If you have not been paying attention to life the past 5 months during this pandemic, you are behind the times. For all educators across the world, technology afforded teachers opportunities worldwide to continue teaching via distance learning on several internet platforms and apps. When the word integration comes to mind, immediately the country wide lockdown pops up. This was a major shift for educators, regarding the use of technology.
With everything education changing course to more of a technological style or educating and learning, school districts and administrators in general, have to begin to understand the nature of what changes are being made to education now, and also accommodate those changes for teachers in the classroom and or distance learning. This is a vital aspect of student learning in the education of our students. One of the benefits of the distance learning with technology, is that most students ranging from the age of 8 to 18 years of age, already know or are familiar with how to operate mobile phones, devices, tablets, personal computers and the like.
As a Teacher, you would not have much teaching about the “how to” of technology, but rather the “how we” are going to use technology. This is a major advantage for the education of students now and soon to come. Teachers have had the responsibility of educating people of decades. Now, we have a new means of learning and educating for both the student and the teacher. Teachers understanding of new and improved technology would be a major benefit to the learning environment of the classroom.
It is possible that a season more experienced educator, may have difficulties securing the foreknowledge of such vibrant tech these days. However, the importance of technology is now a means of which you reach students where they are at. Most students today have a techno device and they are very good at the utilization of such devices. In fact, it is possible that they may be more advanced in the scope of using devices that we ever cared to think about. It is vital to implement technology in most of what you produce in the classroom learning environment.
Parents get the “at home” version of students, that in some ways differs from what a teacher sees in the classroom. Student learning is essential to their child’s success in education. Technology is everywhere. It continues to advance, upgrade and challenge the status quo and limits of where we can take technology. Although this is vitally important to our student learning, we also need to understand the natural effects it has on the brain of a child.
To much of anything is not always a good thing. This is apart of the importance of learning and being educated on technology in education. There is a time for education and a time for them to take a mental break and clear their mind. Not only are students operating tech, they are also operating their brains to accommodate what they are instructed to understand and what they are expected to learn. Having the correct information to assist in educating students using tech, would be a great asset and posture for success in educating while using technology.
Integration of technology is a vital part of the new normal in education. We as Administrators, Educators and Parents have to find a means to get directly on board with what is taking place in our world. Education is changing, learning is changing, platforms are changing and the way we do things are changing.
Citations:
https://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-importance