Abstract
Providing ideas to others who wish to explore the process of making a degree program technology rich is critical to faculty who are building best practice programs. Technology rich is defined here as technology-filled environments and curriculum that include innovative hardware and software combined with technologically enhanced activities and assessments. This literature review reveals a research gap in several areas relating to best practices with respect to the impact of integrating technology into teaching and learning. More quantitative studies that discuss research methodology and professional development in technological pedagogy are needed. Often research efforts have yielded no common definitions, significant differences, or guidelines to measure effectiveness. This article posits arguments for a more systematic study of how technology integration occurs within our schools, what increases its adoption by teachers, and the long-term impacts that these investments have on both teachers and students (Lawless & Pellegrino, 2007). In addition to the program background and findings on technology in education, this article also articulates a case example of a technology implementation in an associate degree program. Concluding with the students’ perspective, insight is offered into this program’s continued effort to bridge the gap of the digital divide for a student population of predominantly rural, underserved, and disadvantaged through a student-focused atmosphere and curriculum (Goode, 2010). A technology transformation and semester transition of an Associate of Applied Business degree program for office administration (OA) in rural Ohio is delineated.
Highlights
The use of technology is at the forefront of society and education today
A panel convened with the Ohio Board of Regents and the Department of Education to develop articulation agreements and create common career field technology content standards for Administrative and Professional Support programs to begin in fall 2012
Faculty can see students working in the business communications course online site, which is linked to the Blackboard site for the course
Summary
Technology in education requires a thorough understanding of this dynamic environment and the cooperation of faculty, administration, community leaders, and students. It is important for any technical degree program to continually assess hardware, software, and faculty development in conjunction with community and student needs making a technology rich program. This article outlines the way that one program was planned, analyzed, researched, designed, and implemented during a semester transition. The technology-rich redesign followed steps similar to the Systems Development Life Cycle (IT Governance, 2014) of planning, analyzing, designing, implementing, and maintaining. Options were researched, beginning with planning and analyzing the current OA programs’ content, curriculum, and technology in conjunction with faculty, community and student needs. The resulting student perspective concludes this research, and recommendations for maintaining a technology-rich program were made
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