The benefits of technology in education are evident and
abundant. Today’s classrooms can no
longer be hands off when it comes to technology, if the goal is optimal student
learning. The options for forms of
technology to use are plentiful.
Teachers and librarians alike must simply recognize these benefits and
do everything in their power to jump into using as much technology as possible.
Technology can make projects and lessons in classrooms
easier. Teachers, librarians, and
students can be more organized through a variety of technology outlets. Through the Internet, all people are
connected to a broad network of others.
By taping into this network, there are endless possibilities for
learning and usable resources. Additionally, “students are excited to learn,
collaborate, and communicate” (Richardson, 2012, p.32). Students enjoy working together and
technology provides them with more opportunities to connect. Technology also provides for more effective
and engaging learning. Perhaps most
importantly, technology is the future for this generation of children and the
ones to come. Educators are ultimately
called to prepare their students for that future.
A tremendous variety of technology currently exists that can
effectively be used in education. One
such example is GoogleDocs, which allows documents to be accessed and shared by
a variety of users. Documents are also
saved on a sever rather than a computer, allowing for access anywhere at
anytime, and minimizing the risk of losing documents if a computer
crashes. Students would greatly benefit
from putting projects in this format, and teachers could therefore access them
throughout the time spent working.
Another wonderful piece of educational technology is TedEd. This program allows teachers and educators to
incorporate lessons virtually. These
lessons can be interactive and allow the creator to link a variety of resources
to one place. Not only is this more
organized, but it is also more mobile and flexible. ThingLink and Padlet are sites that allow
educators to provide links either to one another or to students. ThingLink provides the opportunity to link
sites of one’s choosing to an image.
Teachers could use this to create teaching links that students could
interact with. Similarly, Padlet allows
users to post anything of their choosing to a virtual wall. This can be used for discussion or
interactive links. Another wonderful
tool available to educators is the ability to design custom search engines for
students. This provides the opportunity for educators to limit the sites
searched by students, providing students with valuable and more limited
resources, rather than everything available on the Internet. Social bookmarking sites are a similar option,
where sites can be saved for later use, in a more organized manner, that is
available at all time by a variety of users.
Educators can use this to share resources with one another as well as
provide important links to students. This ability to share with one another is
important as it gives students a “purpose and meaning because [there is] an
audience” (Richardson, 2012, p. 30). Students can also use these sites to save
their own research. These are merely
just a few of the many technological choices available to educators. When the choices are endless, excuses for not
using technology must be minimized.
Incorporating technology is no longer a choice, rather, it is a
requirement.
The technology standards for educators and learners are set
forth by the ISTE NETS (National Educational Technology Standards) and the AASL
(American Association of School Librarians).
ISTE standards call educators to facilitate learning and creativity,
provide digital learning experiences and assessments, model digital age work
and learning, promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility, and
engage in professional growth and leadership (ISTE, 2008). Equally important, there are standards for the
21st century learner. As set
forth by the NETS, students are called to demonstrate creativity and
innovation, to use digital sources for communication and collaboration, become
proficient in digital research and information fluency, to use technology in
critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making, to understand digital
citizenship, and demonstrate an understands of how to use a variety of
technology systems (ISTE, 2008). Clearly
the learning bar has been set high for teachers and for students in the area of
technology. This is due to the fact that
technology has been shown to be one of the most effective tools available for
optimal learning, which should be the ultimate goal for educators.
Research continues to show the impact technology has on
learning. By using technology, teachers
can become more “creative manager[s] of the learning experience instead of a
mere dispenser of information” (Smaldino, 2014, p.10). Students can learn from their work with
technology as well as from their teacher.
As students continue to use technology, the can use it to “explore,
inquire, and advance their personal learning, as well as contribute to the
knowledge of others” (Smaldino, 2014, p. 11).
This is an interactive learning experience that was not available to
students in past generations.
Additionally, when technology is used in the classroom, it “can enrich
the learning experiences of students” (Hicks, 2011, p.188). Enriched learning leads to more engaged
learning. “Therefore, teachers [and
librarians] must strive to embrace technology and the benefits that it has to
offer so that they can meet the needs of digital native learners” (Hicks, 2011,
p.188). Today’s students are also using
forms of technology in their everyday life.
They are familiar with interacting with one another through social
media, gaming, etc. As they grow more comfortable
with and connected to these things, they will expect to see it in the classroom
as well. Research has shown that “the
environmental influence provided by technology has prompted the brain to be
more receptive to technology-based delivery methods of information” (Hicks,
2011, p.189). By integrating technology into the classroom, teachers are
“providing rich learning experiences in which students can relate” (Hicks, 2011,
p. 189). Students are making connections
between their lives outside of school to what they are doing in the
classroom. Through that connection,
learning is increased. Additionally, in
the ever-increasing world of state testing, use of technology in teaching can
provide “statewide increase in standardized testing scores” (Hicks, 2011,
p.190). Of course this is dependent on
proper use of technology, but at the same time it cannot be overlooked. Clearly technology is impacting learning and
must be implemented throughout the school.
The library should be leading the technology movement. “Library and information professionals are
often at the center of [technology] developments” (Roberts & Weaver, 2006,
p. 95). By guiding the path, librarians
can hopefully demonstrate the benefits of technology use for teachers. They can also collaborate with teachers to
enhance the learning that goes on in the classroom. Without being bound by a
set curriculum, librarians have the opportunity to use technology in numerous
ways that classroom teachers might not be able to. Librarians should be innovative and up to date
on current technology trends. This requires
them to seek professional development opportunities in order to provide
students with the latest and best practices.
Students can use their library time to further advance their
understanding of technology.
Clearly, technology is not only changing the world, but also
the classroom and the way students learn.
It is essential for teachers and librarians to take part in this
change. As technology use is more
embedded in education, learning will increase, and the future will look
brighter for children.
References:
Hicks, S. D. (2011).
Technology in today's classroom: Are you a tech-savvy teacher?
Clearing
House, 84(5), 188-191.
doi:10.1080/00098655.2011.557406
International
Society for Technology in Education. (2008). ISTE Standards. Students.
Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/ISTE-standards/standards-for-students
International
Society for Technology in Education. (2008). ISTE Standards. Teachers.
Retrieved from
http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-T_PDF.pdf
Richardson, C. (2012).
Global collaboration for elementary students. Learning & Leading
with Technology, 40(1),
30-32. Retrieved from
Roberts, S., &
Weaver, M. (2006). Spaces for learners and learning: Evaluating the
impact of technology-rich learning spaces. New Review of Academic
Librarianship, 12(2), 95-107. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=32132360&scope=site
Smaldino,
S. E., Lowther, D. L., Mims, C., & Russell, J. D. (2015). Instructional
technology and media for learning (11th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson.
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