Integrating+Technology+in+the+Classroom


 * Introduction - Integrating Technology in the Classroom. **

I see the most significant instructional challenge for me as an educator in the dynamic 21st century classroom is to embrace, learn and enhance my own learning through technology (Rosefsky Saavedra and Opfer 2012). If the technology is available I must know how to use it and use it effectively. In addition to this the great importance of technology in 21st century education requires teachers to be able to deliver meaningful learning experiences to students. There is no doubt that all aspects of society have seen many changes in recent years, and perhaps one of the largest influencing factors is technology. Social media, the internet, globalisation and the accessibility of technological hardware and software are all contributing to making our world more connected every day and preparing teachers to effectively teach the students the technological skills they need for the 21st century is critical (Bell 2001). Students and teachers in the 21st century have access to a vast range of technology, from the humble calculator to mobile devices such as iPads, as well as being in a globally connected world with the internet offering students and teachers infinite possibilities, information and tools for learning – all literally at their fingertips.

Learning occurs everywhere and can be both formal and informal. We generally associate learning with schools, or in other formal educational settings such as Universities and pre-schools, but increasingly learning is happening informally outside of school; in homes, workplaces and by collaborating with others (Traxler, 2007). It is this informal learning which is a key element of the constructivist approach. According to Kennewell (2006) the teacher is central to the affordances and constraints of emerging technologies in the classroom. Although the role of the teacher is changing in the digital age. That role is now more focussed on being a facilitator of information and instruction.

The real value of technology in the classroom is through the authentic, or rich, tasks of the constructivist approach, where teachers of the 21st century move away from the traditional “chalk and talk” mode of instruction. The teacher recognises the prior learning of students and their own experiences, understanding, beliefs and attitudes (Jones and Brader-Araje, 2002): Teachers do more than merely provide assistance with the task. Their special role is to design the task so as to optimise the opportunities for learning from the activity; to orchestrate the affordances and constraints of the setting in order to provide just enough potential for desired student actions and sufficient structure for those actions to make success with the task feasible but not trivial. This process is ideally both dynamic, in that the teacher’s and learners’ use of affordances and constraints to support activity are be continuously adapted in response to their perceived progress on the task, and interactive, in that students gain frequent feedback on their progress towards their goal. (Kennewell., et al. 2007 p 229).

Salpeter (2003), in her article in response to a report by the US public and private organisation called Partnership for 21st Century Skills, points out that one of the key elements of 21st century learning is to provide students with: “Experiences that are relevant to students' lives, connected with the world beyond the classroom, and based on authentic projects are central to the sort of education the Partnership for 21st Century Skills defines as the appropriate context for learning in the information age.” (page 1)

The great importance of technology in 21st century education requires teachers to be able to effectively integrate ICTs to deliver engaging, meaningful and relevant learning experiences to students. The barriers faced by teachers need to be addressed through practical and useful professional development, and by collaborating with other educators to draw on each others knowledge, skills and experiences so that both teachers and students are life-long learners.