Why Technology in the classroom – Creating relevance

“One thing that I don’t think is discussed much in virtual vs. real-life, is I believe that real life offers much more in terms of emotional engagement. I would imagine that this is a powerful aspect of education”. – Doug

I agree with Doug. However, I believe there are more and more instances in which computers may offer more than ‘real-life instances’ because we either cannot access real life instances and/or want to measure or observe occurrences that we may not be able to extrapolate in a ‘real-life’ context. For example, Jasmeet’s use of the simulation Food Chain   “ it was a really cool interactive way to see what happens when you change the dynamics in a food chain. I really appreciated seeing the numbers change over years AND being able to see it visually in a graph” – Diana.

The truth is that technology is not a must. Many teachers teach subjects effectively without it? But what is ‘effective’? Do they create meaningful learning experiences?

Below is a compilation of quotes from the ETEC 533 community and extended inquiry that allows me to explore within a community of practice through embodied cognition, a response as to why technology in the classroom.

I personally believe that while technology is not a necessity it aids in creating more meaningful experiences and in engaging students using relevant, often familiar tools/processes that present opportunities to increase interactivity and real-world applications. For example: simulations, extended discussion and dialogue.

“Computers are there now anyway so let’s build from ground up with computers in there”. – Conrad Wolfram (2010)

Flow is enabled (high levels of enjoyment and engagement with increased resistance to distraction and a resulting loss of awareness of time)(Winn, 2002).

The mathematician Papert looked at learning activities of younger children and how the computer could enhance such learning activities. He promoted “putting children in a better position to do mathematics rather than merely learn about it” (Drjivers et al 2010, 91).

“Whether it’s online games or simulations, Vebica emphasizes, “Is it pedagogically sound?” And Sarah, who works with grade fours who create with technology, reminds us of the importance, above all, of using technology for learning, “How does one assess if learning has occurred?”” – Samia

Assessment practices would have to change to address these issues. But regardless, we have to make processes and tools relevant to the students.  ‘If we are going to instill a love of learning in our students, to make them lifelong learners, we had better be using the tools and ways and means that they will be using once they leave school.’  Maurice Last (January, 10, 2012 in MA-L2: Unpacking Assumptions (Tues Jan 10), Why Technology in the Math and Science Classroom by Evvone Tukaluk).

While my students enjoy blogging, they do not enjoy the independence suggested in some theories of online learning (Anderson), as promoting environments for discussion in which students interact mostly with each other without a heavy lecturer presence. My students enjoy active teacher/expert presence and engagement and are in need of a system that supports scaffolding. This is important to know one’s students (Analyse – Assure model) as designs must be customized to students and contexts and if they are not relevant they will fail. In many instances research data show no improvement in scores in students after using technology. Do assessment procedures need to change or is it that other benefits are not easily measured or recognized?

Technology also showed to support the teaching and learning process by providing  benefits in  remedial students and in my personal practice this is most evident in extending the classroom and for increasing opportunities for students to spend time with material. The latter was my primary reason for wanting to explore technology in the mathematics and science classroom. However, what I was neglecting was the aspect of technology integration that provided the actual mathematics and science experience itself and the concentration on the pedagogy within the technology design and use. I had thought of myself and the activities as pushing the pedagogy but not the technology itself as delivering the technology.

My exploration of what I considered technology showed that it was more comprehensive than just the tools used but also a way of thinking and activities explored/involved in. While this was not a new consideration for me it centred exploration more for defining effective use from not only a knowledge of and utilization of technology but the process, social and cognitive affordances supported. Through course readings and discussions an essential parallel and consideration emerged in my exploration in that of strong pedagogy and the infusion of pedagogical models. Pedagogical considerations that influence design, when to include in a lesson, student interaction with the technology, how technology enhances learning and pedagogical influences/considerations in technology design and use: TELE (Wise, Jasper – anchored instruction, GEM and Chemland .

 

Subject:	Topic: MA-L2: Video Cases (Fri Jan 13)
Author: Kerry-Ann Henry	Date: January 12, 2012 4:07 PM

At the end of my Video case analysis I surmised that there are ‘limited technology benefits without strong focus on Pedagogy and student experience’. I  was left with the question: ‘I wonder if there could be any way to increase the real-world nature of the problem or its applicability or link to personal, societal and global situations/experiences?’

‘I try to create activities and learning experiences that are engaging, tied to curriculum and relevant to learners. That doesn’t mean, though, that the connections are always transparent—or even upfront. In math it’s more common to hear “when am I going to use this in real life” than “let’s do that again”. Evonne

Maurice adds yet another dimension in discussing relevance of new media useb‘The new medias and the always on, instant access to information era we are in is forcing education to change, to start to take advantage of the affordances of technology. Doing anything less has the danger of spreading alienation from school from the inner city style disadvantaged to the techno rich more advantaged students.’

I explored two links: http://themathgames.com/ and http://www.ixl.com/math/ that provide worksheets and tutorials with immediate feedback have their place and a useful place at that. While Jasmeet had success in her class with these resources, ‘Thanks Kerry, I use both of them – my students love XML’, by the end of this exploration I found them lacking. I felt that they do aid in preparing for the types of assessments used but this is left wanting. What I discovered is that not so much that you can apply it to a real context but how the two worlds meet and how they relate.  The video case analysis resonates here: ‘do the type of question that gets the Math out. This is reflected by Conrad Wolfram and contextualized in a structured and practical approach and topic. Teachers themselves do not grasp the underlying concepts within Math (Math education conference). We therefore need to know how to translate from both worlds (the problem into the Math and the Math back into ‘street’ language/’the language of the people’)

My colleague offered this article, which looks at mobile use in school http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/26/the-touch-screen-school/. In many schools mobile phones are banned for fear of distracton, cyberbullying and unsupervised access to potential porn content among other reasons. However, are we holding ourselves back from a tremendous opportunity? Worse yet, are we robbing relevance and real use of tools from our students. Conrad Wolfram (2010) shows that most students in their everyday life use computers to perform calculations take pictures, conduct searches and connections with their outside world and what is being taught in school. In the article ‘The touch-screen classroom’ Kate Lunan looks at experiences within the classroom using mobile technology.  Whereas some schools have banned mobile use in schools, some schools and teachers have seen the benefits of using mobile phones in schools for the very reason that ‘Today’s smartphones can do much more than just make calls; “they’re computers,” Moccio says, and with so many students carrying powerful devices in their pockets these days, “we’d be fools not to use them.”’

The potential for extended use is shown in changing any space into a classroom, apps that support mobile learning (St. Mary’s City, Ohio’s school board buys smartphones and distributes them to children in Grades 3 to 5. Phones are customized: calling and texting are disabled, and the Internet is filtered (answers questions of fear of unsupervised use). The phones are equipped with specialized software such as an animation program and a brainstorming tool). However, not all schools can afford such steps and as such initiatives such as ‘bring your own device’ answers such challenges as well as keeps the technology relevant and current. This opens the need for other education such as netiquette and good and safe practices using the mobile/smartphone. Better yet for me, and my personal experience is the anywhere anytime access and extending the classroom. In Lunan’s article we also see such benefits as students typing assignments and using spare time to complete lessons “micro time slots,” (Patricia Wallace, author of The Psychology of the Internet and senior director of information technology at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth). Micro time slots have helped me manage my life, school and work and such affordances need to be extended to the classroom within real tools.

Discussions of equity will and do emerge but mobile phone proliferation is on the rise and there are great opportunities in actually briging the digital divide through mobile technology. Lunan points out that “in a 2010 Pew study, cellphones actually “bridge the digital divide.” Teens from low-income households are “much more likely than other teens to go online using a cellphone.”

Use of more natural tools

‘Moccio, in St. Catharines, believes it’s inevitable that we’ll see more technology infiltrate the classroom. “It seems funny that you can pull out a pen and paper, but not a digital tool” like an iPhone, he says. As teachers, academics and students start to learn all the ways these devices can enhance a student’s learning, that should slowly start to change. “Education, unfortunately, is slow to mimic the real world,” Moccio says, “but it will.”’(also revealed in my interview)

 

Courtesy of Michelle Lui

 

CHALLENGES

New skills and teacher pressure

‘Although I don’t think that the nature of learning is necessarily changing, I believe that the skills required to learn and the spaces where learning is occurring (online, blended environments, synchronous & asynchronous activities, etc.) are changing due to the infusion of technology in education’  – Evonne

‘Another pressure that teachers must face is that to teach the entire curriculum. Some applications of technology foster a deep learning of concepts, but also requires more class time. There is a balance to be struck between quality and quantity and each teacher must decide how to best allocate their time’. – John Cunnian

“Having technology without the support or knowledge to implement it is useless.” – Janet

At the end of the day

Dennis took his students through an activity of tracking a weather balloon. It extended and used math concepts in a real setting. Using simulations and other technology students would be able to generate concepts and make predictions, observe, dicsuss results, anaomalies et al., and modify/reconstruct knowledge.

What type of Math [was] generated here? Did they still find relevance even though it was fun and to us a very real and practical application?

‘That’s neat Dennis! I assume it has a GPS so they could recover it. How far away did it land?’ – Jackie

‘At 10:30 the weather balloon travelled for 2.5 hours straight east at an average speed of 110 km/h. It took 15 minutes for the crew to pack up and begin following the balloon at an average speed of 95 km/h. What time do you think they found the balloon? (And they say, “When are we ever going to use this?”)’  – Dennis

It is interesting to note that this activity came into the curriculum for more advanced groups that completed the regular syllabus in 70% of the time but should this be the way to go?

References

Lunan, K. 2012. Touch Scree Schools. http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/26/the-touch-screen-school/

Winn, W. (2003). Learning in artificial environments: Embodiment, embeddedness, and dynamic adaptation. Technology, Instruction, Cognition and Learning, 1(1), 87-114.

Wolfram, C. (2010, July). Conrad Wolfram: Teaching kids real math with computers. [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/conrad_wolfram_teaching_kids_real_math_with_computers.html