Photo Credit to Curtis Palmer on Flickr
Focus Question: How does technology promote educational
change?
Technology is constantly changing and improving. The
commercial for the next iPhone comes on and suddenly we have to have it. There’s
almost an innate need for evolvement within us, and sometimes technology can
satisfy that need (until the next best version comes out). It is well known
that students generally understand and enjoy technology, so why not integrate
it into the classroom? Assuming teachers are willing to take this step,
technology could change education in numerous ways. The first of these is
instant research. “Ask anyone over the age of 50 with a PhD what it was like to
get the information that they needed and they will generally begin to swear and
discuss how young people these days have it so soft” (Wilhelm). Students have
tiny computers in their pockets, and when used correctly, their questions can
be answered almost immediately. Another big reason is simulating motivation and
self-esteem. “Through either personal experience or a review of the literature,
many innovators perceived the dramatic effects that technology can have on
students' interest in class activities and their sense of their own
capabilities” (Reasons for Bringing Technology Into Schools). As I said earlier, why not integrate
technology that students are comfortable using and enjoy using?
Photo Credit to James F Clay on Flickr
Tech Tool4.1: Online Technology Integration Resources
Edutopia is a great website. I did last week’s post with some
Edutopia articles and I was very impressed with the selection. The second site
mentioned was the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers
(NETS-T). This website shows teachers how others have integrated technology
into their classroom and discusses the different effects it’s had on their
teaching methods. The third site listed is NCTE. It first discusses a weekly
summary of English/language arts but also mentions posts from teachers that use
technology within their classrooms. Because I already know and use Edutopia, I think
NCTE is what interests me the most from this week’s Tech Tool. I love the idea
of a blog of feedback from teachers that already use technology with their
students.
Photo Credit to audiovisualjunkie on Flickr
Chapter Summary: Integrating Technology and Creating Change
This chapter discusses integrating technology into classrooms,
and the pros and cons that come with it. The main problems addressed are the
digital divide, inequality, and the gap in participation. The divide discusses
students that aren’t able to access the internet as easily as others. Digital
inequality states that simply having computers around school isn’t enough. When
students are outside of school, not all of them have internet access on
weeknights and weekends. This leads to the participation gap, which states that
students that have ready access are much more technologically knowledgeable as
they have more exposure than students who do not have the same opportunities. “Often,
economically advantaged kids get to do more intellectually challenging
activities, a consequence of tracking by test scores where some youngsters are
seen as talented and gifted while others are defined as lacking proficiency in
basic skills” (Maloy, 2011). I think
that as long as teachers are willing to work with the technology they have,
that any change and integration is good change/integration. Personally I’ve
found that technology in the classroom is incredibly helpful. I really enjoyed
the activity we did with Socrative, as I found the app itself to be very
innovative. I also think that access to class materials via portal/canvas is
something I can’t imagine not having. Without technology aiding my schooling, I’m
not sure where I’d be; yet I’m continually learning about new sites, apps, and
methods to access them. We are lucky enough to have constant access here at
Edison, and I personally am lucky enough to have a small computer in my pocket
24/7.
References:
Maloy, R. W. (2011). Integrating Technology and Creating
Change. Transforming learning with new technologies (p. 95). Boston:
Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Reasons for Bringing Technology Into Schools. (n.d.). U.S.
Department of Education. Retrieved September 11, 2013, from
http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/reasons.html
Wilhelm, Alex. "How Technology Has Changed Education -
The Next Web." The Next Web - International technology news, business
& culture. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2013.
<http://thenextweb.com/insider/2011/01/05/how-technology-has-changed-education/>.
Well written (reflective of your academic preference and experience) with vital points. Continue to develop the reflective/personalization of your response in the blog - how would you use it? Why would it be better/worse than what you know/use now? In other words, dive deep, especially for the Tech Tool and really explore.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos and attributions, too!