Youth’s Cry for Technology Change

Digital media and other communication have become a pervasive part of the everyday lives of youth in the United States. Social network sites, online games, video-sharing sites, and gadgets such as iPods and mobile phones are now well-established fixtures of youth culture (Itō et al., 2009, p. 1).

Youth’s access to technology is increasing to the point where they are plugged in to technology for a better part of their day. With this shift in the current culture, a shift in current education must occur. Studies have shown that using technology in education helps student learning. However, three main factors must be present in order for it to be an effective tool within education. Technology must have focus, teachers must be trained appropriately, and there must be communication in all aspects of the process. Without all of these, the technology resources will not be used to their fullest extent and the opportunity for effective student learning is negligible.

Focus and Intent

Technology in education must have a specific focus and intent of purpose. In Schacter’s (1999) review of seven different studies pertaining to technology implementation into education, he came to this conclusion,  “There is evidence in some of these studies that learning technology is less effective or ineffective when the learning objectives are unclear and the focus of the technology use is diffuse” (p. 10). Therefore, a plan must be put in place to define the learning objectives and focus of the proposed technology. When this occurs, student performance increases. After extensive research, Jing Lei and Yong Zhao (2007) came to the conclusion that “Quantity of technology use alone is not critical to student learning…Even if students spend the same amount of time on computers, what they use computers for decides whether or not they will benefit from using computers” (p. 293). Lei and Zhao are saying that the focus is not on the amount of time students use the technology, but the quality of the experience they have while they are using it. When technology is put in place with this focus in mind students’ understanding of the material increases.
Technology Training for Teachers

In order to have quality experiences with technology, students must have teachers who are able to properly implement the technology and embrace the benefits of its use. Without proper training, technology fails to be put to its proper use and its effectiveness is minimal. In her research, Barbara Means (2010) came to the conclusion that “Sound guidance on how to implement technology in ways that produces student learning gains is integral to efforts to use technology as a lever for education change” (p. 287). Peggy Ertmer (2005) took this a step further and said, “it is imperative that educators increase their understanding of and ability to address teacher beliefs, as part of their efforts to increase teachers’ technology skills and uses” (p 37). Both Means (2010) and Ertmer (2005) conclude that teachers must be the ones who implement technology into their classrooms and students depend upon them to do this effectively. Formal training helps the teachers focus on the ultimate goal of technology within education and helps seamlessly integrate it into the classroom, thus making it an effective tool for student understanding. Peggy Ertmer’s (2005) says in her research,

According to Becker (2000), computers serve as a “valuable and well-functioning instructional tool” (p. 29) in schools and classrooms in which teachers: (a) have convenient access, (b) are adequately prepared, (c) have some freedom in the curriculum, and (d) hold personal beliefs aligned with a constructivist pedagogy (p. 25).

Communication
Communication plays an integral part in the successful implementation of technology and maximizes its gains. Three areas of communication must be present in order for this to occur. There needs to be interaction between teachers and students, the principal and teachers, and teachers with other teachers. Means (2010), in her study of technology implementation practices, discussed Powell, Aeby, and Carpenter-Aeby’s (2003) findings that “teacher presence during use of instructional software and teacher review of software reports of student performance on the software produced greater student learning” (p. 288). When there was communication between students and teachers, the gaps in the students’ processes were filled and their learning improved.
It is important to have not only communication between the students and teachers, but also between teachers and principals. There has to be support of a similar vision so that the implementation of the software, and its availability, are not being stifled. “In schools with a consistent instructional vision, the principal and the treatment teachers expressed similar coherent views of how the subject (reading or mathematics) should be taught and the role that the software should play in implementing that instructional vision” (Mean, 2010, p. 298). When this occurred, student performance increased.
When teachers are looking to implement technology it is important to have other teachers communicating their struggles, advice, and plans. Means also found in her research that “support from one’s colleagues appears to be another factor present in schools that achieve learning gains with technology” (p. 299). To maximize the effectiveness of the technology it is important for the teachers to step out of their classrooms to see what works for other teachers and share their own successes. This makes for a more well rounded approach to technology integration within the school and assists the teachers who have greater difficulty embracing the new technology.
Conclusion
Technology is a useful tool in education when it is used properly. It is vital that technology be implemented in education in order to reach a youth that is constantly stimulated by it. To avoid the use of technology would be avoiding the most effective method of teaching the students of today. However, it is important to make sure that the technology is implemented with a purpose, proper training, and appropriate communication throughout the whole process. Research has proven technologies’ effectiveness when each of these are addressed (Becker 2000; Krentler, Willis-Flurry 2005; Schacter 1999).
References
Becker, H. J. (2000). Findings from the teaching, learning, and computing survey: Is Larry Cuban right? [PDF file]. Center for Research on     Information Technology and Organizations. Retrieved from http://www.crito.uci.edu/tlc

Ertmer, P. A. (2005). Teacher pedagogical beliefs: The final frontier in our quest for technology integration? Educational Technology Research and Development, 53(4), 25-39.     doi:10.1007/BF02504683

Itō, M., Horst, H. A., Bittanti, M., Boyd, D., Herr-Stephenson, B., Lange, P. G., & Pascoe, C. J. (2009). Living and learning with new media: summary of findings from the digital youth     project. MIT Press.

Johnson, D. L., & Maddux, C. D. (2007). Introduction: Effectiveness of information technology in education. Computers in the Schools, 24(3/4), 1-6. doi:10.1 300/J025v24n03‗01

Krentler, K. A., & Willis-Flurry, L. A. (2005). Does technology enhance actual student learning?The Case of Online Discussion Boards. Journal of Education for Business, 80(6), 316-321. doi:Article

Lei, J., & Zhao, Y. (2007). Technology uses and student achievement: A longitudinal study. Computers & Education, 49(2), 284-296. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2005.06.013

Means, B. (2010). Technology and education change: Focus on student learning. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 42(3), 285-307.

Schacter, J. (1999). The impact of education technology on student achievement: What the most current research has to say. Milken Exchange on Education Technology.

Young, J. (2010). Reaching the Last Technology Holdouts at the Front of the Classroom. Chronicle of Higher Education, 56(41), A9.

Technology Use Plan Presentation

I approached this presentation as if a school was interested in the possibility of expanding their use of technology and they brought me in to present on the benefits and components of a technology use plan. I used some information from my own school in the vision statement, for example, to help focus the presentation.

Currently my school is doing a large fundraiser to get money for technology. After doing this presentation and looking at the specifics of the plan I am seeing the need for a use plan so that the technology purchased is used to its fullest potential. I am going to talk with my superintendent about whether or not we have some of the components of a plan in place and suggest we pull one together before we spend the money from the fundraiser.

You may click on the link below to watch my presentation about a technology use plan:

Technology Use Planning

Schools and their districts are always looking for ways to improve their effectiveness, flexibility, and efficiency. The current push in education is the implementation of technology into the schools to address all three of these areas. Technology use planning is the process by which schools and districts create a short term plan with a long term vision for using technology within the classroom to meet the individual needs of the students.

The 2010 National Educational Technology Plan focuses directly on the implementation of technology into schools to address five key organizational themes: learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure, and productivity. It addresses the need for individual student learning opportunities by using an environment of constant connectivity to information, assistance, and real world applications with the use of current and new technologies. When schools and districts are approaching technology use planning, these five themes must be addressed.

One struggle with technology in education is that it is constantly changing and improving, so technology that is implemented into schools can be outdated within a few years.  Therefore, it is good to have short term technology use plans and continually reevaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of what is being used compared to what is newly available. It also allows for the processes occurring in the classroom to be up-to-date with the current needs of the students.

Technology, in itself, can be very ineffective if it is not used properly. John See says that schools should focus more on the end product of using the technology as opposed to the number of technological devices they have available. Technology should not be purchased in hopes that educators will find a use for it, but it should be purchased with a use already in mind. I have seen the ineffectiveness of technology in my own school because it was purchased with no plan for its use. Many teachers would not use the technology they were given because they didn’t have the necessary skills to properly implement it into the structure of their classroom.

Therefore, my school has started the process of technology use planning. Our superintendent has a vision of being one of the top private schools that has constant connectivity and innovative technology within the classrooms. He is implementing professional technology standards that must be met by teachers in order to receive technology in their classrooms.  We must also show ways that the technology will positively influence the end product. Technology use planning is vital for creating and achieving short term goals and implementing the long term vision of our superintendent. As our society becomes more dependent upon technology, the implementation and deliberate planning of its use within education will become increasingly necessary. This is why my school is taking the initiative now to address technology use within our classrooms.

References

Feds release new national ed-tech plan. (2010, March 8). eSchool News. Retrieved from http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/03/08/feds-release-new-national-ed-tech-plan/2/?

See, J. (n.d.). Developing effective technology plans. National Center for Technology Planning. Retrieved from http://www.nctp.com/html/john_see.cfm