Technology in the Classroom: Is it a Good Thing??

In one of my placements in a Kindergarten classroom, the teacher asked me to take a few students one-on-one and practice their reading fluency and phonetic pronunciation. I expected her to give me a few books, but instead she handed me an iPad. There were a few apps that the teacher briefly showed me to use, and there were multiple settings of difficulty depending on the reader. I looked at the iPad quite overwhelmed and then one of the student’s points to it and goes,

“This is how you do it, now you have to choose the setting..”

I felt like a digital dinosaur, these kids seem to know more about technology than me! I believe we are living in a new generation of education where technology will be used in more sophisticated ways that will enhance student learning.

Why I believe this is so important is because technology is now becoming a huge part of young children’s lives, as children are exposed to digital media and technology everywhere they go. Evidence from a study by Elena Andrei (2014) indicates that technology integration in the language learning classrooms leads not only to increased participation, but also engagement and collaboration among students.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/56155476

Delivery methods and teaching strategies are rapidly changing in order to favour the different types of learners that exist in a classroom. In the above photo, the iPad has been delivered to students in new ways, where it can appeal to all types of visual or auditory learners. What Andrei (2014) found in her study, which absolutely fascinated me, was that ESL students and students who have difficulty in both reading and writing fluency showed significant improvements with the presence of technology in the classroom. There were several learning websites that were intended to help these students learn and practice their spelling, their basic language words and even improve their reading by following along the computer read aloud system. Whether it be through internet connection, digital boards, computers or iPads, these are all potentially great tools which can engage students and teachers in all aspects of subject content.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/vancouverschoolboard/

Our students are now entering the 21^st century, and we must prepare them for this ever-present and ever-changing society that continues to grow technologically everyday. Andrei (2014) suggests that these 21^st century skills include being able to effectively communicate and collaborate, problem solve, and develop the life skills in order to adapt to current and future circumstances. We live in such a tech savvy world now, as we are surrounded by the Internet, search engines, hand-held electronic devices and social media. This allows our students to be in touch with people, places and information instantly, and it opens up a whole new process of critical thinking and problem solving. I was completely in awe of what young elementary school students have accomplished as a result of technology. The picture to the right shows 2 boys who showcased their digital robot in which they designed to be controlled by the iPad, allowing the water bottle to be held or opened based on the touch of a finger. All of this is made possible through the encouragement and support of technology in the classroom.

Motion Math: Hungry Fish iPad App- The fish is to eat the bubbles
that corresponds to the total number inside the fish. (ie. Because the
 fish is labelled -11, you would tap the bubbles with the -5 and -6, in
 order to reach the appropriate total). More information about this game
can be found at this link

Now I'm sure you are wondering about the negative impediments that technology can bring to a classroom, and the important thing to say is that, in no way am I expressing that technology should take over the teaching platform of teachers, but rather use technology as a tool to explore, create and collaborate new ideas by learning through different instruction. Advances in technology have led to continuous innovation in teaching and learning methods, and one study in particular has really shown me that technology allows teacher's to step back, and give their students an opportunity to "learn by doing," something educational philosopher, John Dewey, strongly believed in. Hung et al. (2015) found that the use of a iPad in the classroom has been shown to be effective in not only attracting and motivating students’ interest, but also increasing their desire to participate in learning activities. There is an iPad app called Motion Math: Hungry Fish, which helps students understand and practice mental addition and subtraction (Hung et al., 2015). Not only does it allow students to learn and improve on their mathematic abilities, but they become self-motivated. In looking at the teacher's role when using an iPad, it allows them to be facilitators and guides to their students' learning, rather than just directly instructing. In this sense, learning becomes student-driven, putting students at the center of their own learning.

Our world and our expectations are changing dramatically due to technology. As a result, the skills that our students need to succeed are dramatically different today from what students needed 10 or more years ago. We should be welcoming changes and celebrating new ideas, as technology in the classroom is not just a tool or resource, but an essential element in order to transform both teaching and learning.

What I believe I am getting at is that technology has become a new way of thinking, and as Drake et al. (2014) suggests, it has become an extension of our brains. I truly believe that we are the beginning of a new world full of imagination and creativity. This digital wisdom will allow us, as future educators, to develop new and innovative ways of teaching that is like bringing your student's on a virtual field trip everyday!!! 

Thank you for reading my first blog, I hope this new digital culture inspires you as much as it did for me. For all those future educators out there, I want to show you all a short video clip that proves how illuminating and limitless the iPad and technology truly is! 

I’d love to leave off with a quote from Prensky (2013) “..technology isn’t something we need in addition to mental activity; technology is now part of mental activity” (p.22)

If you are looking to transform your classroom into an aesthetically pleasing, tech-friendly atmosphere, here is a great read that offers creative tips on achieving this rich learning environment!

References

Andrei, E. (2014). Digital technology in three middle school ESL language arts classrooms. TESL Reporter, 47(1/2), 35-50.

Drake, S. M., Reid, J.L. & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving curriculum and classroom assessment: Engaging the 21st century learner. Toronto, ON: Oxford University Press.

Hung, C., Sun, J. C., & Yu, P. (2015). The benefits of a challenge: Student motivation and flow experience in tablet-PC-game-based learning. Interactive Learning Environments, 23(2), 172-190.

iPads in the Classroom (2013, January 31). Eric Crouch [video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzSNdxsfk0Q

Prensky, M. (2013). Our brains extended. Educational Leadership, 70(6), 22-27.