Embracing ICT in a K-to-12 classroom
TECHNOLOGY is claimed to be a universal language and is regarded as one of the influential agents of globalization. On the global front, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is already creating new, open learning environments and in the local context, the present government has announced in the latest budget, that classrooms will be equipped with ICT support and that teachers will be expected to use innovative teaching strategies, more precisely ICT for teaching.
Classroom memories from childhood recall images of dusty chalkboards, pencil sharpeners and textbook covers made out of manila papers with plastic covers. While remnants of those old school days remain in classrooms around the country, many have been catapulted into the future with digital whiteboards, iPads for graders and tablets, MacBook’s, or laptops replacing textbooks. Technology abounds, and with the 21st century generation, it is only natural that schools are embracing the role technology can play in enriching the learning experience.
In line with this vision, teachers are expected to play a catalyzing role in this transformation process. According to Murray (2007), the use of technology in education is an emerging field of study as it involves the introduction of new instructional possibilities. Consequently, the Department of Education and its stakeholders focuses on the factors which encourage the uptake of ICT by teachers as well as the barriers which prevent teachers from making full use of ICT in teaching.
In developing countries like the Philippines, education is seen as the hope of the future and massive investment is done in this sector as it is expected to bring economic progress while simultaneously ensure sustainable development.
The integration of technology in K to 12 classrooms is an ongoing and monumental task. There’s also a huge disparity when it comes to technology access, whether due to socioeconomic factors, lack of resources, knowledge and budget.
“Technology by itself will almost never change education,” says Dylan Arena, Ph.D., co-founder and chief learning scientist at Kidaptive. “The only way to change educational practices is to change the beliefs and values of teachers, administrators, parents and other educational stakeholders— and that’s a cultural issue, not a technological one ... It’s about processes and people rather than bits and bytes.”
According to Tahnk ( 2014), as the classroom continues to evolve, many experts agree that schools, students and teachers can glean the following lessons for embracing technology by:
ICT makes information limitless. Internet access in a classroom (provided it’s a safe and monitored searching experience) gives kids the opportunity to expand beyond the boundaries of what they’d find in a
textbook. It gives teachers more freedom. Technology expands the realm of possibilities for how teachers teach. According to a PBS Learning Media survey conducted last year, 69 percent of teachers polled said that educational technology allows them to “do much more than ever before” with students. Whether it’s taking advantage of online lesson plans, web-based activities or educational websites, technology allows for more flexibility with the curriculum. ICT adapt to Different Learning Styles. “Because digital technologies can allow every student to proceed at a different pace, in theory every student could be optimally challenged at the same time,” says Arena.
ICT makes learning more flexible. “We don’t all have to study the same thing anymore,” says Wallaert. “One kid can be interested in butterflies and take a journey down that path, while another can be learning about rockets, and both are learning the practical skills of physics.”
It gets kids excited. Hand most kids an iPad and they inherently know what to do, almost instinctually. And while many kids have experienced technology for entertainment, providing them with tools to experience technology for education keeps things fun.
And last but not the least; it prepares them for the future. With standardized testing moving online, and an inevitable tech-filled life ahead of them, kids who have the confidence and familiarity with learning from, creating with and balancing life with technology will only benefit in the future.
As Michael Gove stated back in 2011, ICT in schools should not be used to recreate the way we used to do things; instead it should open a new world of fun, interactivity and motivation. We need to embrace ICT and use it to its full advantage to improve teaching methods and encourage students to succeed. ( Paid article)