Although technology is present in almost
every part of our lives, most schools still lag far- behind when it comes to
integrating technology into classroom learning. Often technology in school is
reduced to students attending the computer lab once (or twice) a week,
accessing some instructional sites or playing some educational games. Others,
perhaps the most advanced, teach students a few basic computer skills and the use
of some software. However, properly used technology –especially in schools with
highly impacted by poverty-rates, high influx of English language learners and/or
low-achievers- will help students to close the achievement gap while offering
them the opportunity to acquire the skills they will need to survive in the
highly technological society of the 21st century.
In order to be effective, teachers
need to incorporate the use of technology across the curriculum, enhancing the
learning process, and supporting curricular goals. Adequately implemented technology
in the classroom supports the “four key components of learning”: active
engagement, group work, interaction-feedback, and connection to real-life
experiences.
Technology is also the most
efficient and productive way to differentiate instruction. Using technology
tools such as videos, presentations, power points, recordings, etc., teachers offer
a myriad of strategies that address the needs of different types of learners. Teachers
can also expand the learning experience by assigning technology-enabled project
learning, individual or in group, offering the opportunity for “true
assessments” beyond the traditional paper and pencil tests.
“Learning
through projects using different technology tools allows students to be
intellectually challenged while providing them with a realistic snapshot of
what the modern office looks like. Through projects, students acquire and
refine their analysis and problem-solving skills as they work individually and
in teams to find, process, and synthesize information they've found online.” (Edutopia, 2008.)
Technology also enhances
teacher-student and student-student relationships. Using technology tools and a
project-learning approach, students are more likely to stay engaged and on
task, increasing academic achievement and reducing behavioral problems in the
classroom.
When technology is effectively
integrated into subject areas, teachers become true classroom’ “facilitators”, moving away from
the traditional “banking” system (using students’ brains as depositary of their
knowledge, Freire, 1970) and instead they lead their students to perform their own discoveries, connecting these with their
own experiences, and consequently making learning more meaningful and enduring.