Integrating Educational Technology 2:Considerations parents and educators should make before going virtual.

Education should provoke critical thought for the learning process to win. Technology should enhance teacher proficiency for easy adoption. Education should be an active process. Technology should make the activation cheap in both time and money.

The value of educational technology is enormous but the risks when handled badly is much more. So, what are the considerations before going the way of integrating educational technology?

1. How comfortable is the teacher with the said technology?

Parents should consider this question before allowing their children to be part of any virtual education program. The teacher or institution involved should be ready to show proof that they are well trained in the use of technology and the use is accepted in current educational pedagogy.

We want our children to be digital natives



Credit: Juan Cristóbal Cobo on Flickr

2. What skills will the use of technology introduce that the traditional classroom does not already?

Or, in brief, what does the teacher or school belief technology will add in way of learning and skills acquisition that their current traditional classroom based settings does not? The parents should also consider the cost of such benefits before making a decision.

3. Will the school or teacher be consistent in his practice?

When the integration of technology in teaching is not consistent, it demonstrates a lack of preparedness. Preparedness involves taking notice of network access, software, learning management systems, lesson plans, assessments and systems of administration, in such a practice. When all these resources are not harmonized and in place, integrating technology into learning becomes a stop-go affair and impacts on students’ learning.

4. How much experience does the teacher or institution have?

It will be beneficial if the touted experience is validated by a certificate. Experienced teachers are more creative in the use of technology. They can adapt to student changing needs better, as well as adapt their teaching resources when necessary.

5. Will the computers come cheap?

This is the question of the cost of the integration. Parents and teachers should count the cost of resources to be used: devices, software, licensing, intellectual property etc and make sure that none of these should serve as a hindrance to the implementation of technology as a method or platform for teaching. It is expected though that an experienced teacher or institution should have taken these into its business plans before launch.

6. Will it be a fulltime affair or blended learning environment?

Blended learning environment is where some of the teaching and learning previously carried out in the classroom is now done online or using technology, while learning also takes place in the classroom simultaneously. A parent should consider if his/her child is ready for fulltime online learning or if not, whether blended learning will be better. This decision most times depends on the policies of the education authority that covers the district, the ability to pass tests and exams, especially state-wide tests and exams, as well as if the child will be carrying out such learning alone or with other students.

7. How much support will the parent or institution offer?

Online learning is a novel experience for many students, although in western countries it is slowly becoming the norm. Parents and educators who are thinking of integrating technology into their children’s learning should be ready to give them needed support. They should access the child’s records regularly, tracking his/her progress and the teacher’s teaching methods. They should also apply for a sit-in to a teaching session when the time permits.

Attitudes, beliefs and perceptions about integrating technology into education varies. One point every stakeholder should keep in mind is – student outcomes. How much of student learning will be enhanced? How can this be verified? That should be at the mind of all parents and educators whenever a decision is made for technology in education.

Previous: Integrating Educational Technology 1: Making sense of the promise of educational technology.

Integrating Educational Technology 1: Making sense of the promise of educational technology.

Digital technology such as smartphones, Blackberrys, iPads, iPhones and Web 2.0 technologies have changed the way information is accessed and viewed. It has also changed the way education is conducted. As student population increases faster than teachers with expertise in pedagogy and practice, it is expected that education will face budget constraints in the near future. One proffered solution to this problem is integrating technology into education. Examining and accessing the now familiar cliché that education should be able to enhance student learning and teacher training and expertise is then pertinent.

In a recent paper on the “technology effect”, authors Clark, Robert and Hampton state that people have been influenced to believe technology will work when in particular they do not understand how it will work, or how to make it work. This could lead to flaws in decision making.

Education is a serious issue both in government and private quarters. The budget for education is worth hundreds of billions of dollars globally; private spending for education show how much importance it is placed in society. When one considers educational technology, you’ll realize that the promise of technology is its potential for liberating teaching from the constraints of place and time. Hence, virtual education, online learning or e-learning is being put forward with the intent of influencing both parents and educators that integrating technology in education is a cure-all for many ills that afflict current practices in education.

The question remains: can technology solve all the problems in education?

Anywhere, Anytime - Technology's edge

Credit: Jeff Peterson on Flickr

The marriage between education and technology has its roots at conception. The aim and objective of education is to enhance learning and teaching and in doing so, creating channels for information access and provision. Technology is a tool for adding value to those channels.

Technology can transform a classroom into a dynamic, active learning environment. Outdated models of teaching and learning placed the teacher as the “star” of the classroom; current models of teaching place the student at the center of learning. For teaching and learning to be equivalent, students must be active participants in their own education. The goal should be student engagement, not rote learning. Yes, technology has the potential for that. I am subscribed to www.edmondo.com, an online professional teacher learning community. The site has tools for enhancing student active learning like polls, forums, quizzes, games etc.

Technology also offers economies of scale and mass customization. An example in point is www.khanacademy.org. Maths and science learning can be delivered, instantaneously or by schedule, to literally thousands of students at the click of a mouse. Web 2.0 tools, such as Instant Messaging, have also been developed that support and enhance student-instructor communication, as well as creating communities of students for interaction and collaboration.

One key component of any educational method is the ability to encourage differentiation, or the support for diverse needs and capacities of students, through teaching and assessment, so that students are given more control and potential to deeply understand the information being presented.

There are so many web-based collaboration tools that can increase cooperation and teamwork amongst students and teachers, therefore, making teaching and learning more efficient and productive. A recent study concluded that when children play games that enhance synchrony, it makes them more collaborative and empathic. If you visit game sites like www.abcya.com as well as www.bitstripsforschools.com, a cartoon network for classrooms, you will find lots of opportunities for such.

Technology is not a cure-all to end all the ills of inexpert teaching and pedagogical practice. Without adequate teacher training in the use of technology, access to technology tools does not provide any value. That is why parents have to be careful when being sold on the idea of virtual education or e-learning.

It has been found that technology could create obsession in children, especially the use of smartphones and iPads. Rather than generating positive attitudes and enhancing the self-efficacy of students, it could end up creating a lonely, withdrawn student, who sees educational technology as a diversion from daily living. Powerpoint is a case in point. It has been denounced for its detrimental impact on “dialogue, interaction and thoughtful consideration of ideas.”

Another criticism leveled against online learning is that it makes cheating and passing easy. Answering a quiz without a teacher looking behind your shoulders, it is asserted, encourages a culture of cheating. It is also claimed that only motivated and mature students are fit for online learning, or it is possible for students in need of remediation, not for high achieving students.

Whatever the pros and cons are when making decisions on virtual education, parents and educators intending on integrating technology in their children’s learning should first of all consider what their basic objectives are. On a casual Google search, one can find lots of sites offering virtual education through learning platforms called learning management systems (LMS). The focus should be on increasing student outcomes, and not on any perceived benefits.

That brings this discussion to the second part: Integrating Educational Technology 2:Considerations parents and educators should make before going virtual.