IT in Education: Integrating Technology into Education

Technology is the livewire wethe educatorsneed to cater to the learning styles of iKids of the new millennium who are growing up with mobile phones, iPads, iPods and the internet. They are very tech-savvy and have excellent navigation skills. They multi-task, have inquisitive minds, share learning experiences, and are team players and leaders as well. We must, therefore, adapt to their needs, and identify new learning models that can engage them in a meaningful way.

Shift in Approach

Keeping in line with the emerging trends of 21st century education, Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE), an initiative by CBSE, is a welcome measure. The paradigm shift in pedagogy, competencies and skills is evident in the new framework of education that is characterized by flexibility and experiential learning. Core curriculum is intricately woven with interdisciplinary subject approach to offer ample opportunities to engage learners in meaningful experiences.

As educators, it is essential for us to understand that how technology should be used in pedagogy. It is neither a separate subject nor support for a core subject project. Technology, when used effectively, can be a magic wand in the hands of teachers for effective learning. The challenge, therefore, lies in planning strategies to integrate technology into our daily classroom routine.

Changing Focus

Lets refer to the framework for 21st Century Learning that presents a holistic view of teaching and learning that combines a discreet focus on 21st century outcomes with innovative support systems to help students master the multi-dimensional abilities that even CBSE has emphasized.

A multi-pronged approach is essential to realize the goals of this framework for 21st Century Learning. This calls for serious deliberation on how to plan, implement, and deliver it effectively.

My perception of looking at technology as a tool for transforming vision into reality is focused on four pillars of pedagogycurriculum, learning environments, teaching strategies and assessments.

Technology as a Tool
for Curriculum

Curriculum is the academic manual that defines the learning objectives to be achieved by learners within specific time framework. Technology can be of great advantage not only to deliver the core content but also to enhance the learning through multi-farious interactive activities on interdisciplinary themes. Technology as a tool can facilitate curriculumthe pivot of the education system.

• Design curriculum to build understanding of core subjects and interdisciplinary themes
• Plan enriching curriculum with learning resources online
• Implement with tools to develop skills, content knowledge, understanding and expertise
• Deliver with efficient time management
• Enhance learning through Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation
• Reinforce with regular feedback and customized reinforcement

Technology as a Tool for Learning Environments

Current trends of education as envisioned in CCE by CBSE transform the pedagogy by a shift from instructivist to constructivist education philosophies; a move from teacher-centered to student-centered learning activities; from a focus
on local resources to global resources and an increased complexity of tasks with use of multi-modal information.

Audio-visual aids, simulations, virtual manipulative, multimedia and online resources can be used to create learning environments that engage learners in experimenting, exploring and applying skills of analysis, interpretation, synthesis to create new concepts and validate their experiences.

Technology can help create environments that support differentiated teaching and learning.

• Collaborate, share and integrate skills into classroom practice;
• Connectivity with global professional learning communities;
• Create relevant, real world context for group, team and individual learning;
• Experiment and explore with extensive learning tools, technologies and resources; and,
• Engage in meaningful
  learning situations.

Technology as a Tool for Teaching Strategies

Changes in the learning-related attitudes and values of todays students call for the changing role of a teacher. The teacher, as a guide and mentor, is expected to be a facilitator in the learning process. Technology transforms the teacher from an authoritative knowledge expert into a facilitator. This is because the teacher has to be aware of the needs of her students, and know how to plan and deliver her lessons as per their learning style.

Technology as a versatile tool can help the teacher to innovate ways to demonstrate concepts, assign projects, and assess progress.

• Innovative learning methods that integrate the use of supportive technologies
• Interactive approach for effective teaching and learning through the use of multimedia
• Inquiry and problem based approach through the use of simulations and visuals
• HOTS - higher order
  thinking skills
• Competency based approach to learning in the context of a students potential, and
• Skill based application across core content and interdisciplinary themes

Technology as a Tool for Assessments

CBSE chairman, Vineet Joshi says that assessment is a form of communication and should be seen as an integral part of learning and teaching. Assessment can be diagnostic, formative or summative. The overall goal of assessment is to improve student learning.

The paradigm shift meaningfully highlighted by CBSE clearly indicates the importance of assessments for the purpose of learning. It fixes the accountability of the teacher by way of sharing concrete feedback on each assessment with the learner. The feedback is aimed at helping the learner to reinforce the outcome of pre-set learning objectives.

Technology can facilitate the teacher to become an effective evaluator by continuously tracking the progress of every learner and that too through multiple ways.

• Standardized high-quality effective formative and summative assessments
• Assessment based on knowledge, concepts, understanding of content and skills for application, analysis, synthesis, etc.
• Useful feedback on student performance
• Varied methods for reinforcement to build interdisciplinary competencies and skills.

Technology as a Tool for Professional Development
of Teachers

Effective implementation of technology needs a strong support system, especially by way of intensive training programs for all stake-holders to develop a positive outlook towards embracing technology into education. Professional training programs for teachers to help them understand how various tools and techniques of technology can be used are of utmost importance.

Professional training programs on merging technology with education help:

• Cultivate the ability of a teacher to identify the particular learning styles, intelligences, strengths and weaknesses of her students
• Illustrate how a deeper understanding of subject matter can enhance problem-solving, critical thinking and life skills
• Develop a teachers abilities to use various strategies to reach diverse students
• Highlight ways to identify and integrate skills, tools and teaching strategies for learning
• Balance direct instruction with project-oriented teaching methods
• Encourage knowledge sharing among professional communities in the education sector.

Technology as a Tool for
School Management

E-governance is gradually becoming the norm of every organization. Technology, in fact, helps record keeping and upkeep in almost every aspect of administration and smooth conduct of related functions. Education institutions are no exception. An extensive range of ERP solutions, even customized ones, are available to reduce the workload of the administrative and support staff. It would be to our advantage to move on and take advantage.

Lastly my observation about the adoption of technology by schools in India has been slow in comparison to the way we have adapted ourselves to learn and use new technical gadgets and services for our own comforts.

The priority is to tune ourselves to the needs of the 21st century learner and equip them with employability skills for the global economy. As teachers, we must go ahead to unlearn whatever is redundant, learn whatever is desired, and relearn if required on an ongoing basis without fail.

Lets remember there is no short-cut to success. No tool by itself is an excellent device unless experimented with and validated by the user, in this case, the teacher.