Creating Engaging Curriculum with Technology

Creating curriculum with appropriate and effective technology can help make lectures more engaging for students.  In Part 2 of a session at UW-Platteville's Technology Academy, faculty learned more about using YouTube, Twitter, CNN iReporting, and PowerPoint to create materials that help re-energize curriculum and lectures. A variety of videos were utilized to explain how a segment can encourage discussion during a class, and to also to acknowledge the technology challenges for faculty, staff, and students.

After explaining the strategies and methods relating to social media and instructional technology, each workshop participant was challenged to create an engaging PowerPoint with supplied still images and video about the drought of 2012.  Faculty members were challenged to use best practices in developing their PowerPoint, which also included a YouTube link.  Attendees were from a wide variety of disciplines including: Agriculture, Math, Biology, English, and Art. At the conclusion of the session, several faculty were asked to present their PowerPoint to the group.

In the end, faculty learned how to select appropriate technology tools, how to utilize social media, and how to create a PowerPoint in a short period of time in regardless of what discipline is being taught. The Technology Academy is a good way to engage faculty, and to present strategies to promote the  "what ifs" of technology use in making teaching and learning relevant, authentic, and engaging.