Technology has changed the way we live. It has affected all facets of human life and redefined living as we know it. As technology is involved in every aspect of life, it is only certain that its impact be seen and felt in the changes across all fields, from industry to education.
Technology touches almost every part of our lives, our communities, our homes. Yet most schools are far behind when it comes to integrating technology into their classroom learning. If properly used, technology can certainly help students acquire the skills they need to survive in our modern, complex, highly technological world.
Integrating technology into classroom instruction means more than teaching basic computer skills and software programs in a separate computer class. It cannot be used as a secondary source to supplement the traditional curriculum. Effective technology integration must happen across the curriculum in ways that support and enhance the learning process. Effective technology integration is achieved when the use of technology is routine and when technology supports curricular goals.
I believe that technology is essential in the classroom in our ever-changing world. Children today are already proficient with technology than previous generations so the current and future classrooms will need to be filled with technology to satisfy the new generations of technology experts. The technological revolution has affected everyone but mostly children. Modern children are raised with remote controls, battery-operated toys, and internet games. They are now used to an environment in which they can control the access and flow of instant information. As a result, the classroom has to keep up with real life.
In the classroom, technology resources range from computers, software programs, and the Internet to digital cameras, camcorders, and voice recorders. It is important to note that technology isn’t a teaching substitute, but a valuable aid that introduces children to new ways of thinking and working. Additionally, it’s a great introduction to resources that the children are certain to use in the future. To get the maximum benefit from technology, the best classrooms implement technology into regular lessons that develop students’ higher order thinking skills, promote creativity, and facilitate academic learning. Technology can also be used to evaluate students’ progress. Technology definitely adds an extra dimension to the classroom, giving teachers more ways to inspire and capture the imaginations of their pupils. It’s important to make sure however, those teachers are given the training to ensure their effective integration of technology into their classes. Keeler (2008) identified several useful ways in which technology can be used in a classroom such as keeping a class website with links to activities and worksheets, keeping a class blog for all students to use, and using audio messages and e-mail to communicate with each other. Moreover, instructional technology can be used by students to do
in-class activities and complete required course assignments, for example to keep journals, type assignments, do research, and create E-portfolios. Through technology, students are more engaged in their learning, which will be more meaningful to them.
Technology alone is just a tool, but for its potential to be maximized, constructivism is the answer. In constructivism, children are believed to actively construct their knowledge; they do not just absorb what is spoken to them. The two notions of constructivism that apply are:
1. Play and experimentation are important forms of learning
2. When children collaborate, there are powerful gains. They share the process of constructing their ideas. The child is viewed as an independent autonomous creator of his own knowledge.
Technology strongly supports a constructivist view of education. By presenting the concepts of constructivist education and engaged learning in the context of school structure, it can be seen that technology has a powerful role in facilitating, and in some cases inspiring, the reorganization of education. From a constructivist perspective, when placed in the hands of a student who is charged with solving meaningful, real-world problems and the computer becomes a powerful tool for gathering, manipulating, and synthesizing, presenting information. By using technology, a student can explore and navigate through a wide body of information and discover facts, principles, and concepts as they go. This type of exploration is largely self-directed, therefore allowing each student to assimilate information and construct meaning in a way that is personally relevant.
With that being said, it is important to discuss the role of the teacher in this new type of technology-infused curricula. Naturally, the teacher’s role must change as the whole classroom experience is changing. Research shows that successful use of educational technology tools in the classroom depends on positive teacher attitudes toward Ed Tech. How much confidence a teacher has using technology greatly influences the effective implementation of such methods in the classroom. On the other hand, anxiety may cause major resistance to using technology, and is often the direct result of insufficient exposure and experience with technology.
Teachers are a major factor in the use and success of technology integration. Therefore, changing teachers’ attitudes is the key to attaining the goal of successfully integrating technology. It is worth noting that in the past, teacher attitudes were not even considered in the introduction of mobile learning tools into the classroom. In addition, the quality of the children’s experience with these tools in schools is directly influenced by the teacher’s attitude toward technology. It goes without saying that effective teacher training in classroom mobile learning tools use and technology integration has a great impact on students’ attitudes, which in turn reflects on students’ achievements. Finally, integration of technology strongly influences teachers’ and students’ attitudes alike. However, this integration cannot be effective without ongoing teacher training.
In summary, computers and internet technology have revolutionized the world. Education as we knew it no longer exists. No longer can schools ignore the importance and effects of technology on their curriculum and quality of education. In fact, with technology education has become easier and more fun for the teachers as well as the students. In my opinion, the importance of technology integration and regular instructional use cannot be stressed enough.
