Environment of Inquiry and Development

Monke (2004) stated:

There is a huge qualitative difference between learning about something, which requires only information, and learning from something, which requires that the learner enter into a rich and complex relationship with the subject at hand.

I believe that this is a critical idea to keep in mind when determining if technology in the classroom does improve education. After reading various papers, books and studies on the topic of technology in schools I believe that it does improve education in schools, but, and it is an important but, it needs to be implemented correctly.

There are various barriers to integrate technology into the classroom and curriculum and I felt that how comfortable or fluent teachers are with the technology is the most important barrier to break down. This can be done through a mixture of professional development, an integration plan and helping influence attitudes & beliefs in the institution (Hew & Brush, 2006). If an environment of inquiry is created at the school by the teachers to seek out professional development as well as looking for assistance from each other this is showed to help integrate technology more successfully by teachers (Gundy, 2012). This environment will make it so that the teachers are able to take the technology into the realm of something the students can learn from.

I think that if teachers are fluent in the technologies they have in their classrooms, then the chance to provide individualized learning opportunities for their students increases, which then heightens these students' education. Technology can be brought into the classroom to enable a more flexible learning environment for the students and address their individual learning needs (Heemskerk, Volman, ten Dam, & Admirall, 2011). It is important though that the teachers keep in mind a students’ previous exposure to technology as well as cultural differences that might be present in order to have equitable access for students of different genders and ethnicities (Chisholm 1995). Differences have been seen in students based off of gender, previous exposure and ethnicity, among other things, for how technology needs to be implemented into the classroom to complement these differences and make unbiased environment (Chisholm 1995).

Keeping in mind that this background knowledge and familiarity by the teacher being a critical aspect of integrating technology into the classroom in a way that enhances the learning of students, I think it is critical that we start this development while in our B.Ed program. It is evident that the Faculty is trying to incorporate more technology use into the program through the “Digital Hub” that teacher candidates are expected to produce by the end of our two years. I think that it is also an asset if we start getting comfortable during our CSL and Practicum with the technologies being used in our ATs’ classrooms. Going forward I am going to be diligent in learning about various technologies that are being seen in the classroom now so that it is a natural activity once I am working. I think that focusing on technological abilities while in my B.Ed will also give me a competitive advantage for getting hired, principals will be looking to ensure their investment in technology is not a sunk cost.

Reference List

Chisholm, I. M. (1995). Computer use in a multicultural classroom. Journal of Research on

Gundy, M. S. (2012). Teacher perceptions of the integration of laptop computers in their high school biology classrooms (Doctoral dissertation). Ottawa: Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved from https://ruor-uottawa-ca.proxy.bib.uottawa.ca/handle/10393/ 30146

Heemskerk, I., Volman, M., ten Dam, G., & Admiraal, W. (2011). Social scripts in educational technology and inclusiveness in classroom practice. Teachers and Teaching, 17(1), 35-50.

Hew, K. F., & Brush, T. (2006). Integrating technology into K-12 teaching and learning: Current knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research. Educational Technology Research and Development, 55(3), 223-252.

Monke, L. (2004). The human touch. Education Next, 4(4), 10-14.

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