Vision
Instructional technology in the classroom should be used to enhance and support the delivery of classroom instruction, however, adequate engaged learning should already be taking place. Constructivists believe students should be active seekers and constructors of knowledge – and students bring their own individual goals and curiosities to the classroom (Creighton, 2003). Students need to feel the ownership of learning in order for their education to become real. Going along with constructivist methods, Vygotsky (1962), suggested that cognitive development depends on the student's social interaction with others, where language plays a central role in learning (Creighton, 2003). Learning in a classroom should be student-centered with planning, teaching and assessment centered around the needs and abilities of students (ISTE's Essential Conditions, 2010). According to Creighton (2003), the teacher should be a facilitator, a guide and a co-learner. Engaged learning includes collaboration between students and teachers. According to Creighton (2003), students are explorers, cognitive apprentices and produces of knowledge.
In order for technology to have an impact on learning, technology should to be implemented on a regular basis and used for more than drill and practice. In a study done by Middleton & Murray (1999), the level of technology used by the teacher significantly affected student academic achievement in mathematics...Students whose teachers were high level users of technology in the classroom scored significantly better than did students whose teachers were low level users of technology in the classroom (CARET, 2005).
For content, pedagogy, and technology to work together, the educator may need to change some of his thoughts and feeling on student learning. A teacher may need to do a self-check of where he is professionally using the TPACK model. TPACK is a rich understanding of how teaching and learning within a specific content area occur and change as a result of authentic, meaningful application of appropriate technologies (Guerrero, 2010). Koehler, Mishra, & Polly (2008) conclude that “A teacher capable of negotiating these relationships represents a form of expertise different from, and greater than, the knowledge of a disciplinary expert, a technology expert, and a pedagogical expert (Guerrero, 2010). A teacher should be able to assess when technology would be appropriate and when technology would not be appropriate to use for teaching content related concepts. When technology is used in the classroom, it must be used in a meaningful way. According to Robler and Doering (2010), teachers should integrate technology to motivate students, enhance instruction, to make teacher and student work more productively and to help students learn and sharpen their information age skills.
In conclusion, the classroom should be a place of engaged, student learning focused on the abilities of the students. The teacher must be a facilitator, a guide and a co-learner along with students. Students should be able to take ownership of their learning and discover and interact with the world around them. Technology should be included in this learning environment to enhance classroom instruction. Technology is not the focus. The use of technology and its meaningful support for engaged learning should be the focus of classroom instruction.
References
Cartersville School System (2009). Three Year Technology Plan.
Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology (CARET, 2005). Student Learning: How can technology influence student
academic performance? Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://caret.iste.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=evidence&answerID=4
Creighton, T. (2003). The Principal as Technology Leader. California: Corwin Press Inc.
Guerrero, Shannon, PhD (2010). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge in the Mathematics Classroom [Electronic Version].
Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, Volume 26 Number 4.
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE, 2010). Necessary Conditions to Effectively Leverage Technology for Learning.
Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-for-students-essential conditions.aspx
Roblyer, M.D., Doering, Aaron (2010). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (Fifth Edition). Pearson Education, Inc.
In order for technology to have an impact on learning, technology should to be implemented on a regular basis and used for more than drill and practice. In a study done by Middleton & Murray (1999), the level of technology used by the teacher significantly affected student academic achievement in mathematics...Students whose teachers were high level users of technology in the classroom scored significantly better than did students whose teachers were low level users of technology in the classroom (CARET, 2005).
For content, pedagogy, and technology to work together, the educator may need to change some of his thoughts and feeling on student learning. A teacher may need to do a self-check of where he is professionally using the TPACK model. TPACK is a rich understanding of how teaching and learning within a specific content area occur and change as a result of authentic, meaningful application of appropriate technologies (Guerrero, 2010). Koehler, Mishra, & Polly (2008) conclude that “A teacher capable of negotiating these relationships represents a form of expertise different from, and greater than, the knowledge of a disciplinary expert, a technology expert, and a pedagogical expert (Guerrero, 2010). A teacher should be able to assess when technology would be appropriate and when technology would not be appropriate to use for teaching content related concepts. When technology is used in the classroom, it must be used in a meaningful way. According to Robler and Doering (2010), teachers should integrate technology to motivate students, enhance instruction, to make teacher and student work more productively and to help students learn and sharpen their information age skills.
In conclusion, the classroom should be a place of engaged, student learning focused on the abilities of the students. The teacher must be a facilitator, a guide and a co-learner along with students. Students should be able to take ownership of their learning and discover and interact with the world around them. Technology should be included in this learning environment to enhance classroom instruction. Technology is not the focus. The use of technology and its meaningful support for engaged learning should be the focus of classroom instruction.
References
Cartersville School System (2009). Three Year Technology Plan.
Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology (CARET, 2005). Student Learning: How can technology influence student
academic performance? Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://caret.iste.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=evidence&answerID=4
Creighton, T. (2003). The Principal as Technology Leader. California: Corwin Press Inc.
Guerrero, Shannon, PhD (2010). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge in the Mathematics Classroom [Electronic Version].
Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, Volume 26 Number 4.
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE, 2010). Necessary Conditions to Effectively Leverage Technology for Learning.
Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-for-students-essential conditions.aspx
Roblyer, M.D., Doering, Aaron (2010). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (Fifth Edition). Pearson Education, Inc.