Educational Technology Philosophy

My goal as a teacher is to empower students to be in control of their own learning. The quote, “Great leaders engineer learning experiences that put students in the driver’s seat and then get out of the way” by Ben Johnson, accurately describes my philosophy for teaching. As a student I viewed learning as something I was told. Learning for me became what I could remember about a lesson or lecture and how accurately I could regurgitate the information. I did not question what I was taught or have any desire to share my input about my own thinking. Through being an early childhood teacher for the past seventeen years, my thoughts on learning have changed dramatically. I know that my most important role in the classroom is to be a facilitator; the passenger in the car. The passenger can still interact, offer advice, and even notice things that the driver may not see, but the driver is still in charge of the car and arriving at the destination. I view the works and ideas of educators like John Dewey, who value the art of hands on learning styles. His pragmatic approach to education, where education is integrated and centered on student interest, where learning connects with real life situations, and play is valued (Ratner, 1939).

Technology links the real world to a digital world. In the simulation age of The Four Ages of Educational Technology, students take control of the material they are learning and are able to do what they cannot do in the real world. Educational Technology focuses on the content, format, interactive, and environmental affordances for learners.

Creating this type of learner-centered environment does face challenges. There has to be a foundation of modeling and trust built into the classroom. The teacher has to balance being in the leader role and know when it is safe to give the power over to students. This will look different in all grades and from year to year, where teachers adjust according to class needs. It may also feel daunting to accept ideas other than the ones in curriculum. Teachers have a large checklist of standards to teach and assess. With this pressure it may be more difficult to allow students to learn through experience based teaching and hands on exploring. Simply put, time is a teacher’s worst enemy. Using technology is also something that a teacher will want to set up and practice before using with students. With this comes time and preparation that many teachers have to factor into their day. Teachers should also prepare for events like networks being down or apps/programs not working properly and put a backup plan in place.

Incorporating technology has many benefits to add to a classroom. It has the ability to engage learners and create an active learning environment. In my own classroom, students who are more introverted seem to come alive when the can use apps like Sock Puppets or Show Me. These two apps have the capability to allow students to create a character type and perform tasks like retells, presentations, or create cartoons. This allows a student who might feel intimidated to speak in front of peers to share their thinking under the veil of an animated character. Using teacher and student created rubrics, students can see what aspects need to be included in their learning, but still have the freedom to differentiate their product from their peers.

Technology also opens up opportunities to peer collaboration. Recently we were working on giving each other peer feedback. Some students struggled to write out feedback that others could read easily. Students were given a choice to use Educreation, where they took a picture of the person’s work they would give feedback on and then video recorded their feedback. This was valuable peer collaboration for the students and a different way to share with one another.

My hopes of integrating meaningful technology in the classroom are a current goal I have set for the school year. I plan to use technology as an effective tool in connecting with all types of learners. By reaching more students where they feel most comfortable learning can improve students academically as well as socially and emotionally. A child who feels safe and comfortable in school will be more likely to meet their goals.

Resources:

Ratner, J. (1939). John Dewey’s philosophy. New York: The Modern Library