EDT+6040

The course is a capstone course focused on professional capacity to facilitate the adoption and diffusion of a new technology initiative. The project requires conducting inquiry into the management of a technology initiative, writing a technology plan for implementation, and sharing a prototype and data results with an established local or global learning community. Candidates will be involved in shared decision-making and collaboration while demonstrating fluency in technology. Topics explored include adoption and diffusion, data-driven decisions, legal issues, professional development, and professional leadership capacity.
 * EDT 6040**
 * Special Topics in Educational Technology**
 * 3 credits**

[|Technology Initiative Project]
 * EDT 6040 Assignment:**

The technology initiative I chose for this project is The Use of Prezi as a Tool to Enhance Student Engagement. Through a Needs Assessment Survey administered to a selected number of faculty, it was determined that the most widely used presentation tool is PowerPoint. While PowerPoint in an effective tool for delivering instructional material, it is no longer the most engaging, nor the most interactive. Prezi is a fairly new technology that can provide instructors will the tools to create engaging and interactive presentations that they can use for lessons and for presenting instructional material in their classrooms. The goal of the technology initiative is to give instructors the knowledge, resources, and tools to implement Prezi in the classroom. By delivering information in a way that will engage students, student learning and performance will improve.
 * Description: **

Instructors at Wilmington University will use Prezi to create engaging and interactive, non-linear presentations to present information to students in the classroom. I chose Prezi because it is a fairly new technology that allows users to present information in a way they never could before. The non-linear, zooming features of Prezi allow users to focus in on details, and zoom out to show the "big picture." Prezi is also multimedia friendly, and allows users to integrate videos, links, and audio. The goal of the technology initiative is to provide instructors with the tools, knowledge, and resources to effectively implement Prezi into their classrooms.
 * Selection Process and Link to the Artifact: **

I feel that, with ever-advancing technology, it is especially important for educators to stay abreast of current educational technologies that can enhance instruction and facilitate learning. Educators have a responsibility to implement the tools that will be most beneficial to their students. This project encouraged me to create my own Prezi presentations and the feedback I received from them was so positive that I have no doubt that Prezi presentations will enhance student engagement in the classroom. When students are engaged, they are paying attention, and when they are paying attention, they are learning. By improving student engagement through interactive Prezi presentations, student performance will also improve as a result.
 * Reflection: **