Technology Philosophy

"This is the way I've always done it" is potentially the most dangerous sentence for education. The world of research revolves so quickly that it is impossible to stay on top of every piece of information that is available to us as educators. Professional development sessions, conferences, and personal planning aids in our ability to stay current, but learning requires an open mind. As an educator, I believe it is my responsibility to remain engaged in new learning in order to deliver the best quality of instruction that I can for both my current and future students. In the last three years alone, this meant that technology became an irrefutable resources for learning purposes as educators everywhere worked through the pandemic. For educators to not utilize technology in the classroom would mean that we are doing things the way we always have.

To continue refining facilitation and enhancing learning, there must be an effort to incorporate technology into education. This could be accomplished through the methods of delivery for instruction, grading, and data assessment. These three examples all aid in the instructional component of teaching. For methods of delivery, content instruction can be taught through videos (such as lecture recordings, TED Talks, tutorial videos, reenactments, etc.), podcasts, PowerPoints, or other visuals (such as examples for demonstrations, prompts for writing activities, pictures corresponding with written directions or objectives, etc.). For grading, the use of technology saves both time and energy, and, when done correctly, eliminates or alleviates human error. This also adds an extra layer of security for information storage and prevents any possibilty of information being changed or manipulated. Using technology for data collection and assessment can also help teachers save time and energy because data points can be collected and analyzed more efficiently than by hand. Different assessments and progress monitoring platforms can analyze trends and provide suggestions for areas that need targeted by more instruction and appropriate support. The time and energy that is saved on grading and data analysis can be utilized for small group instruction and differentiation planning for students' various strengths and needs. Tehcnology use in instruction is more sustainable for both the environment (less paper being used) and for educators, as the time and energy that is saved on these tasks can be better allocated to prevent teacher burnout from working long hours after school for grading or data analysis purposes.

Furthermore, technology provides an avenue for supporting student success in the overarching goals I have for learners in my classroom. At the end of my time with students, I want them to be able to: (1) become lifelong expert learners who are purposeful and motivated; resourceful and knowledgeable; and strategic and goal-directed; (2) successfully contribute to the communities and/or environments in which they find themselves (with this comes an understanding and appreciation of collaboration, as well as the ability to transfer their skills into different contexts); and (3) participate in and contribute to creating safe, inclusive environments which promotes equity, diversity, collaboration, restorative justice, and trauma-informed practices. Technology use in the classroom can help students accomplish these goals by providing multiple opportunities for collaboration, such as group or class work and cooperative learning, and for action and expression, which lends itself to a personalized education experience for every student. Finally, by using technology in the classroom, students can learn how to get the most out of their technology usage by learning when and how to use it in their own learning. When used correctly, technology can help engage students so that they are active and interested in their learning.

It would be fraught, however, to not consider potential barriers to integrating technology in the classroom. 24/7 access is an SES and geographical assumption. Students from families of low SES may not always have access to internet at home, while students in rural areas may not have physical access to internet, regardless of income, because of their location. Another barrier could be whether a district provides devices for every student. If the student is in a location where the district does provide devices for them, then materials (assignments, lectures, essential questions, etc.) still need to be made accessible through platforms that do not rely on internet usage. If students do not have devices provided by the district, then integration of technology has to be done within the constraints of the classroom setting where collaboration can be taken advantage of. Outside of SES and geographical location, learning differences are always a vital consideration when planning differentiated lessons for students in the classroom. Students who are hard of hearing or deaf may need closed captioning for videos, podcasts, or TED Talks for example. Students who are visually impaired or blind may not be able to watch videos that rely on visuals for instruction; if this is the case, instruction has to be delivered through an appropriate form with the right supports, such as a scribe for written responses or magnification technology to make hardcopies of reading materials legible. Students with specific learning disabilities (specifically in reading) may struggle to varying degress with reading and providing written responses; therefore, these students could benefit from having multiple means of action and expression.

Staying active and up to date with current research in a forever-evolving field is of the utmost importance when considering incorporation of any practice into one's classroom, including technology. Taking advantage of professional development sessions, seminars, or conferences is one way to ensure that educators avoid falling into the habit of doing things the way they "have always done it."