Module 2 Post

Describe the importance of the using a variety of instructional strategies and the value they add to education of students in the 21^st Century. Evaluate the role technology plays in the implementation of various instructional strategies. How will this impact your teaching of students?

Teaching today requires the use of a variety of instructional strategies that address the diverse learners we have in today's classroom. Today's learners have much more diverse backgrounds than past generations and we now have the knowledge to reach students with different learning styles if a variety of instructional strategies are used in creating lessons. The days of a teacher standing before a group of students and lecturing for half an hour, making and assignment from the textbook each day, and then testing comprehension at the end of the chapter with a test are no longer acceptable. As stated by Smaldino, Lowther, and Russell ( (2008) well-planned instructional strategies incorporating technology and media promote learning regardless of the subject matter, the learners, or the learning environment. The value of using a variety of strategies is of increasingly great value, teachers will not be able to facilitate learning without variety. Variety is required not only in the instructional strategies but in the teachers ability to reach students using different educational perspectives.
The 21st century learner is a different creature than learners from other generations in that technology plays a huge role in their lives outside of the classroom. This generations is carrying around cell phone in elementary school which they use to text and call family members and friends. They also use them to play games and listen to music. Many students have computers at home and are allowed to use them to interact with other on social networks and again play games. This being said, teachers must use technology when designing the teaching strategies or they will not be engaged wit the material being taught. Today's classroom must incorporate edutainment to keep students involved in the lessons.
In conclusion, a variety of instructional strategies that are technology infused and that address all four educational perspectives are essential for success in today's educational system