Technology is constantly changing and its advancement is an integral part of society. In the 21st century, “Technology dominates the workplaces of most professionals and provides a “wider and more flexible set of learning resources” for individuals, educators, and organizations (U.S. Department of, 2010). Although the Department of Education advocates the use of technology in secondary education classrooms, “There is a ‘digital disconnect’ between how students use technology for their everyday communication and how they use technology in the classroom” (Kolb, 2008).
Incorporating technology into the classroom diminishes this ‘disconnect.’ The use of advanced technology in the classroom promotes critical and innovating thinking and analytical skills, which are the backbone of any profession. Rather than being viewed as tools to efficiently transmit information and content to learners, technologies can be used by students as ‘intellectual partners’, and as tools to analyze and interpret their understanding” (Herrington, J., & Kervin, L., 2007).
When educators fail to realize the new ways students learn and retain information, the learning process and retention period may be hindered. Administrators and educators must therefore “take personal responsibility for understanding changes in tech implementation and integration in their buildings and classrooms (Larson, Miller, & Ribble, 2010). Educating teachers to the benefits of advancing technology use with their students affects the learning outcome in the classroom.
Adapting technology and modern learning methods into one’s classroom can be achieved through small changes. Simple activities such as allowing the students to use cellphones or itouch (depending on school policy) for research instead of reference books will allow the students to apply information in the way their generation learns best. Even the incorporation of ‘simple’ technological skills or tools, such as Powerpoints, or videos will increase student participation and desire to work on something that is relevant to their world today. If the knowledge of technology is taught, and the students are required to create their own materials (ie Glogsters, podcasts, websites), their level of cognitive abilities will be challenged and expanded even more.
The use of technology in the classroom allows the students to incorporate daily lives into the learning process, challenges creativity, and forces the student to perceive information on varying levels. Technology, if used well, has the ability to reach students of different learning styles, such as visual, audial, or hands-on. Living in the middle of the Net Generation, students are able to interpret and decipher technology quickly. Their persistence and ability to manipulate tools well will be an asset to the classroom, as perhaps they will be able to teach the educator shortcuts or varying methods used to obtain the same product. Although the teacher will supply the content to be learned, but students and teachers alike will be able to discover the best procedure.
Often times, using technology in the classroom is a distraction if the programs/devices are not fully understood. The teacher could potentially spend more time trouble-shooting issues than using it as a tool to teach. Similarly, if servers are down, or computers crash, the seemingly flawless lesson is now at the will of internal coding procedures (which ultimately interrupts the flow of the classroom). The teacher must also be willing to give up several class periods in order to teach how to use the desired method or tool. Although teaching life skills, the desired content knowledge must take a backburner. Being that a majority of teachers and schools must now ‘teach to the standardized test,’ important information could not be obtained on the necessary time schedule.
Technology is always changing, and educators must be willing to adapt with it. Just as students must learn information to excel, teachers must also continue learning. Professional development courses or seminars are crucial for educators to learn new methods of teaching old material. Even if one knows and understands a certain technological skill, it must be able to be expressed and incorporated well into the classroom. This idea must be practiced daily. According to Diane Oblinger, the President of Educause, an organization structured for the advancement of technology in education, “Times change. Technologies change. Students change. And so does education” (Oblinger, 2008). Educators must be willing to adapt to the advancement of technology to provide the most applicable and critical thinking skills for their students.
Resources:
Herrington, J., & Kervin, L. (2007). Authentic learning supported by technology: Ten suggestions and cases of integration in classrooms. Educational Media International, 44(3), 219-236.
Kolb, L. (2008). Toys to tools: connecting student cell phones to education. Washington DC: International Society for Technology in Education.
Larson, L., Miller, T., & Ribble, M. (2010). 5 considerations for digital age leaders: what principals and district administrators need to know about tech integration today. International Society for Technology in Education, 37(4), 12-15.
Oblinger, D. (2008). Growing up with Google and what it means to education. Emerging technologies for learning. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/ResourcesGrowingupwithGooglewhatitmeans/162862.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. (2010). Transforming american education: learning powered by technology (ED-04-CO-0040). Alexandria, VA: Education Publications Center. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/netp2010.pdf.
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