was to provide. Much to my dismay, there were no tutorials available from the developers of the software used in the lesson plan. As a result, it was necessary to create two of the videos. This proved challenging, as the original iPad does not include any means to capture screencasts.
mstlaurent-501 Tech Trends Assignment
This assignment aligns with the following AECT standards:
1.1 Instructional Systems Design – as it defines specific means of learning.
3.1 Media Utilization – through the consultation of the Horizon report
3.3 Implementation and Institutionalization – presenting new methods for adoption
melissastlaurent 