Technology & Learning
April 29th, 2008 Tagged educational technology, pegagogy
How is technology improving student learning? It’s an excellent question asked by my twitter colleague Andrew. It turns out there are more questions, than answers from this query.
Sadly, it seems it isn’t a question that comes up until after a school has made large investments in technology. Not to say no one is asking these questions, it’s just a minority view point. In a metaphor technology is like paper and pencils. Do we ask “How are pencils and paper improving learning?” and if you are. What are your answers?
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That is an interesting metaphor to use, and in a way it’s true. Technology is a tool, a means to an end, and in this day and age, about as common as pencil and paper. But there are a lot more facets to the question.
In my opinion technology does quite a bit for learning in several spheres. It provides an efficient medium to complete and study a wide range of tasks and subjects. It also provides a venue for communication. For instance, we have a long distance learning lab here so that one teacher can teach a class at two schools simultaneously. Through live audio and video, the teacher and students can communicate with one another. The classes taught this way wouldn’t otherwise be facilitated at both schools.
But again that’s just my opinion. I really couldn’t say what schools are doing and saying in response to the question. I do know my own school has at least recognized our need for improved technology. Funds have been raised and the school is going to be putting in things like a wireless lab and more Smart Boards. We also got a monetary award from a foundation in order to improve our technology. The administration is definitely of the opinion that better technology will benefit and improve us, but how, exactly, they have not said.