Objective
Technology in teaching and learning enable teachers to work collaboratively with students while the students themselves become more immersed in their own learning. New information technologies are increasingly being adapted and integrated into the educational process. Technology of one kind or the other has always been used in the educational environment. For years, the printed page, chalk and chalkboard, overhead projectors, and other devices have been utilized, and continue to feature in the teaching and learning process. The use of these technologies very often confined instructional and learning activities to a specific place and time. However, the emergence of newer forms of technology (e.g., computers, DVD videoconference, Intemet) has created a renewed interest for their use in supporting teaching and learning activities. These technologies are also capable of promoting educational activities both synchronous and asynchronous which are not confined to specific time and place. The adoption and use of these technologies for instruction and learning is believed to be worthwhile because of their prevalence throughout the society. Many of the technologies are widely used in the workplace and students are expected to be familiar with them before they enter the workforce. It is frequently thought that the education sector is slow in adapting to technological changes. Nevertheless, the classroom is vulnerable to technological innovation, as this is where the old and the new technology must coexists which creates a tension that will lead to remarkable changes in education for the few years and beyond.
Reflective
The infusion and integration of the new information technologies in the classroom have had an immense impact on the educational environment. Technology has become a trans-human process as people share with increasingly powerful artificial networks and brains. Moreover, the emergence of new information technology has seen learning permeating every form of social activity outside of the school, from work to entertainment and home life. Education and training activities are increasingly employing the use of a variety of technologies to support pedagogy and learning. Several of the technologies used are computer-based. Word-processors, spreadsheets, and databases are being utilized as tools in supporting teaching and learning. Graphics and desktop publishing software now allow teachers to develop more instructional materials to their own specifications. Correspondingly, teachers are utilizing testing and measurement software, CD-ROMS, CDs, DVD and multimedia tools to enhance classroom activities. The vast array of new technologies now available for teaching and learning activities open new vistas for those engaged in the process. The emergence of the Intemet is being used to help facilitate interaction with individuals and groups, parents, teachers, and school administrators. It also provides access to instructional materials and other information, which might not otherwise have been readily available to students and teachers within a classroom setting. Both teachers and students are exploring different countries and their cultures without leaving the classroom with the usage of internet. Telecommunication and computer technologies are being widely used in education to bring events into the classroom while they are happening, and they are expanding the classroom beyond their walls. “With the availability of these technologies, learning is no longer encapsulated by time, place, and age but has become a pervasive activity and attitude that continues throughout life and is supported by all segments of society.” (Kozma & Schank, 1998)
Interpretive
Teachers can enrich and enhance teaching and learning activities by infusion and integration of technology in the education process that provide a basis by which some teachers reconsider the strategies they use in instructional activities. The necessary learning objectives are accomplish with different strategies while employed in conjunction with the more familiar ones. This dynamic interchange now taking place between and among collaboration of teachers and students has clearly revolutionized classroom activities. (D’Ignazio, 1989), used such terms as “knowledge explorers”, “knowledge navigators”, “teacher explorers”, and “student navigators” in describing the various activities in which both teachers and students often engage as they utilize multimedia systems in the classroom. The infusion and integration of technology in classrooms will not only result in the greater use of collaborative learning strategies but also will increase the use of strategies such as thematic teaching, guided inquiry apprenticeship, group problem solving, and critical thinking. Classroom activities will then be less centered on the teacher and can be more focused on the learners. In this situation the responsibility for learning is shifted to the student and the teacher facilitates the learning by acting as a coach, resource guide, and companion in learning. Instructional technology does not only encourage teachers and students to work collaboratively but also results in more cooperative learning activities among the students. By working cooperatively, students help each other to understand more about the technology and how to use it to accomplish set learning objectives, thereby increasing the level of interaction between and among them. This has led many teachers to embrace a constructivist approach to teaching and learning over and above a directed approach. The directed perspective, also referred to as, “objectivist or behaviourist, is grounded primarily in behaviourist learning theory and the information processing branch of cognitive learning theories and is based on the concept that learning happens when knowledge is transmitted to the learner” (Forcier, 1996). Despite the differences between the two perspectives on teaching and learning, they can both be employed to ensure an effective and efficient educational environment.
Evaluation
The introduction of new information technology as discussed in “Teaching Naked” and learning has impacted the traditional classroom activities. The various technologies generate a greater level of interaction between and among teachers and students. They also help to enhance the educational environment while providing enrichment in the learning experience. However, technology use in the classroom should only be considered appropriate if it is used for specific purposes in the teaching and learning process. Its incorporation in this process should not just be as an appendage, but as an integral part of the teaching and learning objectives. Employing technology of any kind in the instructional process becomes valuable only when they are seen merely as elements in a well-constructed learning environment. The use of technology, therefore, should be driven by specific objectives related to instruction and learning with direct linkages to the curriculum. Changing the philosophical and pedagogical assumptions of education systems require time, effort and strong political will. Programmes developed need to be evaluated thoroughly to determine their effectiveness in preparing teachers to teach with technology. Skilled personnel are needed to develop, implement and evaluate educational technology programmes in teacher training. There is also a need for increased funding and strong determination of all parties involved; state officials, administrators, teachers and parents should unite their efforts for the development of serious programmes that will support education reform. There are always obstacles to attempts for educational reform: the resistance to change that is deeply rooted in education systems and the fear of technology dominating our lives, forces that can withhold change. However, technology can help reform education and the education system needs to be reformed for successful technology integration. “Success in the future will depend on our ability to adapt ad find ways to connect with students.” (Bowen, A.J. p.288).
Refrences:
Bowen, J. (2012). Teaching naked: How moving technology out of your college classroom will improve student learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
D’Ignazio, F. (1989). An inquiry-centered classroom of the future. The Computing Teacher, 16-19. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Forcier, R. C. (1996). The computer as a productivity tool in education. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Kozma, R., & Schank, P. (1998). Connecting with the 21st Century: Technology in support of educational reform. (pp. 327). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
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