EC&I 830 Summary of Learning
To wrap up this semester of learning and this course I have joined forces with a few of my friends and colleagues to share our view of technology in the classroom. Over the past 11 weeks we have discussed, debated and analyzed the role of technology in the classroom.
I think it is safe to say that we were all in this class because we recognize the direct impact of technology on Education. I also think that we have had an eye opening experience in terms of some of the struggles we face when we think about how we integrate technology into our pedagogy. At first tech in the classroom seems like a no brainer. Many of us have experienced a classroom with and without the influence of the new digital age.
When we think about all the positive ways tech has changed education for the better it feels like a no brainer that we embrace it in our space. However, from week one, as a class we could see that the answers to the tech problems would not be so straight forward. From our debate on whether tech enhances learning in the classroom through discussions on social media and mental health, equity issues in Ed Tech, and teacher’s role in teaching responsible tech us, we often saw that there are strong arguments for and against tech and its role in education.
So as we wrapped up the semester after many discussions inside and outside of class Janeen, Catrina, Mike and I have decided that if we are to embrace Ed Tech in our classrooms it will be up to us as teachers to make sure we are doing so in a responsible way. We need to remember that no amount of tech is a substitute for good pedagogy, to be conscious of the inequity of the tech divide, and that if part of what we do as teachers is to prepare students for life outside of school we cannot ignore that more and more frequently that life is going to involve an interaction with technology. In the end the four of us vowed to continue to work together and support each other in developing as professionals embrace technology in the classroom while still creating safe learning spaces where each students’ identity is affirmed and learning is full of joy and kindness. In other words we will take on this challenge together as:
Will Whitten 