Running Head: PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY STATEMENT

Philosophy of Educational Technology Statement

Haley Kyle

Carson-Newman University

Education 204

Dr. Emma Cody-Mitchell

12 April 2018
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PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY STATEMENT

Introduction

As educators and future educators, it is our job to cultivate a love for learning and create

magic in the classroom. The use of technology in the twenty-first century may be the spark some

need for a classroom revival. Educational technology (EdTech) is described as the hardware,

software, and "think ware" of learning that describes improving performance by creating, using,

and managing appropriate technological processes and resources," (Carliner 2008). EdTech

serves a multitude of purposes, such as facilitating evaluation, communication, managing

learning activities, and of course, teaching and learning (Carliner 2008). EdTech constantly

opens students up to new connections and alternate possibilities (Waghid 2016). Because of

EdTech, teachers are not limited to what is in their classroom because it opens the door for

endless possibilities through different modes of unimagined regions. This way, instructional

methods and lesson plans can come to life with interactive materials and videos to engage the

student. I believe incorporating EdTech is speaks to the language of the iGeneration. Electronics

and schoolwork do not have to be independent of each other, instead we can marry the two to

capture the attention of this era of students.

How 21st Century Technologies Have Impacted Instruction

Twenty-First century technologies impact instruction by expanding our access to

information that was once limited by the classroom. Educational technologies enhance elements

such as design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation to link the teacher, learner,

and instructional methods (Carliner 2008). For example, many schools in America have made

the switch from traditional textbooks to iPads. The incorporation of iPads allows students to

access a larger range of information that is updated faster than print resources once were. This

way, kids can keep up with their notes, textbooks, and graded assignments all in one place
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(Lloyd). Besides the curriculum students can learn with these iPads, giving expensive pieces of

technology to students will teach them responsibility at a young age. Also, it opens the door for

communication through email, text messaging, and social medias. Because of how much

technology has expanded our means of communication, students are now held accountable to

communicate with their teachers with the use of email. Also, students can access missing work

through school resources. With this use of technology, kids no longer have an excuse for not

keeping up with their schoolwork, so educational technology is able to enhance students’

responsibility, accountability, and manageability.

How Teaching and Learning Has Changed

Educational technology has completely transformed teaching and learning through its

extensive possibilities. Because EdTech has opened new connections and new possibilities,

students are able to unlock new understandings through different modes of learning (Waghid).

This supports the constructivist approach to learning, which is where individuals construct new

knowledge and understandings based on what they already know and believe (Maloy 2016). As

Waghid had explained, technology is not what drives the new imaging or educational

experiences but enacts the educational experiences (Waghid). Meaning, we use educational

technology as a facilitator to learn through materials we are now able to access. For example,

simulations can be used in the classroom to experience activities that are either far too dangerous

or impossible to perform in our setting, like visualizing and working with subatomic particles or

other lab activities (Feldon 2010). The ideals of constructivism will take place in my classroom

through the use of hands-on activities such as apps, games, videos, and simulations to create real-

world experiences.

EdTech In the Near Future

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PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY STATEMENT

Because the use of technology has escalated, it might be difficult to predict what my

future classroom could look like even five years from now. However, based on our current

technology, I can take a stab at predicting the future. Each morning, I will present my bell work

on a projector, so the students can start on their work immediately. The students will come to

class with their Chromebooks or iPads which already has their notes, activities, and homework

assignments. I can then present lessons through videos and presentations and spark hands-on

learning through activities that get the entire class involved such as games like Kahoot or

SmartBoard technologies. All my homework and assignments will be presented in an online

educational platform that everyone involved in my classroom will have easy access to. This way,

if I need to reach a parent, I will easily be able to get ahold of them. This also will promote

collaboration between other students plus the advantage of having all the content of the

classroom in one place.

Introduction of ISTE Standards

Through platforms that give students access to all the class content, students can take

responsibility for their learning. This aligns with an International Society for Technology in

Education (ISTE) Standard, which promotes a culture where students take ownership of their

learning goals and outcomes in both independent and group settings (ISTE 2017). Students will

also know how to utilize tools and improve communication skills with teachers, as well as have

access to more resources to further their understandings that may not have clicked in class.

Because of technology, we are getting newly updated information at our fingertips. An ISTE

Learner Standard requires educators to stay current with research that supports improved student

learning outcomes, including findings from the learning sciences (ISTE 2017). As discoveries in

science are advances and history is being made on the daily, we have no choice but to stay
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current with research if we want to promote student awareness. As we put technology in kids’

hands, it is our duty to develop responsible digital citizens. This means we inform kids about

plagiarism, copyrighting or illegal reproducing media, and how to evaluate and cite sources to

foster digital literacy and media fluency (ISTE 2017). These are skills students can apply outside

the classroom, as they will be influenced by media and technology for the rest of their lives.

Consequences of Educational Technology

Aside from the benefits of educational technology that I have addressed earlier, the

influence of technology in the classroom raises some potential problems. A major problem that

arises in many schools is lack of funding. Because schools simply do not have the funding, the

lack of technology could halt the opportunities for students. A similar issue is that many students

may not have the ability to access a device or Internet connection at home. Students should not

be put on a disadvantage to their education based on what they do not have. The last thing we

want to do as educators is single kids out, so we must fight to find ways so that all kids have

equal opportunity in the classroom. On top of that, there is always the possibility of a

malfunction, so the idea of a paperless classroom is risky if the teacher is unfamiliar with

troubleshooting. The room for possible error should encourage teachers to always prepare an

alternative lesson, incase their original lesson plans go wrong.

Educational technology has forced teachers to reteach their teaching, which is both a

positive and negative. The positive aspect is that teachers now have a broader range of material

to work with, but the negative aspect is that teachers now need retraining of how to do their job.

The digital immigrants teachers, which are those brought up before the widespread of

technology, are not comfortable with technology, therefore they are hesitant to incorporate it in

the classroom. Also, administration have heavily promoted the use of technology, but has done
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very little to support teachers on how to incorporate it for instructional purposes. To keep up

with the iGeneration, teachers need training and instruction to find the best way to incorporate

technology in their classrooms.

Conclusion

Like the ideals of Palmer, a question I will use in my framework is who is this child, and

how can I nurture his or her gifts (Palmer 2)? As educators, our goal should be to cater to our

students’ learning styles to cultivate their knowledge and understanding of our curriculum. What

better way to speak to the iGeneration than to use their language through technologies?

Technology has allowed us to bring material to life and explore unimagined regions beyond

paper. We should work hard to foster a passion for learning through technology. Back in the day,

students were disciplined for bringing their cell phones to class, and one would not dare to pull

one out during class. This new era should take advantage of technology. Technology should

unite with education as one through gaming, apps, and other entertaining media. Because of its

endless opportunities and life it brings to education, we should work hard to bring new

technology to all classrooms.

References

Carliner, S., Ribiero, O., & Boyd, G. (2008). Educational Technology. In N. J. Salkind & K.

Rasmussen (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Educational Psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 313-321).

Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Retrieved from http://0-

link.galegroup.com.library.acaweb.org/apps/doc/CX2660600092/GVRL?u=tel_a_carson

nc&sid=GVRL&xid=497b893b
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PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY STATEMENT

Feldon, D. F., & Morris, W. (2\010).Educational Technology. In T. C. Hunt, J. C. Carper, T. J.

Lasley, II, & C.D. Raisch (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Educational Reform and Dissent

(Vol. 1, pp. 313-317). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Reference. Retrieved from http://0-

link.galegroup.com.library.acaweb.org/apps/doc/CX1958800147/GVRL?u=tel_a_carson

nc&sid=GVRL&xid=25045033

Lloyd, L. (2014). Educational Technology for the Global Village : Worldwide Innovation and

Best Practices. Medford, New Jersey:Information Today, Inc.

Maloy, R. W., Verock-OLoughlin, R., Edwards, S.A., & Woolf, B. P. (2017). Transforming

Learning With New Technologies. Boston: Pearson.

Palmer, P. J. (n.d.). Teaching with Heart and Soul: Reflections on Spirituality in Teacher

Education[PDF].

Waghid, Y., Waghid, F., & Waghid, Z. (2016). Educational Technology and Pedagogic

Encounters: Democratic Education in Potentiality.Rotterdam, Netherlands: Sense

Publishers.