Learning to Make Learning Easier to Learn

Educational Technology

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 Technology and Academic Achievement

by Les Foltos Very interesting article on

some of the research that has been conducted on the use of technology in education.

Much of this research has been anecdotal as there is still a severe lack of scientific evidence to either prove or disprove.

In order to encourage teachers to use technology, experts agree that more professional development must be given for practicum and confidence.

Technology and Academic Achievement by Les Foltos cont.

Experts also fear that increased usage of technology in the classroom can widen the gap between wealthier suburban and lesser funded urban schools.

Not all types of learning are aided by technology. Studies have shown that lower order thinking skills are negatively affected by technology.

A survey of public school teachers found that the majority of teachers had received training in basic skills only and a small percentage had received more than 6 to 10 hours.

My “ah-ha” Moment(s) From This Article

What I found particularly interesting in this article was the concept of the learning gap between inner city and suburban schools. The idea that this gap would widen with an increase in technology usage in more affluent suburban areas is of great concern to me.

Children that are already often at a disadvantage could have the road made even more difficult to navigate if they are not afforded the same or similar benefits as their wealthier counter-parts.

I also found it somewhat alarming that when surveyed many public school teachers had only received basic computer skills.

Even the majority of those that received professional development only logged 1 to 5 hours. If we want more educators to utilize technology in their classrooms we must teach them how to adjust their lesson plans accordingly.

The Web of Knowledge: Vision, Design, and Practice

by Patrick McKercher, Judy Bonne and Andy Rogers

The Knowledge Web is a tool developed to track and understand the origination of various ideas and topics.

Education still sticks to the one-size-fits all mentality and it is beginning to slowly (sometimes not so slowly) fail us.

Technology will allow educators to better understand how things have been done and why.

By better understanding this, educators may be able to tailor their lessons to best fit the needs of the time.

Knowledge Web demonstrates that all things are interrelated.

Because of this connection, “the present is an outgrowth of the past.”

The Web of Knowledge: Vision, Design, and Practice

by Patrick McKercher, Judy Bonne and Andy Rogers cont.

Creator’s plan to use feature’s such as virtual reality to allow users to not just learn about a topic but actually immerse themselves in the subject.

While such programs and software may appear to be expensive and difficult to obtain, neither is true.

Many of the programs are available for free and are often so simple they can be created in class.

My “ah-ha” Moment(s) From The Article

Knowledge Web is one of those ideas that seems so useful and obvious, I wish I had thought of it.

The concept of everything that exists today, including the educational process itself, has a beginning and a path is of vital importance if we are to continue to achieve inside the classroom and out.

What really impressed me about the project was the utilization of additional technologies to enhance the basic idea.

Of these additional technologies the most impressive was the inclusion of virtual reality to create a virtual classroom of sorts.

This immersion allows the student to not only learn about the subject matter, but to better understand the concept as a whole by “living” the experience.

Learning with the Internetby Muthu Kumar

The internet serves as a collection of information compiled and shared across the world.

Students are becoming more familiar with its use and the time has come to benefit from this knowledge and use it to benefit the educational process.

In addition to this information the Internet contains three types of tools:Tools for InquiryTools for CommunicationTools for Construction

Learning with the Internetby Muthu Kumar cont.

Inquiry allows students to understand the subject matter and its source and to learn that some sources are better than others.

Communication allows students to “talk” with experts and other students alike the world over granting them a greater breadth of insight than they might otherwise be afforded.

Construction allows them to bridge higher order learning methods with lower ones resulting in a much higher net gain.

My “ah-ha” Moment From This Article

By the time I began reading this article I had learned quite a bit about various communication techniques and information gather using technology. However I had not expanded upon how well the internet fits as a bridging tool allowing educators and students to adapt learning via various means to better benefit different learning capabilities. Having the most current information, often directly from the source no matter their location, and dissemination this information via carious mediums best serves the students we care so much about.

To Sum It All Up…The content and breadth of our lessons are changing on a regular basis, as should the techniques by which we teach these lessons. Technology allows us to use various forms of interaction to not only attract students to the content but to actually become immersed. Technology alone is not the answer. The best answer may be a hybrid of standard teaching models, more advanced technology, and proper understanding of learning differences by educators themselves.