The definition of educational technology as Mindtools, used to construct knowledge and make meaning, described by David Jonassen (2000) resonated with me. Designers of technology-enhanced learning environments (TELEs) in math and science should create experiences that engage students\u2019 prior knowledge and allow for the exploration of personally meaningful concepts. Ideally, \u201cteams of students are engaged in solving complex, authentic problems that cross disciplinary boundaries\u201d (Kozma, 2003). Designers should include technologies that enhance authentic learning experiences through the facilitation of unique forms creation, problem solving and collaboration. David Jonassen (1995) writes, \u201ccontrol of learner interactions with the computer should be taken away from designers and tutors and transferred to the learners to enable them to represent and express what they know.\u201d Technology should also act as a support and scaffold for students by lowering the barriers to entry by providing a means to participate and contribute understanding in various ways. Designers should utilize technology as \u201ctools in service of richer curricula, enhanced pedagogies, more effective organization structures, stronger links between schools and society, and the empowerment of disenfranchised learners” (Kozma, 2003).<\/p>\n
Jonassen, D. H. (1995). Computers as Cognitive Tools: Learning with Technology, Not from Technology, Journal of Computing in Higher Education Spring 1995 Vol. 6(2), 40-73<\/p>\n