How can technology be used to TRANSFORM elementary education across subject areas?
Transformative technology is defined as “open[ing] up new possibilities for teachers to deliver information and allow[ing] students to express their learning in ways that they couldn’t without the technology” (Gallup, 2019, p. 6). The goal of this blog is to provide teacher candidates, teachers, and other educators with tools to incorporate transformative technology in the classroom. Rather than simply using technology for the sake of it or allowing technology to become a distraction, technology should be used to enhance the learning experience of students.
As UBC Bachelor of Education students in the Teaching English Language Learners through Cross-Curricular Case-Based Inquiry (TELL-3C) Cohort, we are currently completing our practicum experience at James Thompson Elementary School in Richmond, British Columbia. At Thompson, technology is utilized as a learning tool that allows for creative opportunities that traditional technologies do not provide. This means that technology is not used as substitutive devices or solely as a means to consume information. All Thompson staff and administration are committed to the transformative use of technology and this has exposed students to amazing opportunities.
Many of these great ideas as well as the challenges associated with using technology are reviewed throughout this blog. Drawing from real life examples, we provide readers with a realistic picture of what incorporating technology in the classroom can look like. Each post within the Subject Areas menu explores transformative ways of using technology in the context of BC’s New Curriculum and provides ideas, lesson plans, and resources across disciplines. Check out the SAMR Model for insight into the transformative use of technology and how it can transform learning in elementary education.
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Gallup, Inc. (2019). Creativity in Learning. https://www.gallup.com/education/267449/creativity-learning-transformative-technology-gallup-report-2019.aspx