Technology
is a dynamic tool that provides students access to extensive amounts of
information and helps them develop skills required to transform this
information into useful knowledge.
It
is an essential component of modern day education since it helps students
develop essential learning skills and become lifelong learners. Research and
case studies have continually proved that technology improves student
achievement in Reading, Writing and Mathematics; it improves the productivity,
efficiency and decision-making abilities of schools; it helps teachers in
professional development; it improves learning skills such as problem-solving,
communication and interpersonal skills; helps schools create personalized
learning environments to meet the needs of all kinds of students; it promotes
equity and access in education; and helps students develop efficient workforce
skills required in the future.
Technology
ushers in fundamental structural changes that are integral in enhancing the
learning outcomes. It infuses classrooms with digital learning tools; expands
course offerings, experiences, and learning materials; supports learning even
outside the classroom; builds 21st century skills; increases student engagement
and motivation; and accelerates learning. Online learning opportunities and the
use of Open Educational Resources (OER) and other technologies can increase
educational productivity by accelerating the rate of learning; reducing costs
associated with instructional materials or program delivery; and better
utilizing teacher time.
To
successfully implement and use technology to improve the learning outcomes, a
planned approach needs to be followed. Here are some steps that can guide you
on how to leverage technology to improve
learning outcomes:
Foster school environments where teachers, students, parents, administrators and the broader
community of the school support the adoption of technology in
education and are
comfortable with replacing and enhancing the traditional educational practices
with the use of technology. Until and unless everyone involved with teaching
and learning do not approve of technology integration, no benefits can be
derived out of it. The community of the educational organization needs to be
collaborative, supportive and open to the adoption of modern ways to teach and
learn. They must not doubt the capability of technology in improving the
learning outcomes. When this vital support is gathered, the organization can
head towards the development of policies for the implementation and use of
technology for teaching and learning.
Once technology is implemented
and is ready to be used by the teachers, students and administrators for
teaching, learning and administrative purposes, all should be provided with thenecessary training to make them adept with the use of
technology so they can make the most out of it. Teachers should be provided
with effective professional development on the
instructional integration of technology. They must be made
aware of the extent to which they can use technology for teaching so that it
doesn’t completely replace them and low down their value of being an
instructor. Students should be taught about the regulated use of technology to
aid their learning and should not at any point take undue advantage of it.
Administrators can make a lot of school administration tasks easier for
themselves but should carefully assess where technology hinders the
effectiveness of their tasks.
After the necessary training
and professional development on the effective use of technology, itneeds to be embedded within the daily
school schedule. This will alter the everyday teaching
practices that take place within a school. It will modify how lectures are
imparted and what learning materials and resources are made use of. Some
schools may choose to flip their classrooms using technology and will utilize
the class-time for student and teacher interaction, group discussions,
brainstorming, quizzes and additional exercises, since now the lectures are
imparted to students through videos at their home. So, technology integration
will modify the school schedule to a large extent and teachers will need to
re-model their roles accordingly.
Tailor your curriculum in such a way that it is supports the use of technology. The
curriculum objectives being assessed through technology need to be directly
supported. The technological practices need to be made part of the standard
curriculum of subjects, as a result of which the curricula will require basic
formatting. For instance, there will be a need to supplement the curricula of
subjects like Science and Technology with advanced tools for experimentation
and research, this will add a more practical approach to learning and make the
overall learning experience authentic and experiential.
Adjust the incorporation of
technology such that it suits the abilities of students based on the assessment of their prior
experiences. Students should not take the responsibility of using technology
all at once. Teachers should support and guide them to gradually adopt
technology such that it becomes a significant part of their everyday learning.
If students are capable of learning certain subjects better without the use of
technology, then they should stick to their usual learning approach and
practices. Students and teachers both must be provided with regular feedback
about their performance and progress with the technological applications.
Provide increasing opportunities
for student collaboration and teacher collaboration since it is evident that encouraging
them to reach out to each other to solve problems and share knowledge not only
builds collaboration skills but leads to deeper learning and understanding for
improved learning outcomes. They can learn better with the new technology if
they work in groups and discover its effectiveness on their learning. They can
implement new ways of using the technology provided to them through innovation
and advanced thinking. Collaborative learning will allow them to make the most
of the technology embedded in their curriculum and also bring light to new and
effective ways of using it.
Technology should not just be
restricted to use in the curriculum but after students develop learning of
their subjects, they should assess themselves and further their knowledge and
skills by designing and implementing projects that extend the
curricular content and learning and assess it through particular
standardized tests. Taking on projects on whatever is learnt, allows students
to apply practical skills to the subject matter and realize the significance of
it in real-life contexts. Projects encourage students to apply their learning
to real uses and the use of technology to better learning outcomes will be
effectual when this step is successfully carried out.
The
correct and timely application of these steps for the use of technology in
education can help improve the learning outcomes. I hope this approach can help
you for better learning with technology. Share more approaches and views with
us. The Comment box awaits you.
