Technology Project Rationale

A workshop on using presentation tools in teaching and learning

Howida Moustafa
EDCI 890
Fall 2014
Advisor: Dr. Rosemary Talab

Workshop Overview
The workshop is hands on activity that teaches students how to use presentation tools in
an effective way in the learning and teaching process. The workshop introduces online
presentation tools such as Prezi and Animoto to Faculty and Teaching Assistants TAs at Zewail
City of Sciences and Technology, Cairo, Egypt. The concepts will be to introduce to the students
to the online presentation environment then students will have a hands-on session where they
have practice under the guidance of the instructor how to build their own presentations. A brief
introduction will be given by Dr. Ali Abdou, associate professor at Zewail City about how these
tools can be used in the classroom to maximize students learning outcomes and opportunities and
minimize any type of mismatch that might take place inside the classroom.
The workshop will also focus on the best practice of the using presentation tools software
to enchase the learning and the teaching process. Students will have the chance to create
accounts for the online tool and they will participate in hands on activities by using the tool
software to create presentations .Students will collaborate and share presentation they develop
online among themselves and with the instructor

Workshop Theoretical Framework

The theoretical framework for the current workshop emphasizes the potential for
using technology in the teaching instruction. This usage will to contribute to the pedagogical
process and promote effective center-oriented teaching instruction. The workshop is also based on
ISTE NETS guidelines. The workshop focuses on the two following ISTE NETS indicators for students:

3. Research and Information Fluency, students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate and use information.

6. Technology Operations and Concepts, students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology

concepts, systems and operations.

Instruction Method Framework

The workshop was based on the Constructive theory of learning. Constructive theory is a
theory of learning that derived from the work of Vygotsky, Jean Piaget and Jerome. This theory
underlines the role that played by mediated learning in allowing learners to practice in conscious
control over such inter mental activities as. The key concepts within the constructivism learning
theory is learner plays an active role in his learning in constructing his new knowledge and build
on his prior knowledge

The teacher plays very important role within the constructivism learning theory as teacher
function as facilitators. Teacher role is to aid the student when it comes to their own
understanding. The focus here is to put it upon the student and encourage his role as an active
learner in his learning process. The workshop planned in a way, where students can participate
in their learning process and in developing their technology skills. My role in this workshop is a
facilitator to their learning in how the tools work and they can use different features of the tools.
The students will also participate in their learning as they collaborate together on the learning
tasks and use the tools to collaborate and share their work.
The workshop is also based on Bloom taxonomy. Bloom's Taxonomy is a multi-tiered
model of classifying thinking according to six cognitive levels of complexity (Forehand, M.
2010, P.3). The lowest three levels are: knowledge, comprehension, and application. The highest
three levels are: analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Student functioning at the application' level
has also mastered the material at the 'knowledge' and 'comprehension level (Forehand, M. 2010).

In the workshop the levels of Blooms Taxonomy are incorporated as follows:

1- Understanding: Students will understand the use of presentation tools software including
the best practices of online collaboration.
2- Applying: Students sign up for accounts for the online presentation tools, use the tools to
build their own presentations, collaborate together in building them via online sharing.
Students also apply different features of their own.
3- Analyzing: Students will discuss different features of the tools and how to use them.
4- Creating: Students create presentations based on what they already learned from the
instructor, their peers, themselves using different features.

References
1- Bednar, A. K., Cunningham, D., Duffy, T. M., & Perry, J. D. (1992). Theory into practice:
How do we link. Constructivism and the technology of instruction: A conversation, 17-34.
2- Forehand, M. (2010). Blooms taxonomy. Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and
technology, 41-47.
3- Gokhale, A. A. (1995). Collaborative learning enhances critical thinking.
4- Halawi, L. A., McCarthy, R. V., & Pires, S. (2009). An evaluation of e-learning on the basis
of Bloom's taxonomy: an exploratory study. Journal of Education for Business, 84(6), 374380.