Читать книгу The Movement and Technology Balance - Traci Lengel - Страница 53

You may think with all the negative effects that technology has had on our students’ lives that we’d be against its current role in education and its upward usage trend. However, that is not the case. The value of technology in the classroom cannot be denied, and we’re not alone in our thinking. According to a CDW-G national survey, 86% of teachers agree that classroom computers improve student performance (Starr, 2003). The widespread inclusion of various forms of technology in the school setting has changed the way teachers teach and, thereby, the way students learn. From tablets to laptops to interactive whiteboards, technology in the classroom provides an endless variety of methods that teachers can use to personalize the learner’s experience.

Using technology to drive student learning involves creating student-centered lessons in which the technology supports the instruction rather than having the technology influence the lesson. Technology allows teachers to design instruction that caters to the interests, personalities, cultural differences, and languages of their students rather than delivering traditional one-size-fits-all lessons. By developing strong insights into their students’ strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles, teachers can carefully choose the appropriate strategy to implement varied lessons that use technology to meet each student’s individual needs. Content is delivered through a variety of media, students are engaged in several forms of instructional practice, and teachers can gather immediate formative data on student progress. Often, using technology allows students a sense of choice over their own learning, as curriculum objectives can typically be met in a variety of ways. For example, a traditional book report could now be formatted as a slide show, a video response, a blog or vlog, or a collaborative shared document. The differentiation that comes from using technology in the classroom can create a truly personalized educational experience for the learner.