Integrating Technology in the Classroom
There used to be a time in which people wrote letters,
enclosed them in an envelope and mailed them to the destined person. Cell
phones were huge bulky devices which served only one purpose, making and
receiving phone calls. Computers weighed more than a child. Educators in
today’s day struggle to match instruction to students’ needs. There is no
question about why that is a struggle. Our student population is changing at a
very rapid speed, due to the many rapid changes that are occurring in the
technology world.
I was born in the 80s and portable Walkmans were the
music craze in those days. Now, people are able to listen to music through an
MP3player. This device stores a lot of songs/videos and eliminates the need for
bulky tapes/CDs or the need to leave your home to purchase the music. Today we
have e-readers. These devices allow for the reader to change the font size and
spacing facilitating reading. When I was growing up, there was no such thing. I
read from printed text on paper. Forget about changing the font. It came in a
one-size-BETTER-fit-all. Our students are fortunate to have information
delivered to them in seconds. They can even purchase music, shoes, clothes,
etc. without ever having to leave their homes. However, the fact that information
and goods can be sent and received at a rapid speed only creates students who
enjoy receiving information at a rapid speed and through different methods.
In 2009, Eric Klopfer, Scot Osterweil, Jennifer Groff
and Jason Haas published the article, The
Instructional Power of Digital Games, Social Networking Simulations, and how
Teachers can Leverage Them. In this article the authors write:
Undoubtedly,
without these recent technologies (i.e. digital games, Web 2.0, etc.) in the
classroom, strong lessons can still be achieved, but there’s a sharp disconnect
between the way students are taught in school and the way the outside world
approaches socialization, meaning-making, and accomplishment. It is critical
that education not only seek to mitigate this disconnect in order to make these
two “worlds” more seamless, but of course also to leverage the power of these
emerging technologies for instructional gain. (p.2)
There is a need to connect these two worlds
for our students in the classroom. In order to make learning relevant we need
to incorporate technology into our lessons. The following are two examples in
which technology can be integrated into our classrooms to help unite the
technology world (outside world) and the classroom world.
Active Boards
This device not only brings technology into
the classroom, but it also reduces eyestrain and the font setting can be
changed to better suit the person reading the text. Students with dyslexia
usually hate to read. This is typically due to the struggle to configure and
decode the symbols. An e-reader would allow a student with dyslexia or
dysgraphia to increase the font and the character spacing of the text. Perhaps,
the student with dyslexia could discover a love for reading while at the same
time closing the gap that exists between the technology world and the classroom
world.
There is an innumerable amount of ways
to close the gap that exists in technology and our classrooms. Two questions
that do need to be kept in mind when selecting technology for the classroom is:
How will this help close the gap that exists between the outside and the
classroom? How will this benefit my students?
References
7 things
you should know about…e-readers. (2010, March). Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7058.pdf
Klopfer,
E. , Osterweil, S. ,Jennifer Groff, J. & Haas, J. (2009). The instructional
power of digital games, social networking simulations, and how teachers can
leverage them. Retrieved from http://education.mit.edu/papers/GamesSimsSocNets_EdArcade.pdf
Writer, S.
(2012). How to use an Active Board in the classroom. Retrieved from http://www.howtodothings.com/education/how-to-use-an-active-board-in-the-classroom
I agree that technology is a great tool that can benefit leaners, especially ones that typically struggle with the process of learning. I also think that technology can be used to close the gap in many ways. Technology is more interesting and relevant for students. It makes them feel as if they are doing something fun or something that is interesting to them. We can, therefore, teaching otherwise “dry” concepts with the use of technology and make them dynamic. The major obstacle with incorporating technology into education is simply the availability of resources. We need more public education funds to be dedicated to technology purchases for the classroom. Otherwise, the gap will always remain between the “haves” and the “have nots.”
ReplyDeleteI agree that technology is a great tool that can benefit leaners, especially ones that typically struggle with the process of learning. I also think that technology can be used to close the gap in many ways. Technology is more interesting and relevant for students. It makes them feel as if they are doing something fun or something that is interesting to them. We can, therefore, teaching otherwise “dry” concepts with the use of technology and make them dynamic. The major obstacle with incorporating technology into education is simply the availability of resources. We need more public education funds to be dedicated to technology purchases for the classroom. Otherwise, the gap will always remain between the “haves” and the “have nots.”
ReplyDelete