The benefits and challenges around using technology in the arts and humanities classroom
As it has been highlighted, my MET experience has had a profound impact on my view of Educational Technology. When I moved to NZ in 2005 after I got married I began teaching in an eClass (13 thin clients and a IWB). I was terrified of technology- a real technophobe. My two years there were a steep learning curve as we were part of the ICT cluster project and one laptop per teacher initiative. I thought of myself as a rather tech savvy educator when I arrived in the UAE to become an advisor. I have now realized that there was so much more I could have done to really engage my students in technology as part of their education and inquiry learning. MET has hammered home some obvious and not so obvious benefits of technology in the classroom and now I can hopefully apply these specifically to the arts and humanities classroom. I would like to use Bates and Poole’s SECTIONS framework (2003) to help me articulate (if you’ll humour me!).
Students: Is it appropriate for your student population?
Absolutely! There are a myriad of opportunities for students of all ages and walks of life to use ET in the classroom. Use of ET for humanities and arts enables students to experience issues more visually and can empower them to get involved and/or take interest. It also enables teachers to cater to different needs and learning styles- and can appease shyness
Ease of Use: Is the interface and design reliable and intuitive to the learner?
This is where there can be challenges. If there is a lack of training and or support for teachers/students there can be under-utilized equipment. However, when the support and training is there the opportunities are endless. Tech savvy teachers (and students- let’s not forget that they teach the teachers and each other) can use the social software that is free and web 2.0 applications that are a mere click away.
Cost Structure: Is the production cost reasonable?
The cost of specialized software and/or maintenance can be discouraging but there are a wide variety of programs available for free to use with humanities and the arts- especially for primary level students.,
Teaching & Learning: Will it enhance learning?
Student engagement automatically goes up- the challenge is ensuring that we are using technology as part of the learning process- to construct meaning and build knowledge- and not just for the sake of using technology. Affords catering to different learning styles and promotes active learning.
Interactivity: Does it move the learner beyond just reading, viewing and listening?
In the arts and humanities classroom technology can be used to create thought provoking products, to engage in debate with others around the world and to co-construct language products. It also facilitates feedback from peers through blogs, wikis and other asynchronous communication tools. Fosters team work and promotes a constructivist classroom.
Organization: Is an effective organizational system in place to ensure that a particular
media or technology is both feasible and practical?
Another barrier- is there an IT technician? An ICT teacher or coordinator who is available to help? Sign out systems for labs and COWs can be a nightmare.
Novelty: Does it offer a welcome relief from instruction that relies heavily on text?
Remembering that many students are digital natives we have to be sure we are using new and interesting technologies that engage reflection and cooperation.
Speed: Is it quick to implement and update?
Depending on what software and hardware we are speaking of and of course the issue of connectivity- it is likely that the teachers who want to learn and use ET will find the time and those who don’t won’t
+ visual language opportunities, access to social media, flat classroom opportunities, language products, multi-media, historical research, political action, digital resources, debates, exposure to a variety of texts, feedback opportunities
-‘Forced’ creativity, teacher lack of skills, time, curriculum focus, student motivation, access to appropriate software and hardware, connectivity issues, getting them back to pen-paper (like the whiz-bang), training/support