My Personal Technology Statement:

Susan Hill

Personal Technology Statement

University of Arkansas, Teaching with Tech in K-12 ETEC 5303

Personal Technology Statement

Educational Technology has come leaps and bounds since it first began decades ago. Technology in the classroom continues to progress as new advances and inventions come about. As new technologies develop, students and teachers will need to be prepared for how to use them. This personal technology statement focuses on the 21^st Century and the six benefits that the integration of technology into the K-12 environment, and how they affect the learning environment.

It is important to remember that students in the K-12 environment are already excited about using technology. These students make up the Alpha generation. Kids are coming into the education system already technologically advanced (Fourtané, "Generation Alpha: The Children of the Millennial", 2019). Educators must be prepared to ensure that these students are ready for the 21^st Century and jobs that have yet to be created. There are several benefits to the use of technology in the K-12 classroom environment. One of the benefits included is the improvement of student engagement by using technology. Students tend to be more interested in the subjects that are being studied when they are actively engaged in the subject being learned (literacy, mathematics, social studies, science, etc.). Engaged technology provides opportunities for the student learning to be fun. Educators are able to present learning through technological environments that include gaming, virtual field trips, and other online resources (SAVVIDIS, "Top 6 benefits of using technology in the classroom", 2018). Technology also improves knowledge retention. Again, students who are engaged and interested in what is being learned tend to have better retention of the subject matter being learned (SAVVIDIS, "Top 6 benefits of using technology in the classroom", 2018). Integration of technology encourages individual student learning. Students do not all learn in the same manner. There are different learning styles and different learning abilities that affect each individual learner. Internet access gives these learners the resources needed to learn and engage in their preferred learning style (Savvidis, "Top 6 benefits of using technology in the classroom", 2018). Collaboration is another key area where the integration of technology benefits the classroom learners. Students are able to collaborate using various online activities (Roblyer, Hughes, "Chapter 1 - Educational Technology in Context", 2019). Technology encourages students to collaborate in the classroom, with the school, and with other classrooms globally (Savvidis, "Top 6 benefits of using technology in the classroom", 2018). Another technological integration factor that must be considered is the important life skills that will be needed for students to be successful in job environment of the 21^st Century. The 4C’s, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication (Roblyer, Hughes, "Chapter 1 - Educational Technology in Context", 2019, p. 16), are important in helping with improvement of student motivation and increased classroom productivity. These are important skills learned in the classroom that will carry on into the work environment life in general (Savvidis, "Top 6 benefits of using technology in the classroom", 2018). The integration of technology is not only beneficial for students, but also for the teacher/facilitator. Online resources improve teaching. Teachers have access to different apps, trusted online resources, virtual lessons, software, and online assessments (Savvidis, "Top 6 benefits of using technology in the classroom", 2018) which are major time saving factor for educators in the K-12 environment.

Heidi Hayes Jacobs stated in her TEDx presentation that educators need to ask, “What year are you preparing your students for?” (2011). Are educators preparing their students for the year 2033? Or, are they stuck in the year 1991? Are the technologies being used in the classroom preparing these students for the jobs yet to be created? Thorsen’s PowerPoint presentation states that educators need to ensure that their classroom environments are constructive and problem-based (Ch.1, slide 7).

Finally, it is important to remember that educators acknowledge the fact that this is not the classroom of the past. Students are coming to the classroom already advanced in the use of technology. In order to ensure that these Alpha’s are ready for the 21^st Century, educators must those students on their technological level. Are lessons created encouraging critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity? Is technology being integrated into the classroom environment to ensure that the 4C’s are being utilized? These students are the future and need to be prepared to take on the jobs that have yet to be created.

References

Roblyer, M. D., & Hughes, J. E. (2019). Chapter 1 - Educational Technology in Context. In Integrating Educational Technology in Teaching: Transforming Learning Across Disciplines (8th ed., p. 16). New York, NY: Pearson.

TEDx Talks. (2011, March 25). TEDxNYED - Heidi Hayes Jacobs - 03/05/2011 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=569&v=XsUgj9_ltN8&feature=emb_logo

Thorsen, C. (2006). Techtactics: instructional models for educational computing [PowerPoint slides download].

Savvidis, Pano. (2018, July 27). Top 6 benefits of using technology in the classroom. Retrieved February 8, 2020, from https://www.webanywhere.co.uk/blog/2016/02/top-6-benefits-technology-classroom/

Fourtané, S. (2019, October 24). Generation Alpha: The Children of the Millennial. Retrieved February 8, 2020, from https://interestingengineering.com/generation-alpha-the-children-of-the-millennial