Media learning or technology class room
Students of today need to well-equipped with skills that will enable them to fit into the technology-oriented world upon graduation. Learners need to have such skills as effective communication, analysis abilities, information synthesis, higher-order thinking as well as ability to think critically and creatively. This is especially the case considering that good learning involves integrated set of skills as opposed to mere memorization of content (Cennamo et al, 2010). The new technologies present learners and their teachers with lots of opportunities of engaging with each other in a more collaborative learning environment.
The proliferation of technology in the classroom is therefore significantly changing the way students learn, educators teach as well how students and teachers communicate with each other. Indeed, the use of technology in learning has moved from the previous computer assisted instruction through tutorials and practice. Technology in the classroom is providing students with greater access of information together with new ways of learning among several other positives. With the rapid increase of students’ use of technology both at school and at home, the students are increasingly becoming visually literate and thus collaborative. On the other hand, reliance on technology in the classroom can be said to be undermining cognitive development and creative problem solving among the learners (Stewart et al, 2010).
When modern technology is incorporated with relevant teaching and learning techniques, for example peer instruction, they have the potential to substantially enhance and transform a classroom, make the learning experience more interesting and meaningful, and increase student academic achievement. Using technology in the classroom requires using it a manner that is relevant to the of the learning setting such as the type and nature of the course, the learning objectives, the grade level, learning needs of students, as well as the teaching approach of the educator. Integrating technology in the classroom is also a good idea considering that it has the potential to be used with both large introductory courses and small advanced courses (Wankel & Blessinger, 2013). As a result, there is increased student participation, motivation to attend classes, along with increased ability to get real-time student feedback by the teacher .
Using technology in classroom as a tool for communication enables students to take up an active role as opposed to the passive role an information recipient transmitted by an instructor, textbook, or broadcast. As such, the student makes choices pertaining to how to generate, obtain, and manipulate or display information. Unlike traditional teacher-led lessons, use o f technology in classrooms means many more learners are often actively thinking about information and making choice, enabling them to translate the skill in real-life settings (Cennamo et al, 2010). In this regard, the learning experience is transformed from teacher-centered delivery into student-centered, enabling more individualized learning to take place compared to the past.
In addition, using technology in classroom as a student-support tool in undertaking aunthetic tasks translates that the learners are put in a position to define their individual goal, making design decisions, and late evaluate their progress. The interactive nature of the technologies goes a long way in enabling learners to get feedback on their performance from their teachers and groups, test and reflect on the different ideas, as well as revise their understanding (Wankel & Blessinger, 2013). Technology in classroom empowers teachers to use technology applications to create real-world environments and stimulate actual environments for environments that make it possible for students to perform aunthetic tasks similar to real wokers, engage with people of different cultures, as well as use a variety of tools in gathering information and solving problems. In order to expand the opportunities for learning even more, the classroom technology can be networked so as teachers and students are enabled to build both local and global communities that link them with people of interest.
Use of technology in classroom also helps making the teacher a facilator of learning as opposed to the traditional role of being the sole center of attention by virtue of being the dispenser of information. Indeed tool uses of technology greatly support the new teacher role, because they stimulate much active mental work in students (Stewart et al, 2010). Technology savvy eager to share their expertise with fellow students help the teacher in enriching the learning process through technology. Therefore, use of technology in classroom brings about meaningful change in classroom roles as well as organization by allowing students to become more self-reliant while educators serve more as facilitators than instructors.
Review of group member’s work
Naveen Kumar tackles the issue of technology n classrooms. There is mention of such interactive learning technological tools as interactive whiteboards, which enable virtual field trips, learning through recorded lessons and are more attention grabbing on the part of the student. Such advantages of online media to the learning experience as source of large amounts of information and ideas serve to reinforce the need for technology in classroom. Kumar’s presentation, however, is relatively brief compared to the input of other group members like Sandeep Singh. It would have been better for Kumar to delve further into the learning opportunities provided by use of technology in classroom.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. D., Ertmer, P. A., & International Society for Technology in Education. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth.
Wankel, C., & Blessinger, P. (2013). Increasing student engagement and retention using classroom technologies: Classroom response systems and mediated discourse technologies. Bingley, U.K: Emerald.
Stewart, M. C. C., Schifter, C.C,& Selverian, M.E. M. (2010). Teaching and Learning with Technology: Beyond Constructivism. London: Taylor & Francis.
