UNWRAPPING THE TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

Unwrapping the Technology Standards An Assignment Submitted by Name of Student Name of Establishment Class XXXX, Section XXXX, Fall 2012

UNWRAPPING THE TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS Unwrapping the Technology Standards

The key to successful teaching with technology is to combine smart instruction with smart tools. Interactive whiteboards to display a computer desktop to the entire class are one of the most valuated tools by teachers. Graphic calculators are among the most common devices used in the classroom to support the teaching learning process. Laptops, tablets, e-readers, mp3, smart phones are also devices considered highly useful classroom resources. Such learning management systems help teachers to organize, manage and carry out their classes. Teachers can post their materials and save grades and students can share files, submit assignments and participate in discussions using these technological systems. Teachers can join educational communities online to share resources, discuss teaching related topics and download necessary teaching material and activities to be used in their classes. The transit to secondary school involves a deeper level of knowledge. For 7th to 9th grade students to express and transmit learner knowledge requires different kinds of problem solving. One of the key targets when applying technology within the teaching process is to make students get involved in the decision making process while constructing their representations. Deciding which information should be included or which not, how to structure the information and what form it should take are complex decision making processes for students, so as to design problem solving while building their interpretation of certain subject. Students are constantly engaged in learning activities and class projects, this way, while using technology at school students interact as they work on their project positively fostering active learning, group relationship and knowledge exchange. Technology has become a necessary tool for teachers to meet the educational needs of students in all levels. Technology offers a new way of teaching and learning and provides new

UNWRAPPING THE TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

paths to boost knowledge. New and emerging technologies have the potential to magnify learning through the numerous amount of information on the network. When combined with traditional teaching methods, the use of computers helps students to improve basic skills area. Such integration produces a higher academic achievement in a variety of disciplines. Students like computers, so their attitude towards study, learning and school are positively affected learning faster and retaining larger amount of information. This is, furthermore, a great

opportunity for teachers to assist students at risk and students with low achieving. When evaluating the applications of technology in the teaching learning process and studying barriers and strategies in K-12 contexts, it should be determinant to improve the one-toone leaning environment in the classroom or school. For secondary school students, the issue of one computer for a group of two, three or even four students makes more difficult the learning process. Since there is an increasing quantity of information contained on the internet, it is suggested that the method of one computer to one student may change the teaching learning dynamic in the classroom. Studies about this topic have revealed that the scores achieved by students are higher when using a computer without need of sharing it during the curricular activities timeframe. Reading, writing, problem solving skill and motivation have increased since the structural learning environment of the classroom has improved through the application of the one-to-one interactive learning method. Thanks to the application of technology to the teaching learning process since kindergarten, students improve their skills so when they arrive to the secondary school level the main challenge of teachers is to reinforce such skills and abilities already acquired. Of course, new contents and subjects are introduced in the 7th to 9th grades, but the basic skills remain unaltered, so teachers, by planning the correct and most appropriate use of technology, teach

UNWRAPPING THE TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

students the new contents with a different perspective if compared with the traditional teaching method, which sometimes make students feel frustrated once they do not understand the new matter provoking the lack of motivation towards study, school and classes.

UNWRAPPING THE TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS References Garthway, A., & Weller, H.G. (2005). A year in the life: Two seven grade teachers implement

one-to-one computing. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 37(4), 361-377. Poole, B. (2001). Education for an Information Age: Teaching in the computerized classroom. 3rd Edition. The EdIndex of Web Resources for Teachers and Students. http://www.pitt.edu/~poole/InfoAgeindex2.html U.S. Department of Education, Getting Americas Students Ready for the 21st Century (section on Enhanced Student Achievement, chapter Benefits of Technology Use). http://www.ed.gov/Technology/Plan/NatTechPlan/benefits.html