Theories of Critical Thinking - Sunshine Williamson

 

After reading these articles, I feel even more excited about using technology in my SSC 101- First Year Experience class that I teach in the fall semester. Since I’m an Academic Advisor, I get the opportunity to teach this class every year.  I’ve used quite a bit of technology before and have found that it helps students learn in deeper and more personal ways. This has been an adjustment for me since I tend to be a little old school with teaching students.  The articles reminded me that learning should match how students think and work today and not what works best for me. First-year college students are already using a great deal of technology in their everyday lives, so bringing that into the classroom helps them stay engaged better and see how what their learning matters. As Kuhn (2008) noted, “One cannot help but meet a variety of learning styles, with experiential depth, if technology is purposefully and wisely integrated into the regular day-to-day curriculum” (p. 20).

I liked the way the articles talked about Bloom’s Taxonomy and Multiple Intelligences. They helped me remember that students don’t all learn the same way and that is okay. Some learn by writing, others by watching videos or working in groups. I am a hands-on learner while I have a daughter that is an auditory learner and needs to hear what she learns with the help of music.  In SSC 101, I can use tools like Canva for projects, discussion boards for reflections, or short video check-ins to reach different learning styles. Kuhn (2008) pointed out that technology can help even beginning teachers “provide more depth and learning-style differentiation if they effectively use educational technology to teach” (p. 21). This helps students not only remember the information but also understand how to use it in real life.

It also made me think about my daughter, who teaches Family and Consumer Science to 7th and 8th graders. She uses technology in creative ways, like having students make digital posters about baby-sitting, record cooking tutorials for TikTok, and use Google Slides to explain sewing projects. Her students using the embroidery machine or sublimation machine is also learning and using technology.  Her students love it because they get to be hands-on and use tools that feel natural to them and also learn new tools that prepare them for careers. This reminds me of Hobbs (2011), who wrote that “easy access to so many information and entertainment choices now requires that people acquire new knowledge and skills to make wise and responsible decisions” (p. 14). Her classroom shows that even young students can become strong with technology when guided well.

I feel encouraged to use technology more on purpose in SSC 101 starting Fall 2025 not just because it’s so popular now, but because it helps students connect, grow, and take charge of their learning. I want them to feel confident in school, understand how to use resources, excite them and create a hunger to learn more, and to see how their learning connects to the real world. These articles gave me ideas and reminded me that combining strong teaching with the right technology can make a big difference in how students are engaging with their learning. 

 

References

Hobbs, R. (2011). Empowering learners and media literacy. Knowledge Quest, 39(5), 14–17.

Kuhn, M. S. (2008). Connecting depth and balance in class. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(1), 18–21.