Teaching and Learning Development
How do we know if technology is making a difference to teaching and learning?
'Teachers can often act as pedagogical gatekeepers in the use of technology Selwyn, 2018 . If we think about using technology, which opportunities are we opening up for children and which opportunities do our choices mean are closed off to children?
'Twining and Maher (2017) have found that technology use were most often for a teacher's purpose rather than for children's benefit. That research encourages us to look really critically about the technologies that we use, about whether they are making life easier or more efficient or more productive for the school's processes, teachers and teaching, or whether the technology is making a positive impact on the nature of children's learning'
Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith (Founder of PedTech) PdT 3
How can we bring greater precision to our use of technology?
'When we're thinking about what kinds of educational technology we want to be using, we need to think about more than just buying more technology or using more features. Sometimes, we need to take a pause and think for a moment moment with greater precision about the impact on children's learning, of what we are already using. And to think about how do those technologies affect the way that children are behaving within their learning, the way they're thinking and reflecting on their learning, the opportunities that they are accessing within their learning? What are those technologies doing that are helping that learning to become more and more effective?'
Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith (Founder of PedTech) P PedT 6e
Are the findings the same for all teachers?
'So no, it's not the same for all teachers ... So there will be that element of it that will be the same for all teachers. But when it comes to the professional choices that teachers make about their own practice in their own classrooms, then technology is just another tool and they may choose to use say a book as opposed to using a PDF on the screen, it's simple things like that.'
John Galloway (Inclusion Consultant) & Carol Allen (Education Advisor for IT and Inclusion)
How can we know when technology is and is not the right tool?
'So if we take a subject like that, is there really anything that we can't use technology to enhance? I don't mean enhancing the terms of make better, I mean enhancing the terms of giving me more options and possibly more accessible options for some people. So my answer really has to be, I think possibly riding a horse might be something that wouldn't be enhanced. Oh, no, Carol, you are so wrong! Because I could video myself bouncing along and then analyse the video and improve my... No, technology is there for everything, folks.'
Carol Allen (Education Advisor for IT and Inclusion)
Research papers linked to quotes above:
Aubrey-Smith, F., (2021) The 3 Cs: Developing teachers digital and edtech skills. SecEd: November 2021
Selwyn, N. (2018) Telling Tales on Technology: Qualitative Studies of Technology and Education. 2nd edn. Oxon: Routledge
Twining, P. and Maher, D. (2017) Bring Your Own Device. Educational Researcher 59(1). pp.73-88
Selwyn, N. (2019) Teachers and Technology: Time to Get Serious Impact Article, Jan 2019