Month: March 2020

Learning Integration and pedagogical change

Lynda MacMillan on

Since the inception of DT within education, practitioners have travelled a tempestuous journey. Hence, research being instrumental in determining the causes of inadequate integration of technologies, and the consistent themes, instrumental in re-shaping the future of DT integration within education.

Originally, digital technologies were designed for business purposes, as discussed by (Watson, 2001, p. 251).  As DT infiltrated education, practitioners were expected to utilise digital technologies, without themselves receiving training (Wastiau, 2011, p. 16).  Digital tools, traditionally complex to utilise and not aligned with traditional teaching pedagogies, caused difficulties in their implementation (Bull, 2016, p. 117), resulting in abandonment of their integration (Watson, 2001, p. 253).

As a project worker within education, these themes, highlighted within research, are issues that I have encountered within my work.  Although a shift in organisational approaches to DT integration is evident. The establishment of working groups and organisational plans, to counteract these issues (Wastiau, 2011, p. 18) have evolved.

Although great strides, integration of DT still encounters resistance. Investment in staff development and capacity building are on the agenda, influenced keenly, by increased access to well-developed online training modules, now mandatory for many staff (Trust, 2018, p. 55).  Instrumental, are the huge efforts being undertaken to utilise DT tools that can be successfully integrated into educator pedagogies, a massive leap in the right direction, given that this has been difficult in the past (Wastiau, 2011, p. 23).

The implementation of DT for educational practitioners, has been, and continues to be, challenging.  However, integration of DT within education is changing,  many institutions are implementing strategies to counteract these inhibitors.

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The History of Digital Learning

Lynda MacMillan on

Apparent to educators, is that learning environments have changed considerably, with the inception of ICT.  Although associated pedagogies implemented by educators are still gathering momentum, research identifies similar inconsistencies across education.  Hence, highlighting parallel impediments, yet to be overcome, before the scope of ICT is fully evident.

As discussed by Bull et al., (2016), although many pioneering endeavours have incorporated ICT into learning, evidence indicates slow growth throughout the past four decades (p. 117).  Furthermore, Wastiau et al., (2012, p. 25), attributes the ICT gap to the underutilization of ICT within home environments. Even with conceited efforts to narrow the gap between home and school, evidence suggests, many learners have inadequate access to ICT within their homes, impacting equality in learning (Trust, 2018, p. 54).  Moreover, (Wastiau et al., 2012, p. 54), states, the utilisation of ICT has been impacted by problematic incorporation into educational design, along with deficient assumptions, as discussed by Bain & Weston, (2012, p. 1).  The importance of strategic leadership in ICT implementation is fundamental in ensuring educator training needs are met.  Educators, themselves require ICT professional development that is engaging, builds confidence and assists with changing attitudes regarding ICT utilisation (Wastiau et al., 2012, p. 54).

Overall the inception of ICT into learning environments has created fundamental changes to education, it is only through strategic leadership and implementation policies, that challenge issues of inequality, educator education and usability within learning environments, that ICT can reach its full potential in education.

 

References

 

Bain, A., & Weston, M.E. (2012). Education and technology. In the learning edge: what technology can do to educate all children (pp.  1-24). New York, NY: Teachers College Press

 

Bull, G., Thompson, A. D., Schmidt-Crawford. D., Garofalo, J. (2016). Evaluating the Impact of Educational Technology, Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 32:4, 117-118. https://doi.org/10.1080/21532974.2016.1217052

 

Trust, T. (2018). Why Do We Need Technology in Education? Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 34(2), pp. 54–55.

https://doi.org/10.1080/21532974.2018.1442073

 

Wastiau, P., Blamire, R., Kearney, C. (2013). The Use of ICT in Education: A Survey of Schools in Europe,  European Journal of Education, Vol.48(1), p.11-27.

Digital Natives vs Digital Immigrants

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With the rapid inception of ITC into traditional learning environments, educational practitioners have grappled with the expectation of its immediate application into their workplaces.  In conjunction with the rapid-paced ITC movement, educators and learners were categorized as either ‘digital immigrants’ or ‘digital natives’, thus making assumptions about learner capacity to embrace ICT.

Digital immigrants have been defined as, lacking ICT exposure and learning differently. Whereas, ‘digital natives’ are considered to have had comprehensive exposure to ICT (Prensky 2001, p. 1) and  being “fearless in embracing technology” (Tedx , 2015).

Prensky (2001), neglects to identify educators as learners, yet educators have been expected to instruct learners in ICT, without training.  Such terminology creates assumptions, rather than strategically implementing  ICT within workplaces.  Whereas, Kirschner and Bruyckere (2017), establish essential links between the success of ICT implementation and design of tools utilised, encompassing cognitive, meta-cognitive and  pedagogical knowledge and content (p. 140).

The inception of ICT in education, without the formation of strategies for ICT tool implementation along with assumptions regarding learners has formulated a hypothesises, that lacks foundation, when measured against learning theories in general.

 

References

Kirschner, P. A., & De Bruyckere, P. (2017). The myths of the digital native and the multitasker.

Teaching and Teacher Education, 67, 135 -142

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.06.001

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5).

https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1108/10748120110424816

TEDx Talks. (2015). Sreenivasan. S: Digital natives vs. digital immigrants [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_9gI0B4nS4&feature=emb_title

Digital Technology Integration – Personal Position Statement

Lynda MacMillan on

As an educator, it is evident that successful integration of ICT within workplaces, is reliant on a range of factors including, the implementation of suitably tailored technological mechanisms, that engage diverse learners.  Enhanced by skilled and motivated educators, capable of incorporating these mechanisms into multi-dimensional environments.

Prensky (2001), discusses design and use of ICT that is engaging for learners from traditional learning environments, and the “N-gen” (Net Generation), fundamentally challenging workplaces (p. 1).   It’s imperative that technology is readily available, and that educators see this technology as valuable, within education, as discussed by George and Sanders, (2011, p. 1).

According to Bain and Weston (2012), for successful implementation and integration, workplaces must ensure ICT Leaders acquire attributes required for successful ICT implementation (p. 161).  Access to ICT is important, but moreover, the implementation, establishing ICT value in workplaces (George & Sanders, 2017, p. 1).

The successful implementation of ICT within workplaces is multifaceted, yet the apparent themes, are fairly consistent with those mentioned previously.

 

References

Bain, A., & Weston, M. E. (2012). Education and Technology. In The learning edge: What technology can do to educate all children.

Teachers College Press.

George, A., & Sanders, M. (2011). Evaluating the Potential of Teacher-Designed Technology-Based Tasks for Meaningful Learning:

       Identifying Needs for Professional Development. DOI 10.1007/s10639-017-9609-y

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital immigrants.On the Horizon, 9(5).