The use of ICT in the classroom is embedded in the
professional standards for teachers in Australia and explicitly outlined in the
Australian curriculum (AITSL, n.d.; ACARA, n.d). As teachers, therefore, we
have an imperative to embrace the use of ICT. But how can ICT be used to support
and enhance learning? This question can be answered by examining e-learning
theories and research into ICT use in educational settings.
Moving Beyond Fun
It is often implied that ICT is fun and automatically engages
and motivates students. This is a simplistic view of the potential of ICT (Squire,
2005). Every time we use ICT, we must carefully consider how it enhances the
lesson and whether or not its use is directly related to the learning
objectives (Reynard, 2008). Throughout our reflections, I found the SAMR model
particularly useful for examining my use of ICT (Puentedura, 2014).
Implicit in the SAMR model is the idea that some uses of
technology involve higher order thinking skills (HOTS) such as evaluation and
creation, and others do not. This difference is important. A 1998 study by Wenglinsky
revealed that using ICT to teach lower order
thinking skills had a negative impact on students’ achievement, in contrast to
the positive association when learners were using ICT to engage in HOTS. We
cannot assume that providing a technology-rich environment will automatically
translate to gains for learners. Instead, it is how we use the technology to
promote HOTS that is critical (Papanastasiou, Zemblyas, & Vrasidas, 2003;
Sivin-Kachala & Bialo, 2000).
Digital Pedagogy & the TPACK Framework
Digital pedagogy is the study of how to effectively use
ICT in the classroom. The TPACK framework in particular is helpful in
considering how to use technology to facilitate student learning. It is the
idea that an expert teacher is one who can create links between what is to be
learned (content), how it is taught (pedagogy) and the appropriate tools to do
this (technology) (Teaching Teachers for the Future, n.d.).
Although there is general TPACK that may be transferred
from one learning area to another, there is also a need to develop specific
TPACK for your particular learning area. In our reflections, I discovered differences
in the way I was using ICT in the science classroom and the Japanese language
classroom (http://sakasamas0267898.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/reflection-4-week-5.html). An example of different uses for NHS audio suite in
four subjects is outlined below.
I have begun to create my own personal ICT library through
our weekly blog posts and develop an understanding of how these affordances can
be best utilised in each of my teaching areas. I’m keen to benefit from the
experience of expert teachers, and to share what I create and learn.
The Benefits of Using ICT in the Classroom
ICT can transform learning by opening up possibilities
that are impossible to conceive in regular face-to-face classroom settings.
Some examples of this are using blogs to connect with students in another
country, or working collaboratively with experts from a university through a
wiki or Google Docx. This is constructivism and connectivism at its best;
through tools which allow us to transcend distance, and participate as global
citizens.
Another way digital tools can enhance learning is when
they are used to make adjustments for students with disability (Broderick,
Mehta-Parekh & Reid, 2005). Potential uses include audio versions of texts,
large print on visual media through to adaptive technologies such as speech
recognition software or Braille embossers. ICT can assist with differentiating
learning. If material is presented in an interactive multimodal format such as
a glog, students can proceed at their own pace, which caters for those who want
to extend themselves to those who need more time to process the information. I
think ICT can play an incredibly useful role in creating an inclusive classroom
and help us fulfil our responsibility to provide learning opportunities for
students across a full range of abilities (AITSL, n.d.).
The Risks Associated with Digital Tools
Digital tools can enhance learning, but the use of these
tools is not without risk. After having assessed the pedagogical implications
of a particular tool, it is then necessary to look at how it can be used
safely, ethically and legally. I have developed a three point strategy that I
plan to use with students to make them aware of the risks associated with ICT
use.
I think that if students are aware of the risks and involved
in deciding upon mitigating strategies, they are more likely to abide by them. Here
is a sample of what an agreed upon set of rules for a particular tool could
look like:
Future Directions
The past six weeks have provided a glimpse of what can be
achieved with ICT. I think there is overwhelming evidence that a
technology-rich learning environment can support and enhance students learning,
provided a good framework is used to select the ICT and how it will be used.
Each week I’ve made an effort to shift my natural inclination to use ICT to
instruct to instead focus on how students could use ICT to learn. I’m excited
to have begun learning how to facilitate the journey of students from passive
consumers of text to active participants in the creation and dissemination of
media and knowledge through ICT.
References
ACARA. (n.d.). Information and communication technology
(ICT) capability. Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/generalcapabilities/information-and-communication-technology-capability/organising-elements/organising-elements
AITSL. (n.d.). Australian Professional Standards for
Teachers. Retrieved from http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professional-standards-for-teachers/standards/list
Broderick, A., Mehta-Parekh, H. & Reid, D.K. (2005)
Differentiating instruction for disabled students in inclusive classrooms. Theory into Practice, 44(3), 194-202.
Papanastasiou, E., Zemblyas, M., & Vrasidas, C.
(2003). Can computer use hurt science achievement? Journal of Science Education and Technology, 12 (3), 325-332.
Puentedura, R. R. (November, 2014) SAMR in the classroom: Developing sustainable
practice. Ruben R. Puentedura’s weblog.
Retrieved from http://www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/archives/2014/11/28/SAMRInTheClassroom_DevelopingSustainablePractice.pdf
Reynard, R. (2008). Avoiding the 5 Most Common Mistakes in Using
Blogs with Students. Retrieved from http://campustechnology.com/articles/2008/10/avoiding-the-5-most-common-mistakes-in-using-blogs-with-students.aspx
Sivin-Kachala, J. & Bialo, E. (2000). 2000 research report on the
effectiveness of technology in schools (7th ed.). Washington,DC:
Software and Information Industry Association.
Squire, K. (2005). Changing the game: What happens when
video games enter the classroom? Innovate,
1 (6). Available from http://www.academiccolab.org/resources/documents/Changing%20The%20Game-final_2.pdf
Teaching Teachers for the Future (n.d.). What is TPACK? Retrieved from http://www.ttf.edu.au/what-is-tpack/what-is-tpack.html
Wenglinsky, H. (1998). Does
it compute? The relationship between educational technology and student
achievement in mathematics. Princeton,N.J.: ETS Policy Information
Center.
Your
Digital Footprint. Retrieved from http://digitalfootprintimu.weebly.com/measure-your-footprint.html
