The discussion of whether technology is a help or a hindrance to education has long been a highly debated topic. Some would argue that technology should be built into the very foundation of education because of the skills technology develops and because almost every field of employment will demand expert users of technology who can solve problems through a multifaceted approach. Others, however, would argue that students’ learning should take a more traditional approach, developing skills such as writing, spelling and grammar which are still deemed essential for this generation of learners.
In this debate I unfortunately have to sit on the fence. A shocking statement from a Subject Leader of Computing?
Technology in the classroom at Kings’ is an increasingly important agenda item. We want to ensure that as our school continues to grow that we are utilising technology in the right way. The Kings’ motto for education is “Results the right way”. This is entirely reflected in the way we use technology; the right way. Although we have expert facilities and resources to offer a genuine 21st Century Education where students and teachers utilise a variety of tools to enhance teaching and learning, our aim is for students to be able to make informed decisions about how and when they use technology in the classroom. Technology is not always the answer.
The development of technology in education is a key area for improvement in many schools. Students all over the world are accessing technology at all times. They learn, communicate, share and develop new social circles just by using their devices. These things come naturally to them, but all too often when they get in the classroom where things change and seem antiquated. Technology in the classroom needs to be on every schools agenda, bringing education into the 21st Century is something all schools should be striving towards. Here at King’s we have implemented a BOYD (Bring your own device) policy where students are able to bring in their own devices to support their learning in the classroom. This is the key point: to support their learning. I have always been an avid user of technology and advocate of technology in the classroom, and in my role as Subject Leader for Computing I have developed this further by understanding the pedagogy of using technology to support students and help them to achieve more. However I am also very aware that technology has to be used in the right way.
At Kings’ we see the laptop or tablet device as an extension of the pencil case, a tool in the classroom. Not something to replace the pen and paper, but something to enhance and support it.
We want students to make the right decisions for using technology and our BYOD program allows for that. Students have their devices in the lessons. What happens next is really up to them. If they are writing an essay or a story, we would advocate that a pen and paper is the best choice of tools. However technology in the classroom allows students to bring that story to life in the form of a video. Students can enhance their learning by being creative, demonstrating higher order thinking skills by creating their own revision materials in Science or presenting their key findings in a History research topic.
The question shouldn’t really be whether technology should be in our classrooms or not. The question should be how can we help students to use technology effectively to enhance their learning or allow opportunities for them to demonstrate their learning in a creative and meaningful way? That should be the vision for school leaders when looking at technology in the classroom. Technology should not be viewed as a substitute but more as a supportive addition to the learning environment. This is the vision we are working towards at Kings’: teachers confident in the pedagogy of teaching with technology and supporting students to feel confident about when and when not to use technology.
