I believe good use of technology is anything that adds value to the activity. In this way, the use of technology is just like any tool. I am a huge fan of Alice Keeler (Ed Tech guru) who consistently asks the question does technology make the experience better for the student? If the answer is no, then upgrade the activity. There are simply way too many teachers out there that assume tech in all cases adds value and it isn’t the case. Without strong pedagogy you have nothing.
The best example of this I can think of is my own school, which went 1-1 this year with chrome books. During the first two weeks, we had some trouble with the vendor and getting the books in the hands of the students. I had a teacher who was livid, claiming “he could not teach without technology.” My response was, “you shouldn’t be proud of admitting that.” What it says is the technology teaches for you and that is not what technology in the classroom is for. He went on say he doesn’t want to be one of those teachers who “just gives out boring worksheets in class”. I, of course, explained you don’t have to be and all the ways one can do engaging activities without a 1-1 classroom. However, when I did a review of the activities he was doing I had to ask the question in each case, how does this activity upgrade the learning experience? What I discovered was the activities he was doing were essentially online worksheets. The only value they added was they were paperless, yet it was assumed this was best practice.
To me technology needs to support inquiry and higher level thinking. It needs to provide options for students to express and create. It must go beyond simply automating tasks or mundane flashiness. Technology always has to be a tool in the hands of critical thinkers. The tool is necessary often but the one wielding the tool is always the most important.
Hello Ryan,
I can totally relate to your posting! Too often I see teachers use technology to “fill in” the time or have students on the “iPad” because it makes them quite. For me, technology is there to find answers and/or start conversations. There are amazing Mobile Communication tools, such as Google Classroom and Padlet, that makes learning engaging and facilitates inquiry learning. In a constructivist classroom, constructivism and technology again work together to aid this learning process.
I couldn’t agree more Mary. All of these applications are there but there are still many who see it as what was once called “computer time.” As a student I saw this more of a break time but I don’t remember learning much.
Alice Keeler is my hero! She really pushes home the message that the task is what is key, the tool simply makes it the task possible. I have been immersed in her new book Teaching Math with Google apps and have been creating a series of professional development for it. The premise of the book is not the App, but the task transforming from rote memorization to collaboration, critical thinking, inquiry, exploration….using the Google Tools to make this possible. She accomplishes this with students from kindergarten to high school unapologetically reframing what is possible. I am hoping to extend this for my TELE project.
What are some examples of how you have used your Chromebooks to support inquiry learning in your classroom now that you have gone 1-1? Have you seen it effect student learning positively/negatively or both?
Trish
Hello Trish,
Yes, Alice is a guru
There are pluses and minuses to the 1-1 program. That said we have seen a positive effect. Particularly in terms of research. Our students have access to our online periodical database that allows them to use current peer-reviewed sources for their projects. In addition to this we make use of great programs like mathletics and others that follow the BC curriculum, differentiate and give valueable feedback to the instructor about learned concepts.
Hi Ryan,
You touch on very important points in your posts here regarding the use of technology for the sake of using technology. I, unfortunately, have been that teacher who has once said “I could never teach without technology” knowing fair well I had done so perfectly well in the past. I taught senior math and physics at a few schools with very limited technology. Notably in China with no access to Google or Youtube and onboard a program called Class Afloat. The former didn’t even have internet or a photocopier but in fairness, it was a high school operating on a tall-ship sailing around the Atlantic. I grew accustomed to relying on no technology and prided myself that could still teach even when it was too rough out to hang the whiteboards. Fast forward a couple years and I am way outside my comfort zone teaching grade 6/7 class back in Canada. During that time, I became so dependent on Google Suite, Khan Academy, Kahoot etc that I really didn’t think I would be able to continue teaching without technology. I am now back teaching senior math- my happy place- and I quite enjoy not turning on the projector every once in a while and relying solely on the whiteboard.
I appreciate your comment on how technology should always enhance learning, not simply be a substitute for traditional methods. As educators, it is increasingly important to question the merit of the technology we use in the classroom and find a balance between digital and non-digital learning.
Dear Bryn,
Thank you for the compliment. I think we have all gotten caught up in the flashiness of different technology but it underscores the need to really evaluate what we use. This is what made me such an Alice Keeler fan because as big of a tech advocate as she is she always maintains that if you can’t explain how the tech makes the activity better you need to consider whether it is worth it.