Digital Inequality

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This was a fascinating project. I enjoyed learning how to work with a group in an online environment as well as learning more about Digital Inequality and the Digital Divide. As an individual who grew up with access to technology, it was good for me to stop and think about what my life would look like without that access to technology. Additionally, not only do I have access to technology, but I also know how to utilize it to it’s maximum benefit. I know how to use it for research, job search, and education. As a group, we identified that the education on the many uses of technology is the most important aspect in addressing Digital Inequality.  I strongly believe that this is true and that the way to close the gap between the “have” and the “have not’s” is through education.

This project aligned to the AECT Standards 3.2, 3.4, and 4.1.  In this project, I examined the policies and regulations that affect the diffusion and use of Instructional Technology by researching the rules and regulations that are currently in place and examining how those could be changed and adjusted to make better use of technology. As part of the task force that examined the issues, I helped to develop strategies that could lead to the adoption of and change in the way that technology implemented and taught.  Additionally, as part of the task force that examined the issues surrounding Educational Technology, I helped to plan, monitor, and develop projects that will lead to the improvement in the use of Educational Technology.

Elements of Educational Technology

The use of the word “creating” in the definition of educational technology is essential in understanding not only the definition of educational technology, but also the  requirements of both the student and instructor in the educational process. The Definition and Terminology Committee of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology defines educational technology as, “The study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources” (p.1). In reading the chapter and considering how each of the words enables a better understanding of the definition, I picked the word “creating” to focus on. From a teachers perspective, an understanding of what it means to create meaningful and informative lessons for students is an essential element in creating a successful classroom that incorporates educational technology. From a students perspective, creating is also a key word because in today’s learning environment, it is essential to be open, willing, and able to create one’s own learning.

“Creation refers to the research, theory, and practice involved in the generation of instructional materials, learning environments, and large teaching learning systems in many different settings, formal and nonformal”  (p.7).  The paradigm shift in learning theories has changed the role of the teacher to one of a guide and puts the student front and center as constructivist, rather than receiver of knowledge.  With this shift, it then falls on the shoulders of the instructor to create and design curriculum that is not focused on simply delivering the information to the student, but rather creating a platform in which the student is allowed to do his or her own learning and discovering.  This requires more creativity than the old way of recitation and regurgitation of facts. The teacher must think of the “whole” students and help guide students with different learning styles to meet the standards that have been established. Deeper, more authentic learning is the result, and with this, both the instructor and the student must be more creative in designing the lessons and in learning from them.  As the committee says, “In these environments, the key role of technology is not so much to present information and provide drill and practice (to control learning) but to provide the problem space and the tools to explore it (to support learning)” (p. 4). Learning must go beyond the simple retention regurgitation of information and dig deeper to the use and application of the information. Again, this requires real, thoughtful, and creative lessons that incorporate a hierarchy of though processes and learning style. Lessons that incorporate the learner-focused, constructivist method of instruction are creative and thought provoking.

When considering the definition of educational technology, the concept of creativity in lesson and curriculum design stood out to me as a key factor in the success of this definition.  From my point of view as a teacher and a student, it is easy for me to see how “creating” is such an essential element of a classroom that successfully incorporates educational technology.

The Definition and Terminology Committee of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology.Definition.

        In Educational Technology: A Definition with Commentary  (Chapter 1). Retrieved from

        http://edtech.mrooms.org/file.php/1/edtech501/articles/ER5861X_C001.pdf

Broken!

This week, one of the assignments in my EdTech 501 class was to think about some of my first experiences with technology in the classroom.  When I started thinking about my first experiences with technology in the classroom, I realized that I didn’t really have any experiences with it until I was in high school. When I was in middle school, the school district had some serious over-crowding issues and because of this, we went to school in shifts and had limited access to computers or technology of any sort. I remember overhead projectors, so I suppose that counts as technology; however, it wasn’t hands-on in any way, and I don’t think that  it did much to contribute to my learning.When I was a freshman, the new high school building was completed. From that point on, my experiences with technology were frustrating. We had  a limited number of computers in our classroom, and a “state of the art” library filled with computers, but nothing ever worked and in most classrooms, the computers were not even hooked up. Some classrooms had SmartBoards, but the teachers never used them, because they never worked. It seemed that the “gift” of technology was really a burden.  Even in the computer lab, there were always problems, whether students forgetting their login id’s, the id’s just simply not working, or the entire network going down.  As a student, it made me not want to use the computers at school.  Fortunately, my parents owned a business and therefore, we always had multiple computers in our home that I could use to complete assignments and do research. I utilized these computers frequently.

I also remember the computer assignments at school being tedious and boring. There was no freedom for creativity. Everything was point-by-point directions: point and click here, copy and past that, type this. It didn’t do anything to make me want to use computers or explore the vast amount of information available on the world wide web. Looking back, I believe that the main reason for this rather bland introduction into computers and technology was due to the lack of understanding from the teacher’s side. I don’t think that they were comfortable with technology, for the most part, and that in turn affected their student’s experiences with it.As a teacher, I believe that it is in my power to “stay ahead of the curve” and be continuously thinking of new and creative ideas to help my students not only use technology, but also learn from  it.  Websites like Wordle, Animoto, Glogster, and even Facebook and Twitter can contribute to students’ experiences with education and technology, making both richer and more interesting.  I recently read this article from Time Magazine that explores how teachers use Twitter to help their students learn grammar and punctuation. Brilliant if you ask me! In addition to this short list of educational technology tools, I found this blog that has a list of 30 different educational technology tools and resources. Enjoy!

A short video introduction…