- Is technology a good or bad classroom tool?
- Is technology in the classroom helpful for some age groups but not others (i.e. middle school vs. high school)?
- For what is technology used in your classroom?
- How does it help you teach?
- What drawbacks, if any, do you experience from having technology in your classroom?
- Would it be feasible to go without technology in your classroom?
1. Just like any other teaching resource, it depends on how you use it, how comfortable you are using it as well as how you can work with the learning-as-you go model. Technology is constantly changing, so the better way to embed technology into the classroom is to proceed but be forgiving when those unintentional, unlucky outcomes occur. There is a considerable learning curve to using technology and you have to be willing to have things go not so perfectly. But that's also the strength of implementing technology; it can bring the teacher and learner closer since it's always a good alternative to let the students show you how something works as often times, they are already familiar with the technology.
2. Again, it depends on how you use it. Embedding technology into lessons and allowing students to use technology for learning purposes still demands a significant amount of classroom management. It will require the instructor to engage the learners by moving around the room, engaging students who are at different steps of the process, allow for those to move ahead without you, and to be present for others who need more one-on-one attention. If your teaching style is to remain at the front of the room all the time, then using technology is probably not for you. This is probably why it is more imperative for teachers of middle school, for whom the students are, let's say, more 'active' to commit to a fluid style of classroom management. But there is another aspect to this question which is that technology is ubiquitous in today's world. To answer this question consider this: According to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey, 31 percent of children age three and under are already using computers. Sixteen percent use them several times a week, 21 percent can point and click with a mouse by themselves, and 11 percent can turn on the computer without assistance.* Technology has been the great disruptor to the traditional model of learning. Another survey, this one by security firm AVG found that the average 11-year-old child has adult-like technology skills, but the vast majority of parents still think they know more than their kids when it comes to that subject. Whether you want to believe this or not, teens represent the leading edge of mobile connectivity, and the patterns of their technology use often signal future changes in the adult population. It has changed what it means to be a parent raising children today and demanded that educators take part in the responsibility to educate and model good digital citizenship. We may presume that the unfortunate issues of cyberbullying, online harassment and other inappropriate uses of technology is in part due to schools not working together to educate children in appropriate and safe internet etiquette. So, to answer the question, technology and the appropriate behavior that come with using it is not only helpful, but imperstive, at any age group.
3. Effective tech integration must happen across the curriculum in ways that research shows deepen and enhance the learning process. Specifically, it must support four key components of learning: active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and connection to real-world experts and activities. Effective technology integration is achieved when the use of technology is routine and transparent and when technology supports curricular goals. So to that effect, it can be embedded in any subject area as the curriculum should always drive the technology and not the other way around.
4. Technology also changes the way teachers teach, offering educators effective ways to reach different types of learners and assess student understanding through multiple means. I believe it also enhances the relationship between teacher and student. When technology is effectively integrated into subject areas, teachers grow into roles of adviser, content expert, and coach. Technology helps make teaching and learning more meaningful and fun.
5. The only drawbacks of having technology present in the classroom would be if you depend exclusively on it to achieve your curricular goals. The drawback would be if a teacher used technology to continue teaching in a one-size-fits-all model instead of what technology does and that is to provide differentiated learning through authentic tasks while equipped with technology tools that allows students to be intellectually challenged while providing them with a realistic snapshot of what the 'real world' looks like. Technology is much like any other resource used in the classroom, it has it's appropriate time and place to reach learning objectives.
6. From my perspective, that's the wrong question to ask. Rather, we should be asking, in the year 2013, why would we not be teaching with technology? What worked for me when I was a high school student doesn't translate to today's learner. That's because thirty years ago, in 1984 when I was a senior, computers were seen as a passing fad and Media and technology skills were only needed if you were going into a computer science field. Today, practically every post-secondary institution requires students to take at least one online course. And while Forbes identifies critical thinking, complex problem-solving and judgement and decision-making as the top skills sought by employers, employers expect these skills to be applied towards the creation, development and ability to strategize technological innovations.** Today we have to look at teaching the necessary skills that learners need to have to be successful. We should stop debating about whether or not to teach 21st century skills: the 21st century is already here, fourteen years as a matter of fact. So, as educators, it's our role to provide students the tools to succeed in life, to make good decisions, expand their view of the world, prepare them for college as well as for work. LIfe and career skills nowadays include good communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, reasoning skills, analytical and critical thinking skills. And in today's world, we have to consider collaboration, creativity, information, media and technology skills as essential. So, yes, I could go without technology in my classroom and teach with just a pencil and paper, but that wouldn't be representative of the world beyond high school. As author, edublogger and presenter Will Richardson put it best, '21st century skills are all about teaching our kids to navigate the world as THEY are experiencing it, not the world WE experienced'.
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