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and its use in the classroom
EDFN / EDAD 750 Educational Technology
4/20/06
Danny Janklow
When someone talks today about using technology in the classroom it can mean a variety of things. For instance, technology use can be much more elaborate in one classroom versus another. So many teachers and students use technology on a regular basis but do not use it to do the assignments or present the curriculum material to the students. Too often teachers are busy trying to implement and stay current with the new requirements that are both passed by school boards as well as current legislation. Many students are able to properly use technology but are not afforded the necessary time. In order to provide students with ample computer time educators must allow for technology use in all subject areas. Not just in a one hour computer class teaching keyboarding skills and internet search engine usage. Students today must be able to use and integrate various types of technology to stay with current educational trends. Too often we find many factors which impede computer usage and understanding. Such factors can be income level, home life, siblings or having some outdated type of technology which does not interface with the school platforms.
The use of computers in school require an immense amount of understanding and learning for the school staff to be able to efficiently teach the main ideas associated with technology. It is up to the teachers to determine the success or failure of technology usage in the schools. Teachers must connect curriculum to student activities through the use of computers. In order to do this we as teachers must be able to receive the necessary training in order to teach the subject matter. Technology is a proven tool that can help lower dropout rates, enhance student achievement, provide access to information around the world, and raise student’s self esteem. In every class teachers must contend with a variety of learners, such as fast paced learners, less motivated learners, students with learning disabilities and so on. With computers in the classroom teachers have access to tools that have the potential for providing learning experiences relevant to each of their unique student needs. Some of the largest barriers we see can be within the school computer labs.
The impact of technology on the classroom environment has been monumental. For example, according to Rober Alfaro of the San Antonio Independent School District,
In a new program titled the Waterford Early Reading Program, new technology and the old fashioned buddy system work together to infuse schools with enthusiasm and dynamic teaching practices. The software package allows computers to track each child’s progress and give the teacher detailed assessment reports. An independent study found that 90% of the participating children had achieved reading readiness for the first grade.
Schools are finding the buddy system to be an effective way to get students motivated about using technology. Younger students usually enjoy working with older more knowledgeable students when learning a new idea. The effectiveness of technology tends to vary as a function of the curriculum content and instructional strategy delivered by the technology. When content and strategies are determined to meet accepted educational standards, research, as shown below, reveals that technology can enhance student achievement. The second column shows how technology can facilitate learning.
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Technology & Student Achievement Teacher Instructional change
Increase performance More student centered teaching
Improves learning attitude, confidence Emphasis on individualized instruction
Increases student collaboration Increased time for teacher help
Emphasizes problem solving Increased teacher productivity
Provides instant feedback Increased revision of curriculum
Cost is another significant aspect when dealing with technology, this chart will show the major concerns dealing with infrastructure and implementation of a new technology plan. Many schools have logistical problems when dealing with technology integration. For instance:
This is the traditional approach to planning technology programs which first involves focusing on cost first and then moving to hardware needs, ease of implementation, courseware, curriculum, and, finally, philosophy of teaching. Perry Brown, director of the office of technology for Anderson Schools in Clinton, Tennessee, believes that the process should be reversed. He believes that when financing technology programs, educators first need to look at the philosophy of education as the foundation of the program, and then the other elements should follow. Once the community and school district establish a consensus on the philosophy of the technology program, they will be better prepared to link it to the school curriculum. The curriculum, in turn, will determine the scope and sequence of courseware and other software used in the classroom. Once all of these factors are in place, then cost and financing come into play, adjustments can then be made to meld the desired program with its cost.
We must make technology easy enough for a child to use, we must also make the curriculum easy enough to follow in order for any level of student to use and be successful. As educators we must focus on solutions, not problems. Each of us as an educational leader is forced to deal with the logistical nightmares that come along with technology. If we all work together, then we can as a group find any solution necessary. We need to use technology, become efficient in its usage, and be able to properly teach necessary skills for all persons to be successful, students and teachers alike.
To visit our districts webpage and look at its technology plan please follow the link below. http://www.rcas.org/csac/tech/techplan/RCAS%20Technology%20Plan.pdf
This link will take you directly to the technology plan for Rapid City Area Schools, here you will find all the relevant information for our district.
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Reference:
Layton, T. (2000, September). Digital learning. Why tomorrow’s schools must learn to let go of the past. Electronic School.Com. Retrieved May 16, 2002, from www.electronic-school.com/2000/09/0900f1.html
Becker, H.J. (2000, Fall/Winter). Who’s wired and who’s not: Children’s access to and use of computer technology. The Future of Children: Children and Computer Technology, 10(2), 66. The article includes the following statistics:
· Only 22% of children in families with annual incomes under $20,000 had a home computer in 1998 compared with 91% of children in families with incomes over $75,000.
· Fewer than 3% of low-income children reported using computers in libraries or community centers in 1998.
· Schools serving predominantly low-income children generally have computers connected to the Internet, but they tend to have older, less functional computers; to have fewer computers to create presentations and analyze information – compared with schools serving higher-income children.
Cradler, J. (1995). Summary of current research and evaluation findings on technology in education. Retrieved May 17, 2002, from www.cupertino.k12.ca.us/Do.www/Scopenseq.html
Brown, P. (1995, February). Total integration of courseware throughout the elementary curriculum. Paper presented at the National IBM School Executive Conference, Chicago, Illinois.
Carr, S. (1997). Putting it all together, Education Week’s Technology Counts, 17(11), 88.