Integrating Learning Technologies with Experiential Learning in a Postgraduate Teacher Education Course

<p>This paper discusses how a Postgraduate Certificate Course in Third Level Learning and Teaching for academic staff in the Republic of Ireland has adopted a particular approach in teacher education. As an important aspect of the successful integration and use of learning technology is the way in which it effectively reflects and articulates a given learning model, this course has its theoretical basis on the Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle (Kolb, 1983). The work illustrates that no one technology can support all types of third level learning and teaching; an effective approach is to combine a range of technologies. The self-study focuses on analyzing key experiences regarding the integration of a variety of learning technologies available in higher education today, in an effort to determine how the teacher educator‟s role can plan for effective integration of technology into the curriculum. Subsequently I hope to translate what I learned from this self-study to assist the course participants with some of the integration issues they, in turn, will be dealing with as they move towards 3 incorporating more learning technology into their own subject disciplines. Part of the ethos of the course for the course tutors was the wish to experience and model what we advocate to our own participants. Ongoing research will be outlined to measure the impact of this.</p>