Above all else, I made clear in my latest blog post that I think technology should be used ‘responsibly’ in the classroom. But why is this? Why is the responsible use of technology so important to me? Well, in this particular context, I use the word ‘responsibly’ as sort of an umbrella term to sum up several different aspects related to the idea of technological integration, the first of which is purposefulness. I (along with many others I’m sure) feel that technology should only be a part of the classroom environment if it serves some sort of educational purpose. Of course, because of my newly acquired growth mindset, I will always be willing to try new things but throughout the process of doing so, I will be extremely critical about how it relates to the curriculum and about what students are actually getting out of the experience. There are so many great technologies that exist nowadays that have some type of learning component to them; the trick is finding ones that are appealing, appropriate, and relevant.
This leads me to my next point, which is that the extent of technological integration should solely be driven by the students’ individual needs, abilities, and/or preferences. During a ‘technology in the classroom’ workshop that I recently attended, guest speaker Marci Duncan shared some of her insight on this very topic. She expressed how teachers, rather than trying to conjure up a million and one ways of incorporating technology into their classrooms, should be taking a more conservative approach to incorporating technology. In other words, rather than thinking “hmmm, I wonder how I could use this in the classroom” whenever they encounter a new type of technology, teachers should instead be vigilantly waiting until they notice a need or an issue arise in their class, at which point, they should then ask themselves “hmmm, I wonder if there is some sort of technology out there that would make this easier, more efficient, more enjoyable, etc”. According to her – and I could not agree more – if you’re looking for a way to use technology in your classroom before there is a warranted need for it, then you’re working backwards. So, in this sense, the word ‘responsibly’ is used in place of ‘appropriately’. Again, there are many technologies that exist that can help both students and teachers immensely but I think ensuring that such technologies are properly introduced and routinely examined is vital to their successful integration.
And lastly, I use the word ‘responsibly’ to take on the meaning of “to exhibit competency”. I feel, and again I’m sure I’m not alone, that if technology is to be integrated into a classroom, that the teacher of that classroom should be familiar with how it works, at least to the extent needed for it to be used with some proficiency. After all, how useful is a SMART Board if all it really does is collect dust because the teacher was never instructed on how to use it? Or a class blog if it only gets updated a handful of times throughout the school year because the teacher is unfamiliar with the blogging process? (For a list of common mistakes that teachers make when using technology in the classroom, click here). Though I do not consider tech-savviness as a prerequisite for being a teacher, I do feel that today’s teachers should attempt to stay up-to-date in their technological repertoire.
Despite my somewhat critical outlook on technology’s merge with education, I still feel that technology is something that deserves a prominent presence in 21st century classrooms. Not only because it acclimatizes students to the tools and processes that are becoming ever prevalent in today’s society, but perhaps more importantly, because it can spark student engagement and can help strengthen and/or further student understanding. Looking back on the 5 week placement that I just recently completed, I can recall several instances that support the notion that technology, when properly integrated, can act to get students more excited about and involved in whatever it is they are learning. Likewise, I am aware of several instances in which technology served a vital role in helping students to make connections and better comprehend something. As such, I am all for the use of technology in the classroom, I just warn against it being used irresponsibly.
References
Murray, J. (n.d.). 9 mistakes teachers make using technology in the classroom. Retrieved from:
http://www.teachhub.com/9-mistakes-teachers-make-using-technology-classroom
This leads me to my next point, which is that the extent of technological integration should solely be driven by the students’ individual needs, abilities, and/or preferences. During a ‘technology in the classroom’ workshop that I recently attended, guest speaker Marci Duncan shared some of her insight on this very topic. She expressed how teachers, rather than trying to conjure up a million and one ways of incorporating technology into their classrooms, should be taking a more conservative approach to incorporating technology. In other words, rather than thinking “hmmm, I wonder how I could use this in the classroom” whenever they encounter a new type of technology, teachers should instead be vigilantly waiting until they notice a need or an issue arise in their class, at which point, they should then ask themselves “hmmm, I wonder if there is some sort of technology out there that would make this easier, more efficient, more enjoyable, etc”. According to her – and I could not agree more – if you’re looking for a way to use technology in your classroom before there is a warranted need for it, then you’re working backwards. So, in this sense, the word ‘responsibly’ is used in place of ‘appropriately’. Again, there are many technologies that exist that can help both students and teachers immensely but I think ensuring that such technologies are properly introduced and routinely examined is vital to their successful integration.
And lastly, I use the word ‘responsibly’ to take on the meaning of “to exhibit competency”. I feel, and again I’m sure I’m not alone, that if technology is to be integrated into a classroom, that the teacher of that classroom should be familiar with how it works, at least to the extent needed for it to be used with some proficiency. After all, how useful is a SMART Board if all it really does is collect dust because the teacher was never instructed on how to use it? Or a class blog if it only gets updated a handful of times throughout the school year because the teacher is unfamiliar with the blogging process? (For a list of common mistakes that teachers make when using technology in the classroom, click here). Though I do not consider tech-savviness as a prerequisite for being a teacher, I do feel that today’s teachers should attempt to stay up-to-date in their technological repertoire.
Despite my somewhat critical outlook on technology’s merge with education, I still feel that technology is something that deserves a prominent presence in 21st century classrooms. Not only because it acclimatizes students to the tools and processes that are becoming ever prevalent in today’s society, but perhaps more importantly, because it can spark student engagement and can help strengthen and/or further student understanding. Looking back on the 5 week placement that I just recently completed, I can recall several instances that support the notion that technology, when properly integrated, can act to get students more excited about and involved in whatever it is they are learning. Likewise, I am aware of several instances in which technology served a vital role in helping students to make connections and better comprehend something. As such, I am all for the use of technology in the classroom, I just warn against it being used irresponsibly.
References
Murray, J. (n.d.). 9 mistakes teachers make using technology in the classroom. Retrieved from:
http://www.teachhub.com/9-mistakes-teachers-make-using-technology-classroom