Lesson 4: Understanding Technology Learners

The development of technology has brought many changes in the world of education. Like, the learners today are not as good readers as the learners before. Since, they belong to a much civilized and modern generation they are more exposed to gadgets and other technology. They easily got bored in class and they learn much if the lessons are presented in video presentations, group activities and computer classes.

The concern here is that, most of the teachers belong to the old generation, meaning they are on the side of the traditional way of teaching. Some of these teachers are not computer literate; as a result some of the needs of the learners in the new generation cannot be address. Also, others cannot understand the way learners learn because they fail to realize that the learners today are not the same with the learners before. It is good to take in mind that the learners today are information technology or digital learners.

As digital learners, technology has also brought bad effects to learners like, they fail to develop their social face-to-face interpersonal skills because they are most likely to converse in cellphones, Facebook, e-mail and twitter and their concentration to finish a task is affected because they do many things at a time like, watching video, texting, downloading pictures and videos and surfing the web.

Indeed, there is really a big difference or gap between the learners before and today.

            See how technology evolved through times. I am really amazed with the immense changes technology has brought to us. It did not only change the way we live but also the way we acquire things in school. I also realized that how learners behave before is far different with the way young learners behave today. Indeed, technology has already become a part of our lives.

            As a teacher, this lesson will help me know better the young learners of this generation. This lesson gave me a hint on the nature and characteristics of the young learners which will help me on how to deal and teach them effectively. We must therefore also use interactive and computer-aided teaching strategies that is appropriate to the learning needs, interests and learning style of the learners.

Lesson 5: Bridging the Gap

            The development of technology has really brought a gap between the learners before and today. This will continue unless changes are to be made. But how can we bridge the generation gap? With the emergence of digital technology or sometimes referred to us as information and communication technology. To bridge the gap, first, we need to understand the potentials information and communication technology:

a.       The new network of instantaneous communication is global, overcoming borders between countries and continents.

b.      Much of what elders believe may not be applicable anymore to the new generation, especially along matters of traditional value system.

c.       Alvin Toffler’s book, Future Shock, shows how the information age has begun to create many cultural changes in the family, societies, businesses, government such as what he calls the throw-away society, modular man, kinetic image, scientific trajectory, fractured family, surfeit of subcults, psychological dimension, etc.

                       

            With the generation gap, teachers must therefore understand these gaps that may lead him in connecting with the new generation of learners. If these gaps are not solve then the teaching-learning process may fail. Learners may also become discourage in learning and worst they may stop going to school.

            During my high school days, most of my teachers were traditionalist. Our lessons were merely done in a lecture way. Learning was a teacher-centered one. They always do the talking and we were just like sitting in our chairs the whole period, waiting for the bell to ring. While in my first year in college, it change a bit with how the teachers teach, some were into technology and some were not. Then, the college year which I think was the start of technology integration in instruction was during my third year, where I was enrolled in Educational Technology 1 and it continues until now. Today, our children even the very young ones are computer-aided individuals. At a very young age, they are already exposed to different gadgets and technology.

            I realized how important it is to fill the gaps made by the technology since this is a great factor on the success of teaching-learning. I never really thought that, this gap could bring problems especially on the learners. Since, one of responsibilities of a teacher is to impart knowledge to the learners, he must therefore learn to cope up, to adjust and match his teaching strategies with the new learning styles of the young generation in order that he can bridge this learning gap. Also, with the school curriculum technology should be integrated. Learners are the center of the educative process. They are our top priority. We must, therefore consider their needs, interests and learning styles.

Lesson 2: Educational Technology History and ICT

 “Technology is more than hardware. Technology consists of the designs and the environment that engage learners. –D. Jonassen           

Technology comes from the Greek word techne which means craft or art. If combined together, educational technology refers to the art or craft responding to our educational needs. Educational technology (ET)

     

               includes the application of scientific findings in our method,

      process or procedure of working in the field of education

         in order to effect learning. It embraces curriculum and

         instructional design, learning environment, theories of

    teaching-learning. It is also a profession. It is the use of all

        human invention for teachers to realize their mission to

                  teach in order that students learn.

History of ET:

o   Pierre Abelard introduced a technology of instruction during the Middle Age of Scholastic Philosophy

o   Comenius, Pestalozzi, Froebel, Herbart, and Montessori contributed their own concepts on educational technology improving on the educative process

o   Modern instructional technology (Johann Amos Comenius)

o   Scientific theory of learning and scientific method (Thorndike and Dewey)

o   19^th C. - textbooks, use of blackboards and improvements in writing implements like pen and ink, visual instruction

o   1920 - Visual media became widely accepted; publication of audio- visual media texts

o   1926 - Educational films were used as instructional media

o   1927 - Pressev wrote on programmed learning through a machine which tested and confirmed a learning task

o   In 1932, the first instructional Television program was aired at the State University of Iowa

o    World War II - the U.S. government encouraged the implementation of technology instruction for military training programs

What is Information Communications Technology (ICT)?

            “ICT is a collection of diverse technological tools and resources used to communicate, to create, to disseminate, to store and to manage information” (Blurton, 2002). ICT is considered as a powerful and effective tool in the teaching-learning. It is briefly defined as relevant, good quality and engaging to students.

            To sum it up, Educational Technology and ICT are useful and authentic tools that can make the learning more active, interactive and engaging to students. They also develop skills like the communication skill, creative and critical skill, interpersonal skill and computer skills. With these tools, it will help the teacher to be effective and efficient in teaching. With the learners, ICT and ET develop their motivation; skills and it engage them in the teaching-learning process.

With the advancement of technology around the globe, it had not only affected the things around us but also with how our education works today. Before, the education was teacher- centered. Everything is done by the teacher. As the world evolved and continues to develop, education also changed. It became more engaging, creative and interactive and that is because of the development of technology. During my elementary and high school days, learning was more on lectures. Teachers gave everything to us or as we termed it “spoon feeding”. That is why during my elementary days, I was not able to develop my skills which affected my performance in high school. The same in high school, teachers were into the traditional way of teaching. I think college was the BANG! Because teachers are technology and outcomes-based oriented individuals. Like in our English classes, teachers incorporated technology in the activities and discussion they used PowerPoint presentation, video clips and audio materials, etc. which for me is far more effective than before. Today, teaching and learning became more engaging and interactive which results to a more effective and meaningful learning.

            Educational Technology and ICT are really a breath of fresh air. ET and ICT had brought new and innovative teaching and learning tools that are of great help to the students and to the teachers. With just a click everything is served but we should also make sure that our students will not be ruled by technology. The role of technology is just to help us and not to control and rule over us. Technology is made for man not man for technology. We should put limitations as to where we will use technology. Teachers will always and forever be the best.

As a student of Educational Technology, I will try my best to understand all the important things in this course so that I will be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed in the 21^st century teaching. As a future teacher, I should be able to incorporate technology in the educative process since learners of the next generation are computer-oriented individuals. With this, I will be effective in addressing their needs and coping up with their new learning styles. Since learners are the center of education we should therefore meet their needs and interests and one way of doing that is to learn educational technology and ICT. I will also make sure that technology will never replace my role as a teacher because we teachers have a great part and responsibility towards our students. We act as both facilitators of knowledge and educator of values.

Lesson 3: An Overview: Educational Technology 2

            This lesson is focus on the goals and objectives of Educational Technology in the teaching-learning process. Educational Technology 2 (ET-2) aims to expound the knowledge and to develop the skills of the students so that they will be more competitive in using technology. ET-2 aims to help the student-teachers, professional teachers and administrators who want to be knowledgeable and to be equipped with the skills needed to be effective in using and implementing technology in the school instruction and curriculum.  It is directed at enhancing teaching-learning through technology integration.

           

            The specific course objectives are:

·         to provide education in the use of technology in instruction by providing knowledge and skills on technology integration-in-instruction to learners;

·         to impart learning experiences in instructional technology-supported instructional planning;

·         to acquaint students on Information Technology or IT-related learning theories with the computer as a tutor

·         to learn to use and evaluate computer-based educational resources;

·         to engage learners on practical technology integration issues including managing IT classrooms, use of the Internet for learning, cooperative learning through the use of information technology; and

·         to inculcate higher-level thinking and creativity among students while providing them knowledge of IT-related learning theories.

            Educational Technology 2 prepares teachers and even administrators with the technology becoming a part of the school curriculum and instruction. It is indeed a great help to teachers and administrators especially to those individuals who are new and not that good in using technology. ET-2 also opens the door to improvements on the part of the learners, teachers and of the school. It trains learners to become competitive in terms of using the technology. With Educational Technology, the teaching-learning process will come to its new face which is more practical and productive.

            As a future teachers, the lessons found in ET-2 will be of great help to deepen my understanding about the benefits of technology to the students and soon as a teacher of the young generation of learners. As a teacher, ET-2 will help me to understand the nature and perceptions of the young generation with the technology in instruction. With the stated objectives above, it will serve as my guide in implementing the new ways of imparting knowledge which is through educational technology.

Lesson 1: A Review of Educational Technology 1

This lesson is a review on the rise and development of Educational Technology (ET) 1 in the teaching-learning process. In the ET-1 course, it thoroughly explained the history of educational technology, benefits of educational technology to education and the roles of the educational technology to the 21^st century teaching and learning. It also explained the advantages and disadvantages of technology to the learners and to the society, technology as a tool to quality education and technology as the new avenue to teaching and learning.

In the course, it discussed four phases on the application of technology in the instruction namely: (a) setting of the learning objectives, (b) designing learning activities, (c) evaluating the learning activities and objectives and, (d) refining and revising of the instructional program. It also gave us a full view on the world of technology, the uses of computers to education, the different audiovisual aids and educational media.

The Educational Technology (ET-1) course has truly

paved the way for the learners to become aware,

appreciative, and equipped to use educational technology

tool ranging from traditional to modern educational media.

Educational Technology 1 course really taught me many wonderful and exciting things about computers. It has also deepened my understanding on how technology really works in the society particularly in the school. What’s really amazed me about ET-1 was that, it was outcomes-based and a learner-centered one. It was somewhat a discovery learning which made the learning more meaningful and useful. During my ET-1, our instructor really prepared learning activities that would develop our skills in using the computer. Learning activities like, Electronic Collage, Film Festival, Unique Invention and Photoshop. In the Electronic Collage activity, I was really shocked because the usual collage I know was the cut and paste picture collage. At first, it was hard especially that I am not that good in using the computer but at the end I see learning with computers, fun. In the Film Festival activity, it did not only improve our computer skills but as well as our acting skills, sportsmanship, cooperation, unity, creativity and organizational skills. The Invention activity developed our creative imagination and resourcefulness. The Photoshop activity was the most exciting one, wherein we were to choose a movie poster and put our own faces as if we were the real characters. Amazing! We were also introduced to different sites like the Edmodo, Toondoo and Rubistar that would be helpful especially to us future teachers.

Indeed, technology can improve the quality of education. With educational technology, learners are engaged in a more interactive and experiential learning. This kind of learning is what we want our students to have because with this, learning is more productive and meaningful. Technology is also a great help to teachers to become more effective in their teaching. In educational technology learning will be more on outcomes-based and learner-centered.

As a future teacher, my experiences in this course will be of great help to my career. I will use the knowledge and skills that I have learned in my future class especially that we are now on the 21^st millennium where technology has become a part of the curriculum. We cannot deny the fact that learners today are more exposed to a variety of gadgets and as teacher we need to adapt to the changes that technology brings to be effective. Since we are now on the modern way of teaching and learning, we must also move to a more modern way of imparting knowledge. There is a need to integrate technology in education especially that the students nowadays are technology-oriented individuals. So, as a challenge: I must make good and meaningful things using technology that would help my future learners with their careers in life.