Information technology has taken the educational landscape by storm, causing a complete shift in how we utilize technology in education. The millennial generation has grown up in an era of rapid technological advances. For them “listening to a lecture and taking notes is no longer an important skill, but analyzing information from screens is” (Bowen, 127). These students have been exposed to digital screens from a very early age and have adapted their learning accordingly. And since not all students learn the same, information technology has served to provide a rich array of multimedia for usage in education (Delzotto). Teachers now have access to a wealth of educational tools; engaging presentation tools, laptops, smartphones, tablets, smart-boards and a host of Web 2.0 tools. They can post documents, ebooks, podcasts, videos, and encourage online discussion forums. In turn, students can submit assignments online and view feedback all in a single virtual space. Learning Management Systems (LMS) can facilitate communication, interaction, and collaboration among students while providing opportunities for increased engagement. Thus the use of technology for education delivery is paramount; both to meet the needs of the student and to ensure students are current with the technological demands of the future workforce.
The chapter on technology for information delivery in Bowen’s text “Teaching Naked” gave me some great ideas on how to incorporate educational technology outside the classroom. The author stresses the importance of using technology outside of class time for first exposure to content, as students will be more engaged when they subsequently come to class. The class time can then be utilized to maximize student learning by facilitating increased discussions and promoting deeper understanding of material. I also realized that technology can often deliver content in better ways than the traditional classroom-style lecture. In the article “Impact of Technology on Education,” (Oak, 2016) the author states the greatest impact of technology on education has said to have been a change in perspective. The paradigm shift in thinking from local to global can be attributed to technology. That is a very powerful statement that captures the essence of the effects of technology on learning. We have really shifted from thinking on a local scale to a much grander scale, with the ability to connect world-wide. Opportunities for collaboration are endless and serve to enrich our knowledge base.
The research on technology indicates it is the way of the future; technological literacy will be a valued skill in students’ futures (Kuntz, 2012). Thus, educators must embrace all forms of technology instead of fighting against its usage. Quite often we see instructors commenting on the use of cell phones in classrooms. I believe instead of focusing on the negative aspects of cell phone usage we can have transparent conversations about appropriate usage instead. Smart-phones, instant messaging, music, videos, and social networking are all part of the youth culture; party of their identity and it’s not going away (Kuntz, 2012). Technology also promotes independent learning for students as they are accustomed to surfing the internet in order to look for the lessons they need to study. They will have easier access to information as they no longer need to worry about forgetting items behind if they are accessible online. Moreover, students will be exposed to more images, graphics and text, arousing their interest in the subject matter. On the flip side, one could argue students might become lazier from having easy access to information. They may forget the basic way of studying and rely heavily on online resources. Nonetheless, technological advances will continue to occur and we must equip our students with the necessary skills to navigate successfully.
One strategy for engaging students outside the classroom is to pose a question to them at the end of class and ask them to perform a google search and be prepared to discuss their findings at the next class meeting. We can email students a link to a youtube video to watch prior to attending the next class. Sometimes I like to email an online article and have the students formulate a professional email in response to the article. This serves as practice for job-specific skills that will be required of them in the workplace setting. I have not tried podcasts yet however will be making one in this course and I would love to implement them in the program I teach. Research suggests mixing technology by using podcasts in place of some of the reading can keep students more awake and enable more classroom discussions (Wainwright, 2016).
References
Bowen, Jose Antonio (2012). Teaching Naked: How Moving Technology Out of Your College Classroom Will Improve Student Learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Delzotto (2016). What Are the Benefits of Information Technology in Education? Retrieved May 22, 2016 from: http://science.opposingviews.com/benefits-information-technology-education-1213.html
Kuntz, Brad (2012). How to Master the Art of Communication: Engage Students by Embracing Technology, vol 54, no 6. Education Update. Gladstone, OR: USA
Oak, Manali (2016). Impact of Technology on Education. Retrieved May 22, 2016 from: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/impact-of-technology-on-education.html
Wainwright, Ashley (2016). 6 Ways to Engage Student with Technology in the Classroom. Secure Edge Networks. Charlotte, NC: USA
Karen Deol 