Technology to Support Learning
Atkinson and Suppes were the pioneers who attempted to use computer technology to enhance learning.
I found this article quite interesting to read as it showed the many ways which technology could be used in teaching and how it is changing the way we teach and students learn.
Technology has allowed exciting new curricula to be brought into the classroom based on real-world problems. Students can learn in an interactive way, not only solving problems but finding other problems. Technology has opened new doors to education as students have access to a range tools that would not be available in a classroom without technology.
Technology allows students to expand their knowledge by accessing information, news, and media to enhance their learning experiences. While before, students would need to go on an excursion to learan about a place or read books to learn about a person, animal or place, now students can access videos, images, documentaries, reports and encyclopeadias online and through software to gain information. Students can experience a virtual tour of a place without having to leave the classroom.
Also, technology has provided a platform for students to reflect on learning and give and recieve feedback. We experience this ourselves in our uni degree, through the use of blogs and uts online, and also through the ability to complete subject evaluations online. This meant that rather than having to compile a survey, make copies, send them out, collect them and read them, they can be done online. Also teachers can provide feedback to students much faster online, and also students can communicate with their peers.
The article also discusses loal and global communities, where the importance of not only the school community is noted, but also the out-of-school community. This being local communites such as parents, by implementing message boards, blogs, discussion forums and websites into classroom practices, teachers and students can share their work with the local community and stakeholders in education. It can also provide a means of communication not only between local communities but extend this communication to a global scale. Students can communicate via e-mail or chats to students around the world.
Using technology in the classroom can not only be beneficial to students but teachers also. When teachers begin to learn to use and implement new technologies they need to think about and observe how children learn, in order to successfully implement the technologies in the classroom. This also means that when using these new technologies teachers are modelling their use to students and students are modelling back how they use it. By usin new technologies teachers can learn from students and students from teachers. Children these days are beomcing so technologically savvy that teachers can really learn alot from them, as they are growing up in a technologically rich society and they can adapt to the constantly changing technologies very well. Teachers can learn a lot from the way their students use technology.
Overall, this article shed some light on the different ways in which technology is changing the way teachers teach and students learn.
