Technology as a means to connect students to the world beyond the classroom can have a substantial impact on learning. Reeder (cited by Technology and Learning, 2003) states, a massive amount of research has made it clear how people do or do not learn; the fact that it is still being debated is baffling. She goes on to report, all human beings learn by doing, analyzing, talking, processing, and problem solving; talking at kids never has been and never will be an effective way to help them learn. As most people learn far faster via interactive and hands on methods, the introduction of technology into instruction introduces a whole new level of experiences whereby increasing the potential for students’ to make academic gains by leaps and bounds. Bransford, Brown, & Cocking (2000) note, in general, technology-based tools can enhance student performance when they are integrated into the curriculum and used in accordance with knowledge about learning.
Not only does technology offer interactive modes of learning through the use of various technological programs designed to enhance the educational needs of students, it also provides simulations of real life experiences that students can engage in that will aid in developing and honing higher level thinking skills. Wishengrad (1999) states, the impact that technology is having on education is believed by some observers to be immense; not only are students motivated to use computers, but their learning is being guided toward more relevant real-world experiences. Tech Trends (2004) reports, online simulations have the potential to develop students’ mental models of complex systems and problem solving strategies; these designs show that interactive technology use can create environments for problem-solving and deep learning.
In today’s world, more so than ever before, there is a push to incorporate the use of technology in the classroom setting. Because of its positive effects on students’ learning, technology is quickly becoming the wave of the future. Many school districts having come to understand the value of the applicable use of technology in the classroom have taken steps to rectufy this situation (Franklin, 2007). Moving an educational system toward the incorporation of any non-traditional teaching measure necessitates the need to determine the manner in which it will be implemented and its continued usage.
Consideration should be made of the potential need for the upgrading and repairing of equipment as needed in order to maintain the continued use of technology. There is also a need to include provisions that ensure that teachers have been trained in the use of this form of informational delivery system. It cannot be assumed that all teachers are knowledgeable in this area. Professional development trainers, teachers, and administrators will need to collaborate in order to ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding competency levels. According to Franklin (2007) although most elementary schools currently have updated technological equipment and internet access, an extremely small amount of teachers are confident in their ability to integrate educational technology into classroom instruction.
Therefore the school plan should define the process for training all staff, insure an equitable distribution for technology and identify the software to be used; both the district-wide and the school-level planning for technology should be viewed as an ongoing activity that results in a flexible plan for the deployment of technology resources; these plans need to be built to accommodate ongoing change (Nolan, Zaenglein, & Cox, 1994).
“Preparing future teachers to connect curriculum and technology necessitates the integration of technology into teacher preparation; just as we prepare future teachers to teach social studies in a social studies methods course, we must now prepare future teachers to teach social studies using technology in a social studies methods course (Franklin, 2007).
Instructional objectives need to be aligned with the use of technology so as not to confuse the learners or to hinder their acquisition of skills. In designing technology-based instruction, it is critical that attention be given to the content structure; failure to do so can be highly confusing and impair the learner’s ability to correctly understand the presented information (Walsh & Frontczak, 2003).
Technology can mean the difference between students that are prepared to take their place in a technology driven society and those that will continue to flounder as a result of an educational system’s shortsightedness. When implemented correctly the benefits that technology brings can enhance an educational program immensely, in addition to increasing student achievement.
References:
Bransford, J. (Ed.), Brown, A. (Ed.) & Cocking, R. (Ed.). (2000). How People Learn:
Brain, Mind, Experience, and School (Expanded Edition). Washington DC: National Academy Press
Franklin, C. (2007). Factors That Influence Elementary Teachers Use of Computers.
Journal of Technology and Teacher Education 15 no2 267-293. Retrieved March
21, 2005 from http://0-vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.novacat.nova.edu/hww/results/results_single.jhtml?nn=45
Nolan, J., Zaenglein, J., & Cox, C. (1994). Strategic Planning for the Future. Media &
Methods, 31, 58 Retrieved March 8, 2005 from http://0-vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.novacat.nova.edu/hww/results/results_single.jhtml?nn=5
21st Century Skills: Will Our Students Be Prepared. (2003). Technology and Learning,
24, 3, 17-18, 20, 22, 24, 26 Retrieved March 8, 2005 from http://0- vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.novacat.nova.edu/hww/results/results_single.jhtml?nn=14
Technology: Building Interaction. (2004). Tech Trends, 48, 5, 34-36 Retrieved March 8,
2005 from http://0-vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.novacat.nova.edu/hww/results/results_single.jhtml?nn=18
Walsh, J. & Frontczak, K. (2003). Back to Basics: Non-Technical Tips for Improving
Technology-Based Presentations Skills. Tech Trends, 47, 1, 41-45 Retrieved March 15, 2005 from http://0-vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.novacat.nova.edu/hww/results/results_single.jhtml?nn=23
Wishengrad, R. (1999) Are Paper Textbooks Ready to Fold. The Education Digest, 64, 6,
57-61 Retrieved March 8, 2005 from http://0-vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.novacat.nova.edu/hww/results/results_single.jhtml?nn=28
4 comments:
Technology in the classroom can both add meaningfully to instruction and distract from it as well. There is no doubt students love technology and are fearless in its use, and the right technology in a lesson can enhance what the teacher is trying to achieve. On the other hand students can wander off task with technology by opening alternate web pages as an example. While multi tasking is enviable it can be frustrating for the teacher. I suppose as with all things moderation is key.
I am amazed at how technology motivates students to learn. Any lesson plan I have implemented in the classroom that uses technology, particularly where the kids intereact with it, the results are tremendous. My school just received an A and the administrator is confident the use of Smartboards has helped student academics significantly. I pray for the day when every student has a laptop in the classroom.
Mimi, technology is here to stay and we must learn all we can. It is amazing today to see how many jobs rely on computers just to hire employees. Individuals who may have no experience at all with using a computer are finding that they must use them to complete job applications or "tests" required for the jobs. On the other hand, some teach themselves because they are determined to manipulate the myspace/bebo or is debo pages and spend hours doing that. But all in all, operating a myspace page or playing video games on the computer isn't the same as being able to use true computer skills in the world of work.
Dedra Baskin
Hi Mimi,
I enjoyed your blog. I was especially happy to see that you had a post on technology’s influence on education, since this seems to be a hot topic in education. I personally have two classes this semester on the subject, so I feel especially connected to the subject. I must admit before taking these classes through Nova, I was pretty much computer illiterate. I can definitely say teachers tend to shy away from things they feel uncomfortable with until they are forced to face the facts, such as when a paper is due on technology or having to figure out how to blog or create a website as assignments. LOL.
-Linda Duran-LaHodny
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