EDTC 5010 Chapter 3

EDTC 5010 Chapter 3

 

 

            Education is a continuous life long process and it is important to remain current on the technological tools that aid in our education.  These tools allow us the accessibility of the outside world at our fingertips.  The four categories of tools that comprise the digital classroom currently are computers, mobile devices, peripherals, and data storage devices.  Each category consist of many different types of that tool or device that are each individually influenced by the platform they use, their connectivity, networking capabilities, the device software, and the file format.  As an educator, having a complete and evolving understanding of these tools and devices in the way in which they relate to one another will significantly increase the facilitation of learning in the classroom.

 

 

            Computers allow us to access the internet, create documents, graphs, and spreadsheets to find, analyze, and generate information to share.  Peripherals can then be used to display or hand out the information.  Data storage devices allow us to store large quantities of information in smaller mobile devices that can transfer the information to other devices by as simply as plugging it in to that device.  There are also a number of mobile devices that allow us to play, record and capture media, find, evaluate, and create information to share as well as connecting on the go with other people and devices.  These tools are an important component of today’s classroom to help prepare our future workforce with the competencies to succeed in the ever changing digital world, and as educators we must know and utilize these tools to do so. 

 

            In today’s increasingly digital mobile world, the common desktop computer is becoming less and less favored in the classroom.  While there are many drawbacks to desktop computers as compared to mobile devices, they do still have a few advantages.  The desktop computer is more ideal for group work (when computers/devices are in short supply) with a larger monitor display. It is also more user friendly in regards to typing on a traditional keyboard as opposed to typing on an IPad keyboard.  I much prefer to type on a traditional keyboard over a touch screen keyboard because the words per minute I can type on that style keyboard increases drastically.  I feel that perhaps the greatest advantage of having students working on desktop computers is that the teacher can easily see exactly what the students are working on, ensuring that they are staying on task.  When I have my entire class in a computer lab working on an assignment, I can take one quick look around the room and see all the monitor screens clearly, and know whether each student is on task or if they are accessing material irrelevant to the assignment.  However many the advantages to using desktop computers, mobile devices are becoming increasingly popular within the classroom and for good reason.  “Mobile devices are cheaper, more portable, and physically less obtrusive, especially during collaborative work.” The school I work at is currently in preparation to initiate a one to one learning environment in which every student will be assigned a mobile device for the entirety of their K-12 education.  They will be held responsible for all lost or damaged devices.  Each device will be imbedded with software that correlates to the current common core standards of their current grade level.  These devices will help to ensure student-centered instruction in an open-ended learning environment.

 

            The basis of any educational system is to educate, develop and train students into becoming successful high functioning members of society so that they may help make our future community, nation and world a better place.  To do so, we must provide our students with the tools to succeed in the future.  In the digital world of today, digital devices are used in almost every job market from farming to politics.  In order for our current students to succeed in the future, we must provide them with the tools from our digital world as best we can to create a digital classroom.  Training and development is an expensive business practice for any business, and companies prefer to hire the candidate that will need the least training and development especially in the field of technology.   Not only will producing tech savvy students give them a distinct advantage in the job markets they wish to be hired in, it also creates a generation who has learned to think for themselves while collaborating with others.  Digital devices are vital in creating an open-ended learning environment that will ensure these types of future adults, which is why the cost of these devices is irrelevant because the future well-being of our nation and world is priceless.



EDTC 5010 Chapter 1

 

 

           Within the educational system, there has been a change over the years from teacher centered instruction to student centered instruction.  Included in the style of student centered instruction is the practice of creating open-ended learning environments which include inquiry based learning, problem-based learning, and project based learning.  All three types of open ended learning emphasize creating a learning environment where the student must make decisions as to what information is needed to solve the problem and what is the best method to go about doing so.  While computers and technology can be a wonderful asset in creating open-ended learning environments, it is certainly not the only means to form this type of environment and vice versa.  When using computers as a tool in the classroom, an inquiry-based learning approach is certainly not the only method that can be used.  While an inquiry-based learning approach is effective and one that I used often, I believe it is important to switch up between learning methods to increase the likelihood of reaching all of the student’s learning styles.  Computers and technology may be used in problem-based learning, project based learning, and through the use of drill-and-practice software.  Drill-and practice software (computer-assisted instruction) has been around for over thirty years and is still used widely in classrooms today.  I believe there is much to gain from drill-and-practice software when it is used correctly and agree with Sonjia Jurich when she states that drill-and-practice software ''are not a panacea that will ensure successful learning for all students in all situations, but simply a tool that can be effectively employed to boost students’ academic achievement and interest.  As any tool, the final success of the project will depend on how well it is used.''

                I have found that the majority of my time in developing open-ended learning environments comes from the initial understanding of the concepts in place and how they are used within the desired material to facilitate the learning process of the information.  Once the lesson is developed for initial use, it takes no time at all to implement it continually over the years with only minor modifications depending on the material and concepts involved in the instruction. 

                Certainly not every school is capable of providing a personal computer for every student right now but this does not mean that open-ended instructions cannot be employed.  Having students working in small groups to complete an open-ended assignment can add to the effectiveness of the instruction.  Some of the benefits include a better understanding of individual differences in thinking and diverse responses, the use and improvement of social skills, a sense of pride in their contribution to the group, as well as instant personal feedback from group members.