The changes in the world of today have come quickly; everywhere you go you will see technology incorporated into the lives of those around you, everyone from toddlers to adults. This is the world our children have been born into; every single student currently in the K-12 education system at this present day have never experienced the world without the World Wide Web.
The graduating class of 2016 was born between 1998-1999, that is 5-6 years after the World Wide Web “was born” and the “internet exploded.” (Roblyer p. 6) That means every single one of our students was born in the mobile technologies, social media, and open access era. Technology domination and information access via the internet at one’s fingertips is a foreign world to them. Never before has technology changed at such a rapid pace, and with this change in technology comes an inevitable change in education.
“Our schools, community colleges, and universities should be incubators of exploration and invention. Educators should be collaborators in learning, seeking new knowledge and constantly acquiring new skills alongside their students. Education leaders should set a vision for creating learning experiences that provide the right tools and supports for all learners to thrive.” (U.S. Department of Education)
As Robyler describes, the days of fact memorization and drill practice are over, one can no longer determine the set of skills that a child will need for the future when change is coming so quickly. Therefore, a child must “learn to learn”. (Robyler p.34) This is where technology comes into play. With technology student’s “work (is) more efficient and productive and (it provides) access to sources and ways of learning that they would not otherwise have.” (Robyler p. 23)
Furthermore, almost all states have adopted the Common Core Standards which in themselves “outline rigorous content expectations with the intent to make all students ready for life in a technological society.” (Staff Development for Educators) The CCSS don’t add technology as a suggested activity (as it is often seen in classrooms) but instead explicitly state:
“The need to conduct research and to produce and consume media is embedded into every aspect of today’s curriculum. In like fashion, research and media skills and understandings are embedded throughout the Standards rather than treated in a separate section.” (Common Core State Standards)
The decision to interconnect technology with education hasn’t been a drastic one; it has come with time and with the support of a significant amount of research. The Federal Department of Education and other private studies have concluded that in order for true learning to occur, it must be interactive and inquiry based.
It is, however, important to remember that “no technology is a panacea for education” (Roblyer & Doering). Laptops, IPOD’s, tablets, Chromebooks are merely tools that can enhance learning but are not the end all. These tools, like all tools, require training (for teachers first & foremost and then for students) in order to use them correctly. These technological tools have the ability to facilitate inquiry by bringing a vast amount of information to our student’s fingertips and interaction with not only other classmates and the teacher, but with the world. The integration of technology into the educational setting is vital in order to prepare our students for the future and to teach them the love of learning and feed their innate curiosity that will fuel their future endeavors.
Resources:
National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Common Core State Standards. Washington, DC: Authors.
Roblyer, M. D. (2015-01-30). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (7th Edition). Pearson. Kindle Edition.
U.S. Department of Edcuation. (2016) National Education Technology Plan 2016 Executive Summary. Retrieved from:http://tech.ed.gov/files/2015/12/NETP16.pdf