TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROM

Technology in the Classroom Laura A. Hasley EDUC-1070-1 Media and Technology in the Classroom November 26th, 2013 Concordia University, River Forest, Illinois

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROM Technology. To some, it is a blessing and for others, it is a curse. In recent years, there have been so many advancements in technology, allowing more people to take advantage of what it has to offer. However, with every luxury there must be caution. Teachers and students alike must be conscious of how technology affects every aspect of life. There are four aspects to be conscious of as a teacher when dealing with technology: social issues, educational issues, cultural/equity issues, and legal issues. As an educator, it is my duty to demonstrate integrity in dealing with these four issues and to provide my students with an example to follow. As technology becomes more easily accessible to younger adults, the risks of online networking, quality of life concerns, and technology misuses become more prominent. With the internet available to almost anyone, students can create relationships with complete strangers. In addition, they could give out personal information that could come back to hurt them in the future. While I feel that the technology advancements are a real asset for certain situations, they have also hindered the younger generations ability to interact with real people. Rather than confronting someone in person, teenagers are more comfortable messaging that person on Facebook or sending them a text. Teenagers these days are seen playing on their tablets or texting on their cell phones rather than playing outdoors. In a recent cross-sectional study of 200 teenagers and their social networking habits, almost twenty five percent of the participants indicated that their extreme use of social networking was affecting their daily lives in a negative way (Meena, Mittal, & Solanki, 2013).. Social networking not only affected their academic life, but it affected their social lives and their family relationships. Furthermore, two percent of the population showed that theyd rather interact in cyber space than in real life. These students spent almost all of their leisure time on the internet and they would form closer relationships with people over the web than in person. For some extreme cases, students prioritized going on

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROM the internet over their own family members (Meena et al., 2013). With these alarming statistics, I would encourage my students to be comfortable with technology but to not let it take over their lives. In addition, I would inform them of appropriate information to put on the internet and how to prevent future issues with strangers. The internet is a great tool that can help accomplish tasks, however in the social aspect; its just another way for people to look into your private life. Its crucial to inform the younger generations what safe internet practices are and to not abuse the technology they have been given. Another aspect to keep in mind when dealing with technology is the educational issues an institutional will run into. As technology is constantly improving, the price tag becomes larger and larger. Funding for technology is something that schools will have a hard time finding. In addition, once the technology is acquired, the school must have faculty skilled in teaching how to use it effectively. The school must outline best practices when using the technology or else instructional time will be more focused on the technology than the content. While some teachers may prefer traditional ways of teaching, there are regulations being placed that suggest the best practices for incorporating technology is to do it with all students. Such organizations as The International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE) and the National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC) are creating standards that insist on integrated technology into lesson plans for all students, especially gifted ones (Periathiruvadi and Rinn, 2012). In addition, when questioned, a majority of teachers favored using technology in the classroom because they felt that it was a powerful tool and [they] reported using technology tools for software applications, cooperative learning, project-based learning, student-created products, inquiry-based learning, and differentiation of instruction (Periathiruvadi and Rinn, 2012). As a teacher, I will make full use of the technology my school can provide because I also feel that it can be a real asset for my

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROM students. Ill stay up to date on federal requirements and on the best ways to implement it into my classroom. Educational issues are just as important to keep in mind because as an educator, I must set the example of proper use of technology in facilitating their learning. The third issue, cultural/equity, is equally important to keep in mind when dealing with technology. A classroom is going to consist of students from all different kinds of backgrounds. Some will be wealthy while others cant afford their lunch. As a teacher, I have to be able to teach to all types of students and must be able to accommodate every single one of their needs. Ill have to ensure students that they will be treated equally with whatever they pursue in my classroom and I must not let any student feel left behind. Technology can assist with all of these duties. The advancements in technology make helping students with special needs more effective and efficient. However, it is important to keep in mind the students needs when deciding what type of technology to use. It has been noted that mixing technologies seems to be a very effective way to help students with special needs learn the content (Gillis, A, Jackson, W., Braid, A., MacDonald, P., & MacQuarrie, 2000). A study of formal degree programs gave results that a mix technologies approach to teaching seemed to be most preferred by students and that it fit their pedagogy the best (Gillis et al., 2000 ). With technology becoming more advanced, I must keep up with the times and become accustomed to using it. I feel that it can only benefit my students needs the best if I integrate technology into the classroom. With using technology properly, I can lessen the digital divide some students might feel, promote both genders to pursue any career they want, despite stereotypes, and I can accommodate the special needs students. Finally, the last issue to keep in mind is the legal one. While the internet provides us with thousands upon thousands of resources, I must be vigilant in ensuring that credit is given where it is due. Plagiarism is a huge issue now that students have other scholars papers at the tips of

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROM their fingers. While I always like to give people the benefit of the doubt, it is inevitable to prevent students from cheating. Despite websites like Turnitin.com and SafeAssign, students are still managing to find ways to cheat. According to a survey given in 2011, of the students surveyed, 92% indicated that they had or they knew someone who had cheated and only 41% indicated that, because of ethics, they would never cheat. Thus, 59% indicated they would intentionally cheat (Jones, 2011). While these numbers seem high to me, I am not surprised. Many students do not know they are cheating or plagiarizing because they were not taught how to cite properly. On the other hand, there are those students that are too lazy or not confident enough in their own work to do the assignments themselves. As a teacher, I will have a zero tolerance for plagiarism in my classroom and will firmly tell my students this the first day. As a high school teacher, my students should know how to properly cite sources and not knowing will not be a valid excuse, especially since there are websites, like Purdue Owl, that inform students how to cite properly. In addition to plagiarism, students and faculty must be aware of illegal downloading and software privacy. I will have to inform students of copyright laws and how to check if they are allowed to use something and will set the example by doing the same whenever looking for material to incorporate with my lesson plans. If my students have any doubts about using something for an assignment, they will know that they can ask for my guidance. The internet and technology are great resources for students and teachers. However, when a student tries to steal something that does not belong to them, repercussions must be suffered. It is not fair to the creator to not get credit for what they designed. In that sense, I will do whatever it takes to ensure that all of my students know copyright laws and proper ways to cite sources in order to avoid future legal issues.

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROM When teaching in this century, there are still practices from Maria Montessori that can be applied to technology. Montessori was a huge advocate of observing students and having children become responsible for their own learning (Mooney, 2013). I feel that her beliefs can still be carried out today. As times progresses, teenagers are no longer interested in playing outdoors, reading, or writing. The younger generations are more interested in the next version of the iPad that is coming out or the newest smartphone they can get. Incorporating Montessoris beliefs on observation, I feel that a teacher can still learn a lot about their students by what apps they choose. With this in mind, the students should be given free time just to explore apps that are downloaded onto tablets. In this sense, the teacher can see what each student gravitates towards and the activities hold the students attention because it incorporates the technology they have grown up with. However, the app usage would be monitored by the teacher as to ensure students do not misuse their freedom and all apps would be purchased legally. In addition, this activity could help teachers gauge what special needs students are interested. By accommodating a lesson to incorporate a childs interests, the teacher increases the probability of the knowledge being retained and becoming meaningful for the student. Another theorist that can be applied to this century would be John Dewey. One of his theories was that teachers were to teach children how to live in society. Dewey believed that teachers shape society as well as individual children by what they do (Mooney, 2013). I agree with Dewey and feel that technology is just another aspect of society that teachers must teach students about. Without guidance, students would give out all of their personal information, steal information and illegally download products from the internet. Teachers are here to help students know how to act appropriately on the internet and what is acceptable to do. Teachers can no longer refuse to use technology; it is becoming a larger part of everyday life as companies like

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROM Apple and Windows keep creating more electronics for consumers to buy. Teachers must adapt with the times and get to know the software and websites themselves so they can help shape their students to be responsible and appropriate users of technology. As an aspiring teacher, I pledge to uphold my integrity when dealing with these technological issues while at Concordia University and in my future classroom. I will be the example for my students on how to behave properly on the internet. I will balance my life with technology, friends, and family and will be attentive to any signs of bullying. In addition, I pledge to do everything I can in my power to become an expert on up and coming technology so I can prepare my students for their futures. I pledge to treat every student equally and will use technology in order to accommodate every single one of my students needs. Finally, I pledge to always give credit to where its due and to cite sources properly. Technology is a great tool that must be used with caution. If abused, technology can get students into enormous trouble. That is why teachers are trained. They help students know what is right and what is wrong. While some issues are inevitable when dealing with technology, most can be avoided by simply informing the person what the right thing to do is. Technology is forever advancing, and as teachers, we must also advance with it.

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROM Bibliography Gillis, A, Jackson, W., Braid, A., MacDonald, P., & MacQuarrie, M.A. (2000). The learning needs and experiences of women using print-based and CD-ROM technology in nursing distance education, journal of Distance Education/Revue de l'education a distance, 25(1), 1-20 Jones, D. L. (June 1, 2011). Academic dishonesty: Are more students cheating? Business Communication Quarterly, 11. Judy Roberts, J. O. (April 1, 2005). The roles of emerging and conventional technologies in serving children and adolescents with special needs in rural and northern communities. Journal of Distance Education, 21. Meena, P. S., Mittal, P. K., & Solanki, R. K. (2013). Problematic use of social networking sites among urban school going teenagers. Industrial Psychiatry Journal, 5 Mooney, C. G. (2013). Introduction to Dewey, Montessori, Erikson, Piaget, & Vygotsky. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press. Periathiruvadi, S. and Rinn, A.N.( December 1st, 2012). Technology in gifted education: A review of best practices and empirical research. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 18.