Reflective Practice and Lifelong Learning and Technological Advances within the Industry - Essay Example

Reflective Practice and Lifelong Learning Name Institution Overview/Background Information The purpose of this essay is to assess and discuss the implications of technological advances on the applicable pedagogical approach in teaching practice. In this essay, the focus will be on assessment of teaching digital image manipulation with reference to concepts such as Adobe CS 6 Photoshop. I have been teaching the subject for eight years at TAFE institution, which is in a small country town within the context of Western NSW. In the course of my first year of teaching the concept of digital image manipulation, I had to work through industrial standard Adobe software in the form of Adobe CS 2 and Photoshop Elements 6. It is essential to note that the software was expensive thus rare utilization by the public by the year 2006. I focused on exploitation of an engaged pedagogical approach in the course of teaching these graphic units in accordance with the needs and demands of the students. This pedagogical focuses on exploitation of simulations and scenarios as well as variety of online creative commons with the aim of enabling students have access to diverse images for manipulation purposes. Furthermore, the teaching practice sought to integrate and incorporate the concept of modelling from other tutorial sites with the intention of providing onscreen-recorded tutorials. These tutorials allow students the opportunity to gather a multiple of techniques as well as effects at the touch of a button with increased level of benefits of the teacher in the classroom context concentrating on explaining and exploring better or appropriate techniques. The engaged pedagogical approach was effective in handling the needs and preferences of the students seeking to grasp concepts in relation to manipulation of the digital images on the internet platforms. In the course of enhancing effectiveness and efficiency of the approach, my teaching approach focused on the inclusion of the multimedia and smart-board presentations of the software in question. This approach was essential in enhancing the teaching process as well as learning experience while engaging students towards production of a more meaningful and deep learning experiences. Technological advancements have been essential in enhancing effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of the course programs for the achievement of the outcome. This is evident in the numerous changes and transformation in the delivery of course concepts and programs to aid understanding of the students concerning manipulation of the digital image. There have been numerous changes to the course and training packages since my first encounter as a teacher to this class in 2006. For instance, faculties delivering photography and digital image manipulation in TAFE have experienced a complete makeover in the last decade. In the prior teaching program, these subjects continue to undergo transformation in relation to changing the faculties fro Fine Arts to Certificate II Information Technology prior to further developments in 2014. These developments continue to transform the presentation of the course programs in accordance with outcomes and needs of the students. Technological Advances within the Industry and Teaching & Learning Contexts During this teaching practice, I have been able to experience critical technological advancements within the industry as well as the process of teaching and learning. Since 2006, the industry has been constant-generator of new and numerous versions of elements and graphics as well as photographic techniques and mechanisms. In the current element, the industry is exploiting the standard creative suite of Adobe CS 6. In addition, there has been a giant leap in quality as well as performance of the computer systems facilitating the usage of the software in the course of manipulating the digital images in the course. In most cases, the general office usage computers would run such software without affecting the performance of daily running of office as well as home usage. Nevertheless, upgrading of each versions and increase in the number as well as complexity of the features have been ideal in creation of a large burden on the personal computer performance and efficiency in handling the needs and demands of the users. These developments continue to force workplaces and residential users to enhance the performance of their personal computers with high-end graphics cards, clock speeds, high volume RAM, and multiple storage options with the intention of lessening the load on the hard drive and onboard storage. Inclusive of these industrial developments, there has been a large leap in the technological advancements in teaching and learning contexts. For instance, there have been specific advancements in my classroom while seeking to promote effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of course objectives and programs. These technological advancements in learning and teaching relate to implementation of numerous forms of delivery under the influence of technology. I am now able to record my lessons on a personal computer using screen capture software to assist and facilitate the lesson delivery process. The approach is also aided by integration of a microphone to record lessons prior to uploading them to my moodle site and wiki-space for accessibility by students seeking to reflect on a lesson or catching-up on the missed lessons. In such sites, students have the ability and opportunity to access recorded lessons away from the classroom environment thus massive technological advancement in relation to teaching and learning. Furthermore, I am now able to deliver lessons as well as provide demonstrations under the influence of a smart-board for effectiveness and efficiency in delivery of course objectives and evaluation of outcomes. These technological advancements in teaching and learning have been essential in the improvement of the lesson delivery while enlarging the platform for the students to grasp and incorporate new ideas within the classroom and internet platforms. From this perspective, the technological advancements have been ideal in expansion of the classroom environment since students have the opportunity to expand the learning process through accessing resources and course lessons on the internet platforms. Adjustments to Teaching/Assessment Practice to Reflect Technological Advancements In order to reflect these changes in the technological advancements, I now tend to engage with the students on the internet platforms. In addition, I tend to provide assignments on the internet requiring students to exploit the technological advancements in manipulating digital images. Each group of students in my class has different requirements or demands in the course of the semester. This makes it essential to adopt and implement a specific occupational approach to address the personal needs of the students in relation to learning processes. In order to address this diversity, the introductory lesson or class focuses on integration of an engaged pedagogical approach with the intention of presenting diverse samples from previous classes (Steven, 2012). In this context, I tend to focus on facilitating the process in which my students reflect on their initial ideas as well as final products. In other cases, we walk through the gallery display while discussing techniques vital the generation of such displays. This approach is vital in generation of diverse discussions while adding enthusiasm to the group of students. From my perspective, reflection is an essential tool since it allows me to introduce relevant techniques in the generation of each image within the gallery. In addition, I am able to gauge the performance and levels of understanding of the students in relation to the course of digital image manipulation. The technique is approach in identifying areas in which the students experience massive problems with reference to techniques in the generation of images within the gallery. This makes it easier to address diverse demands of the students in the process of achieving their goals while pursuing this program (Schön, 1987). Adjusting to the Needs of the Students In reflecting the current practices, I think it would be appropriate to focus diarising each lesson with the aim of gauging the success of each of the pedagogical process I use to deliver course objectives in accordance with the needs and requirements of the students. Extensive research of the reflective ideologies has been essential in identification of the benefits of reflection in delivering diverse course objectives with the intention of realizing goals and targets of the course (Dewey, 1988). Reflective practice continues to be an influential concept in various forms of education because of the tendency of understanding the needs and requirements of the students. This approach ensures that the course planning is in accordance with the demands and requirements of the students in the pursuit of their goals and targets with reference to diverse courses (Ruth & Lexie, 2011). Reflective learning has the ability to incorporate both theoretical and practical themes as well as issues with the intention of integrating the concepts to open substantial discussion between practice and theory. This approach focuses on transformation of the traditional idea of classroom-based learning applicable to illustration of one-way relationship between practice and theory. Integration of reflective learning perspective will promote the concept of active learning thus an opportunity to handle diverse needs of the students in my class. Reflective learning will be vital in validation of the knowledge, experience, and skills applicable in practice for the recognition of the elements as critical components in the process of learning (Neil & Jan 2012). From this perspective, practitioners become active participants in learning rather than empty vessels for utilization of concepts by expert trainer in the course of filling them while learning. This indicates that reflection is vital in the process of analyzing and modifying my teaching and learning (Brookfield, 1995). Integration of journaling process in the execution of course objectives, teaching, and learning practices would relate to recording personal thoughts and daily experiences with the intention of generating valuable insights. The process and technique have the ability to evoke essential conversation with self, another individual, and potential learning towards realization of the goals and objectives. This learning tool will be a critical tool towards facilitating personal growth of the learners while synthesizing and reflecting on the new information they acquire in the delivery of the lesson. In most cases, I will urge my learners to adopt one of the journaling formats to act as a means of assisting them in the acquisition of the maximum amount of knowledge, interaction, and personal growth from the reading efforts as well as other essential learning encounters and experiences (Hiemstra, 2001). In addition, integration of journaling will be ideal in promotion of the critical self-reflection in the case of dilemmas, contradictions, and questioning of the worldviews or perceptions. Implementation of journaling will facilitate my self-reflection techniques and perceptions towards presentation and delivery of quality learning programs and lessons (Hiemstra, 2001). Similarly, the students will have the perfect chance of understanding and re-evaluating their grasp of the concept with reference to utilization of the approaches such as critical reflection on their progress. The technique will be ideal in the improvement of effectiveness and efficiency in the course delivery while reflecting the influence of technological advancements in recording the experiences and learning encounters. References Ruth Williams & Lexie Grudnoff (2011) Making sense of reflection: a comparison of beginning and experienced teachers’ perceptions of reflection for practice, Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspectives, 12:3, 281-291. Neil Thompson & Jan Pascal (2012) Developing critically reflective practice, Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspectives, 13:2, 311-325. Dewey, J. (1933 [1988]). How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective Thinking on the Educative Process. In J. A. Boydston (Ed.), The Later Works 8. Carbondale and Edwardsville: Southern Illinois University Press Schön, D. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner: Towards a new design for teaching and learning in the professions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Hiemstra, R. (2001) Uses and Benefits of Journal Writing. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 90, 19-26. Stephen (2012). Chapter 1: What is Critical Thinking in Teaching for Critical Thinking. Jossey Boss Brookfield, S. (1995). The Getting of Wisdom: What critically reflective Teaching is and Why it’s Important. In Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Read More