Short+Paper+Technology

Instructional Technology plays an enormous role in today’s classrooms. Students come into school today with more exposure to technology than ever before. Having the background knowledge to handle technology is just as important to the students’ futures as any other subject. When students use technology in the classroom they will learn to work in teams and how to collaborate. Project based learning gives students real life problems and allows them to become independent learners. “Video programs have been demonstrated to increase problem solving skills” (Brue 2013). Technology teaches critical and higher order thinking skills.

Technology is almost everywhere in the world but for some reason it is not in every school or classroom. It is more than just having a computer, Smart Board, or LCD projector in the classroom. Technology also changes the way teachers teach, offering educators effective ways to reach different types of learners and assess student understanding through multiple means (Why 2013). Some students come into the classroom with negative thoughts on certain subjects or school in general. Teachers can use technology to first engage the students and then to break through the borders that were once in a classroom. With the internet, there is no end to a question. Students should use the internet to deepen their understanding of content beyond what is asked of them.

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) attempts to identify the nature of knowledge required by teachers for technology integration in their teaching, while addressing the complex, multifaceted and situated nature of teacher knowledge (Koehler 2011). To implement technology in the classroom teachers must make sure they follow the TPACK framework. At the heart of the TPACK framework are three ideas: content, pedagogy, and technology. Content describes what it is that the teacher wants to teach the students. Pedagogy refers to how the teacher will teach the students. Whether it will be group work, direct instruction, pair share, or whatever; how will the teacher make the content easier to learn. Finally the last bit of knowledge is technology. The teacher must decide what piece of technology they should use that will support the pedagogy and content. If done the right way all three of these three ideas should mix together.

It is important for teachers to have a clear vision why they are using the technology that they are using. Teachers that do not have this vision become technocentric. “Technocentric” is instruction focused more on the technologies being used than on the students who are trying to use them to learn. Technocentric learning experiences rarely help students meet curriculum-based content standards, because the design of the learning experience has focused more on use of the selected technologies than what is most appropriate for a particular group of students to learn (Harris 2009). Becoming too technocentric will ruin the TPACK model. Teacher should first decide what they are teaching and how they are teaching it. Thirdly, they should find technology that will help the delivery and impact of their lesson. If implemented the right way teacher will get a nice overlap of the three TPACK ideas.

Technology should be used to transform the classrooms of the past into the classrooms of today. “Workers will need to build on the skills of the 20th Century by mastering a new and different set of skills in the 21st Century” (Pink, 2005). As the world evolves into a technology driven society, the classroom should also. Almost everything students use outside the classroom is technology based. Teachers must understand this and use technology every day in the classroom. Teaching 21st century skill gives students the opportunity to express themselves. Voice threads, pod casts, and cell phone pools are just a few ways that students who rarely talk in school can show their understanding of what is being taught. In An Introduction to Technology Integration Adam Bellow says, “When you create you take ownership of your learning. You understand in a very different way than if you just memorized it from a text book or if you just read it over and over again or if you just watched someone else’s film. If you are able to translate the information in your own film that is just amazing” (Introduction 2012). Giving students the flexibility to create their own projects deepens their learning of the content.

The use of technology in classrooms allows students a true “sky is the limit” ceiling on learning. However, teachers must be mindful of the ethical, social, and legal responsibilities that they must demonstrate. Today, most students come into a classroom with their “friend” Google. They know that if there is something they do not understand they can just ask Google and Google will give them an answer. Google is a good source but teachers must educate students on reliable sites. Students must understand how to identify if a site is good to find correct facts or if it is just an opinion based forum or blog. Any paper students create should have a bibliography stating where they got their information from. Some students think that citing resources is not that important if they find the information online. Also, students must not just copy and paste any video or picture. Teachers must show students public sites where pictures/videos are allowed to be taken. In conclusion here is a quote from Holding Carter Jr: “There are two lasting bequests we can give our children one is roots and the other is wings”. Teachers should not be intimidated by technology. Technology is the way of the world today and the foreseeable future. Teachers should use the TPACK model in order to teach 21st century skills. This is the way to give students the best education in the 21st century.

References: Brue C. W. //Why technology is good for the classroom// (June 2013), []

Harris J. & Hofer M. //An effective approach based on content, pedagogy, and teacher planning// (September 2009). **File Not Found** __ +Integration+(Harris+Hofer).pdf. __

// Introduction of technology integration // (December 2012) []

Koehler M. //What is TPACK// (May 2011), [] Pink, D. 21st century skills for success (2005) []

// Why integrate technology into the classroom? The reasons are many // (January 2013) []