The Impact of Theory on Technology Use in the Classroom

This paper examines some aspects of a graduate course in educational technology at the University of Regina (Saskatchewan). The focus of the course (offered in the fall 1999 semester) was to examine how aspects of learning theory can impact the use of technology in schools and to develop a theoretical model that could drive and reflect appropriate ways for technology use in the classroom. Topics covered in the class included belief systems, two theoretical models (i.e., communities of learners and situated cognition), and organizational frameworks. The paper describes the course content, provides an overview of the processes involved in developing the theoretical model, and proposes characteristics of a model for effective technology-curriculum integration that addresses the role of the teacher, the role of the student, subject matter, and the environment. (Contains 11 references.) (Author/MES)