Design and Development of Educational Technology
This project-based course explores educational technologies and the theories underlying their development through interviews with experts in the field.
About this course
To be effective, educational technologies must be designed based on what we know about how people learn. Through interviews with experts in the field, this course explores educational technologies, outlines the theories that influence their development, and examines their use.
Participants will both give and receive feedback from others in the class forums as part of this course. To synthesize main ideas, participants will work towards creating a pitch for a new educational technology.
In Unit 1, we will talk about the history of educational technologies and how these technologies have influenced how we learn.
In Unit 2, we will explore what it means to learn something and different approaches to deepen learning.
In Unit 3, we will focus on active learning and take a closer look at simulations that can foster learning.
Unit 4 introduces the idea of collaborative learning and considers communities of practice.
Unit 5 provides an overview of different types of assessment and delves into how technology is changing the field of assessment.
Unit 6 is all about design-based research, a methodology for research and design of educational innovations.
What you'll learn
- A broad understanding of several prominent educational theories and approaches regarding teaching and learning and examples of how these are manifested in educational technologies
- Different ways technology can be leveraged to foster learning
- How to recognize different types of assessment and how technology is changing the landscape for assessing learning
Meet the instructors
Eric Klopfer
Director of the MIT Scheller Teacher Education Program and the Education Arcade
Professor Klopfer’s research focuses on the development and use of computer games and simulations for building understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. He works on mobile and online games designed to build understanding of scientific practices and concepts as well as critical knowledge. In the realm of simulations, Klopfer’s work focuses on students’ understanding of complex systems, and connecting computer programming with scientific practice, critical thinking, and real-world issues. He is the co-author of the books Adventures in Modeling, The More we Know, and author of Augmented Learning. Klopfer is also the co-founder, past President, and Board Member of the non-profit Learning Games Network.
Scot Osterweil
Creative Director, the Education Arcade
Scot is a designer of award-winning educational games, working in both academic and commercial environments, and his work has focused on what is authentically playful in challenging academic subjects. He has designed games for computers, handheld devices, and multi-player on-line environments. He is the creator of the acclaimed Zoombinis series of math and logic games, and leads a number of projects in the Education Arcade. He is also a founding member of the Learning Games Network.
Judy Perry
Research Manager, MIT Scheller Teacher Education Program
Judy oversees the design, development and research for projects involving games and simulations for mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets. Her research interests include location-based games and ubiquitous ‘casual’ games. Judy also leads professional development workshops for educators who want to implement location-based and other games in both formal and informal educational settings. Judy also enjoys collaborating with other institutions (including zoos, nature centers, science museums and living history museums) to develop experimental mobile learning offerings.
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