The Effective Use of Technology in Education

 

 

Technology is the bridge that spans the chasm of past and future. In our 21st century, ability in technology is commonplace and even required for many jobs. Yet, education is largely stuck in the past. Whether this stems from the fact that many educators hark back from times without computers, let alone iMovie, or that the education bureaucracy is slow to change, few classes focus on using technology wisely and productively.

            My very first job interview as a teacher was for the Aleutians School District. I was very excited about the position, and, having prepared on typical teacher interview questions, I expected to get asked about how to use technology in the classroom. When the superintendent didn’t fail to ask, my response was simple: we should integrate technology where it is useful, but not force it just because it’s there. The superintendent’s response was “that’s interesting.”

            Needless to say, I did not get the job. However, I still agree with my statement. Technology is incredibly useful both as a tool for educators, and as a skill necessary for students to be prepared for the workforce. Educators now have access to computer programs and educational software, relatively cheap equipment for various science projects, video teleconference units, and much more. Meanwhile, students who graduate high school are increasingly underprepared in diverse skillsets like technology (having been taught to use one skillset – memorizing material for tests). They may understand how to use new iPhones, Instragram, or Facebook, but most students do not know how to film, take meaningful pictures, or put a short movie together, essential skills for marketing. Yet, we cannot throw technology into courses without forethought and expect to be teaching students anything valuable.

            While perhaps more elective courses like film, photography, or computer design (or some combination thereof) may not be a reality, integrating useful technology use into core subject areas is simple. For instance, in a biology class, students can become familiar with Microsoft Excel and its various ways of manipulating data. In a math class, students might write a computer program that graphs simple linear equations (a useful learning exercise in math just as much as computer programming). In civics, students can create radio / movie projects that require the use of Audacity, iMovie, or even (although expensive) Final Cut Pro.

            Meanwhile, educators must be careful not to think that because districts push for technology integration, we must become what might be referred to as “100 percent technology all the time.” A great example is the current use of iPads in my school. The elementary students often use the iPads seemingly just because, with little educational objective. A sad sight is the iPad being used as a babysitter for one of our most intensive SPED students – usually while his aide sits absorbed in her iPhone. A better use of resources in rural Alaska might have been to buy Kindle units for reading, which have real value where books are harder to come by, or sensory games for the SPED student that don’t breed addiction to screen time.

            Another reason to be careful with technology is that we are surrounded by digital technology and we need to get away from it at times. Place-based learning activities like identifying plants through hand drawings are still better than having an iPhone with Internet connection, because the drawing teaches a level of understanding lacking from mere comparison between screen and reality. Meanwhile, the mind benefits with a break from digital technology and reawakens with a new level of focus.

             One activity I have done with two groups of high schoolers (one in Minnesota, the other in Southeast Alaska) is a sensory awareness activity. Students sit in a natural place for twenty minutes, writing down on a piece of paper all that they see, hear, smell, and feel. Despite claims of attention deficit due to stimulating technology, both groups of students enjoyed the activity and said that it was very nice to just sit, away from distraction. In this digital age, it is critical to not forget that what we used to do as human beings before the digital age has value.

            Technology has a vital place in education; it is that bridge linking our future with what we have today. However, teachers and administrators must be careful in ensuring that technology is meeting educational objectives, not just being thrown in because budgets afford it and teachers can figure out how to use it. We must also realize that only by considering the drawbacks of new technology can we effectively teach its strengths.

 

To see my video project for Jason Ohler’s EdTech class and that I use as an example for my students in video production, click here.