Teaching Practices and Impact of Technology Enhancements: Pedagogy should be ‎focused on Teaching not on Technology

Abstract

This essay examines Sheffield Hallam University's (SHU) "pedagogy first" approach to technology enhanced learning as a means of fostering the mainstreaming of creative activity and encouraging the use and experimentation with technology in education based on regional and cultural aspects. SHU has developed a Teaching Approaches Menu that reflects institutional practice and can be used by individuals or as part of facilitated discussions to explore teaching practices and appropriate supporting technology. This was accomplished through a consultative approach in which all staff members were invited to contribute. The project's history is given, along with the design philosophy and methodology and a synopsis of competing frameworks. A description of the Teaching Approaches Menu's development is given, along with some preliminary comments.