Slavin
(2012) explains that the majority of the students in today’s classrooms have
had high levels of exposure to technology and most also feel comfortable and
proficient with technology. He also highlights the important role of teachers
in guiding students in the mindful use of technology by creating lessons that
allow them to find valuable information and develop new skills to complete
assignments and projects of all kinds. “Mindful use of technology implies using
critical reading skills to decide what is likely to be true and useful in a
body of information, and using learning-to-learn skills to plan a search for
information and select from it, summarize knowledge, and create reports or
other new materials based on the summaries” (Slavin, 2012, p. 277).
There
continue to be disagreements regarding the value of using technology for
instructional purposes. There are those who see technology as a tool to be
incorporated into instruction to help students be more successful and there are
others who don’t see any benefits at all. Technological applications continue
to evolve resulting in better outcomes in many areas, not just education.
Teachers can effectively use these applications in their instruction just as
long as they are carefully researched and thorough planning takes place.
“Computer technology is also merging with other technologies to create a
variety of new instructional applications” (Picciano, 2011, p. 111). These new
applications are “pedagogically more stimulating than anything that the individual
technologies alone provided in the past” (Picciano, 2011, p. 111).
Hall
(2008) provides a thorough analysis based on the need for changing
instructional strategies. He focuses on three teaching models that incorporate
technology into the instructional process: anchored inquiry (students use
technology to solve problems); project-based learning (students transfer what
they learn into practice); and brain-based learning (understanding how
connections are made).
Reflecting
on all this information I can conclude that the actual practice of
incorporating technology when planning instruction will be the best indicator
of its effectiveness. It is still imperative to focus on the development of 21st
Century skills such as critical thinking and problem solving to help students
be successful in an increasingly digital environment.
“Behold I command thee,
take courage, and be strong. Fear not and be not dismayed: because the Lord thy
God is with thee in all things whatsoever thou shalt go to” (Joshua 1:9). I
selected this verse because of how this course has allowed me to step out of my
comfort zone to learn about applications that I would have never thought to use
and how in education this is something that needs to be embraced by many who do
not feel comfortable with technology.
References
Hall,
D. (2008). The technology director’s
guide to leadership: The power of great questions. Eugene, OR: ISTE.
Picciano,
A. (2011). Educational leadership and
planning for technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Slavin,
R. (2012). Educational psychology: Theory
and practice. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Hey Gabriella!
ReplyDeleteI think it is great when educators can explore new technology and applications to assist them in teaching the students. It is always important to keep the lesson as the focus, not the technology. With that said, I encourage professors at my university to use as much technology as they can. Whiteboards are great, but why not use a powerpoint or Prezi to capture the students attention (and not rely on bad handwriting or no markers).
I also enjoyed the verse that you picked for this - it takes a lot of courage to take on teaching yourself something new, but the results are worth it!
Have a great week!
-Zach
Hi Gabriella:
ReplyDeleteThanks for providing a great post and for drawing your analysis from some excellent resources. Slavin's textbook still receives a fair amount of usage from me as well. You pointed out the important role that teachers play in guiding students in a manner that optimizes their use of technology as a tool in their learning. While I like Richard Clark's analogy of media and technology being a vehicle, I differ with Clark in that it is difficult to assert that technology plays no role in the learning process. Given our understanding of Howard Gardner's learning styles, it is difficult to maintain that interactive technology like Google Hangouts doesn't increase learning as it plays to the strengths of the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learner. Interactive technologies are making Clark's analogy a more difficult concept to embrace, especially given technologies ability to bring the world to a student in a distance setting in a manner that increases motivation to continue learning.
I like the verse that you chose and the importance of trusting in the Lord to step out and embrace challenges that will help us succeed both as students and as educational technology leaders.
Blessings,
Loren
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education. (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. ISBN: 9780132487313.
I agree with Hall that teachers can incorporate technology into lessons to increase problem-solving, put new skills into practice, and learn how connections are made with the world around them. I feel its effectiveness is all about teacher knowledge and choice. Educators cannot teach or incorporate a new technology if they are not comfortable with its use and how it can be used to reinforce the learning outcomes. That is where professional development opportunities, technology mentoring, and a self-motivation to learn new formats must take over.
ReplyDeleteGabriela,
ReplyDeleteYou make a valid point toward the end of you post as you state that educators need to step out of their comfort zones to embrace technology use in the classroom. I think many educators often forget that the purpose in using technology is to enrich and prepare students for their future. The old way of approaching instruction (drill and kill, paper/pencil tests, etc.) is fading quickly. With access to the Internet and its wealth of information, students no longer see the need to learn facts and regurgitate them on tests. It is our job as educators to challenge our students to step out of their own comfort zones, and if we are not willing to do so ourselves, then how can we ever expect them to stretch their imaginations? I think the real issue at hand is whether or not educators see the value in educational technology. In my opinion this is the “line in the sand” in educational circles. You have those who are fighting change and fighting hard to keep things the way they always have been; then, there are those of us who want to innovate and go beyond anything that’s ever been done. So, I think the resolution to the situation is in the approach of those of us who are on the technological side to have conversations with those on the other side to encourage them that the shift is here to stay and that technology really isn’t all that scary.