Welcome to our Creative Classroom Blog! I am Ms. Smith, your child's teacher. This is where I will share our information about what we are doing in our classroom and ideas to assist your child with their learning.
The
Benefits of Technology in the Classroom
EDUC-455: Educational Technology Foundations
Donna
Smith
October
20, 2020
The
21st century has brought the digital world into the classroom. Digital learning brings many new learning
opportunities to students through online learning, personalized instruction,
and use of educational technology. In
the last year, due to COVID-19, technology has been more useful than ever. Many students are learning from home and
lessons require the use of a computer to support online learning from the
teachers. Schools are providing students
with their own laptops, iPads, or Chromebooks. However, in schools, research has shown that
teachers are slow to bring technology to their classrooms and there is no real
evidence that support improved learning outcomes for most students.
There
are pros and cons to using technology in the classroom but in my opinion,
technology is useful to teachers and students.
Today’s society is based on technology and its applications. Many jobs require the use of technology and
software programs. Without having a
solid background in school with technology, students may find when they
graduate, a job that they desired was given to someone that had a background
knowledge of technology in school.
One
of the pros of using technology in the classroom is that teachers can get
instant feedback on student progress.
Students who are shy will benefit greatly from technology because they
can participate in polling and other engagement tools without raising a hand in
class. Student response systems assist
students in assessing their knowledge, the teacher in knowing what needs to be
reviewed, and promotes digital citizenship.
Many
educational applications enhance education and make learning fun and engaging. Using competitive scenarios in the classroom
through ‘gamification’ reduces passivity through healthy competition. This type of technology allows for assessment
on student learning through games.
There
are so many tedious tasks in the classroom that can be automated with
technology. Keeping track of
assignments, participation, lesson plans, and grading are just a few items that
can be streamlined. By doing this, the
teacher has more time for instruction of students.
Student
textbooks and course materials are kept up-to-date online. Access to new information that may not be
current in your textbook is valuable.
Reference materials are also provided online so students can access
information at any time. Management
systems, such as Blackboard, are useful to students because teachers can
upload content materials for student review online.
According
to the NMC Horizon Report: 2017
Higher Education Edition, technology is not just about obtaining
technological skills, it is about getting an in-depth understanding of the
digital world. Students that use
technology in the classroom are gaining a vital skill by learning online
etiquette and differentiating reliable from unreliable sources of information. Knowledge of technology is extremely
important if students wish to have a career in almost any field.
The
benefits of technology are valuable and out-weighs the cons. However, teachers need to ensure that the
learning is social, technology is being used to add value to learning, and
learning is authentic.
Ways
to keep learning social is to find applications that allow for two-way
conversations and applications that allow synchronous collaboration such as Google
Docs. Adding value to learning comes
from technology applications that engage higher-level cognitive skills and
differentiated learning. The use of Seesaw
provides activities for learners of different levels. Real-world learning is possible with
technology. Programs such as iNaturalist
and Goosechase allow for connections to be made to real-world
information.
A
case study was done by Tammy M. Stratton of Georgia Southern University on A
Case Study of the Integration of 21st Century Technology within the
Place-Based, Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound (ELOB) Approach to Education
(Stratton, 2014). There is evidence in
her case study to support my stance on technology in the classroom. She believes that teachers have the power to
engage and enhance 21st century learners with technology. Additionally, she believes that technology
encourages and motivates students.
There
must be a teacher-student relationship in the classroom for learning to
occur. Technology in the classroom is a
tool for students to strength their education but is not designed to replace a teacher. Technology simply opens the door to new
learning opportunities and enhanced learning.
Herold, B. (2018, November 29). Technology in Education: An Overview. Education Week.
https://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/technology-in-education/index.html
Himmelsbach, V. (2019, February 28). Six Major Pros & Cons of Technology in
the Classroom. Top Hat. https://tophat.com/blog/6-pros-cons-technology-classroom/
George Lucas Educational Foundation. https://www.edutopia.org/article/research-
based-tech-integration-strategies
Stratton, Tammy M., "A Case Study of the Integration of 21st Century Technology
within the Place-Based, Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound (ELOB) Approach
to Education" (2014). Instructional Technology Education Specialist Research Papers.
16. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/edu-papers/16
Read this book made on StoryJumperThis is a book I created for students about Native Americans. This story tells about the struggles of several Native American tribes. I hope you enjoy reading this book.
Gaming as a Tool for Narrative Writing
No comments:
Post a Comment