"Why do you think digital technologies have been put into schools?"

Technology has been put into schools as it has been embedded into the Australian Curriculum under ICT. The Australian Curriculum explains that ICT is used in classrooms as students “learn to use ICT effectively and appropriately to access, create and communicate information and ideas, solve problems and work collaboratively in all learning areas at school and in their lives beyond school” (ACARA, n.d.). This type of learning is apart of the 21st Century teaching and learning as technology use is becoming a major influence of the 21st Century society as technology is relied upon on a daily basis (Newhouse, 2013). Developing their ICT skills during school will allow students to be successful in the 21st Century society, these include university, TAFE, getting a job or even at home. Technology has been put into schools in a variety of ways such as laptops, computers, phones, smartboards and projectors.

Teachers are using technology in their classrooms more often as part of this 21st Century teaching by using a constructivist approach for developing student knowledge and understanding. This is achieved by students using technology to present their knowledge and understanding of a specific content such as a PowerPoint presentation (Allsop, 2016). This type of student-centred learning activities also creates the opportunity to bring in collaborative learning activities. Activities such as creating a PowerPoint presentation can be achieved in a collaborative style, which is completing the activity in a group, to further improves cognitive and social development (Smith & MacGregor, 1992). This helps students from a diverse range of learning abilities as collaborative activities allow all types of students to complete a set task as students are working together to reach the same outcome (Strnadova et al., 2022). Collaborative tasks using technology also keeps students engaged in their learning as everyone feels that they can complete the task.