Technology in Education: A Personal Philosophy
There can be little argument against the notion that technology has grown and changed exponentially, and especially so over the last few decades. The internet is easier and quicker to access, there are more ways to use technology, which further increase its accessibility. With this continued growth, the need for teachers to use technology in their teaching has likewise increased dramatically. Indeed, students in the United States no longer view such use as a privilege, they expect to have these opportunities, and seem to view such use as necessary to better prepare them for the demands of an increasingly technological world (Ashour, 2020). There is no escaping this; teachers must either adapt or potentially find themselves irrelevant in a world where answers to common questions are just a click away. Technology is not quite ready to replace the teacher entirely, though the function of a teacher’s role seems to be moving towards more that of a facilitator of learning, as opposed to the age-old dichotomy of direct instruction, with outdated systems of rote memorization and students regurgitating simple ideas and basic facts. Technology can be a valuable instrument in our proverbial bag of tools and tricks, and is it critical to continuously adapt our instruction to this reality.
The Purpose of Technology in Education
Slavin (2009) described “the intentional teacher, one who does things for a reason, on purpose,...and thinks about the outcome they want for their students...and reflects on their practices and the outcomes” (p. 4). In a previous work, Koellhoffer (2013) suggested that “teachers must be purposeful and intentional in their professional practice, and in all their interactions with students, and must work to create nurturing, caring, positive and supportive classrooms in which meaningful teaching and learning purposefully occurs” and Gutek (1995) described a properly “prepared school environment” (p. 277) as one that achieves a balance in varying instructional approaches to best suit the needs of the learner. To this end, technology affords teachers and students incredibly diverse resources, with untold opportunities for differentiation and individualized instruction catered towards better addressing and responding to the learners’ personal needs. Such technology use has often been shown to have positive correlations with increased student engagement (Plass et. al, 2015; Huizenga, et al, 2019), and Kassab and Laplante (2020) offered additional related benefits, such as increased student participation in discussion and collaboration, more personalized learning, improved attitudes about learning. Clearly, with these advantages, it is incumbent on educators to effectively integrate technology into their teaching and learning practices in meaningful and productive ways. This is especially true as the challenge of tackling the problem of being better able meet the needs of a continuingly diverse population, which technology can help us accomplish through everything from course design, instruction, formative and summative assessment, and better preparing our students (Stone, 2018).
Biblical Justification for Technology Integration
If teachers are to best prepare their students for the 21st century workplace, and an increasingly diverse and global society that demands them to be technologically proficient, it is then not just important to use technology, it is the teacher’s responsibility to do so, both professionally, and as called to do so. Proverbs 3:27 offers the reminder that we are commanded not to “withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it” (NASB, 2020). 1 Peter 4:10 adds to this idea by offering the advice that "each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms" (NIV). While accessibility to technology may vary, for those teachers who have such resources, the goal to best prepare our students demands requires us to provide these importunities in our instruction. If we are to do this effectively, teachers must also be sure to be adequately trained in the effective use of technology, and seek out professional development and the support of colleagues, supervisors, and administrators to advance that knowledge. Similarly, Proverbs 3:29 reminds us to "instruct the wise, and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous, and they will add to their learning" (NIV, n.d.). Our students already use technology extensively, and in some cases may have more knowledge of it than teachers, but it is critical that we encourage them to be responsible digital citizens who are better equipped to use such resources in positive and productive ways.
Applications in the Classroom
In practical application, from personal experience of teaching over a twenty year career, technology integration is an integral component to several facets of my own instruction. First, it is important to say that technology is one component to effective teaching, and it does not replace other methods and resources that have proven and documented success in student achievement. Given that, technology continues to offer ever increasing and viable ways to provide diverse instruction, offer varying means for formative and summative assessments, and increase engagement, discussion, collaboration, and enhanced teaching and learning as a whole. Students in my own classroom have had the opportunity to create real authentic videos, podcasts, mock social media posts, graphic designs and illustrations, work collaboratively in-person, remotely, and asynchronously, in and out of the classroom, use online platforms for review and assessment such as review quizzes and gamified instruction, among other strategies. The potential for the misuse and abuse of such resources weighs heavily on me as an educator, and I work to be mindful and intentional of those possible dangers, hoping to impart upon my students the importance of the appropriate and responsible uses of such, including the ethical and moral implications. It is urgent that we as educators stay abreast of ongoing changes, and continue to evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of any educational resources we use, including technology, and make adjustments and modifications as necessary.
References
Ashour, S. (2020). How technology has shaped university students' perceptions and expectations around higher education: An exploratory study of the United Arab Emirates. Studies in Higher Education (Dorchester-on-Thames), 45(12), 2513-2525. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1617683
Gutek, G. (1995). A history of the Western educational experience. (2nd ed.). Long Grove, Il: Waveland Press, Inc.
Kasab, DeFranco, J., & Laplante, P. (2020). A systematic literature review on Internet of things in education: Benefits and challenges. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 36(2), 115–127. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12383
Koellhoffer, M. (2013). Purposeful design: Personalized educational philosophy. Unpublished manuscript, Liberty University.
Huizenga, J., Admiraal, W., Dam, G. t., & Voogt, J. (2019). Mobile game-based learning in secondary education: Students’ immersion, game activities, team performance and learning outcomes. Computers in Human Behavior, 99, 137-143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.05.020
Kassab, DeFranco, J., & Laplante, P. (2020). A systematic literature review on Internet of things in education: Benefits and challenges. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning., 36(2), 115–127. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12383
Lisenbee, PS. (2016). Generation gap between students’ needs and teachers’ use of technology in classrooms. Journal of Literacy Technology, 17(3):99-123.
New American Standard Version Bible (2020). Retrieved January 28, 2023, from https://biblehub.com/nasb_/proverbs/3.htm
New International Version Bible (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2023, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+9&version=NIV
Plass, J. L., Homer, B. D., & Kinzer, C. K. (2015). Foundations of game-based learning. Educational Psychologist, 50(4), 258 283. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2015.1122533
Slavin, R. E. (2012). Educational psychology. (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Stone, S., Quirke, M., & Lowe, M. S. (2018). Opportunities for faculty‐librarian collaboration in an expanded dentistry curriculum. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 35(2), 170-176. https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12211
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