Prior to integrating technology in the classroom, teachers should familiarize themselves with the national technology standards that have been adopted by their state and school district. Over the years, several organizations have developed technology standards to guide the work of teachers, including the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). These standards have been adopted by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), an agency that accredits schools, colleges, and departments of education. They have also been integrated into the certification requirements of many states.
Standards Relating to the Infusion of Technology in the Classroom
Since the late 1990s, the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) developed by ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) have served as a roadmap for advancing the use of technology in education and improving teaching and learning in the United States and abroad. Renamed ISTE standards in 2013, the standards encourage teachers to:
- Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity
- Design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments
- Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility
- Engage in professional growth and leadershipl
Peruse the 2020 ISTE standards for educators and ISTE standards for students.
DIGITAL LITERACY
With the advent of the Information Age and the widespread use of smartphones, tablets, and social media, new educational policies and reforms have ensued and impacted U.S. school systems.
During the late 1990s, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) began developing national technology standards for students and teachers and the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 mandated that, beyond literacy in reading and math, all students should also demonstrate digital literacy by the completion of 8th grade. Many state school systems have subsequently incorporated technology standards into the curriculum; changed their licensing requirements, and offered professional development trainings to teachers.
In today's 21st century classrooms, it is imperative for teachers to be digitally literate and to implement sound pedagogy in order to support the academic success of Generation Z, the newest generation of students enrolled in K12. Born in 1997 and after, Gen Zers are growing up using smart devices and the Internet on a daily basis and expect to use technology in school. Many actually have a smartphone in elementary school and spend 20+ hours a week on their devices (i.e., texting, googling information, accessing online content, listening to music, watching videos, playing games, and/or interacting in social media platforms. Due to their level of "connectedness", Gen Zers also demonstrate unique skills sets and learning styles (i.e., predominantly social, visual, and/or kinesthetic) and prefer to learn by interacting with others and actively participating in their learning process.
DIVERSE STUDENT NEEDS
Today's students bring different learning styles, forms of intelligence, and academic needs to the classroom. In order to support success among diverse learners, 21st century teachers need to understand the individual differences that students exhibit in the classroom and how technology can address these.
Learning Styles
A learning style is a learning preference. It represents the particular approach or sensory modality that a student prefers to use in order to learn. Among the various learning style models in existence, Paul Fleming's VARK Model is widely accepted in the academic community. According to this model, there are four main learning styles, including Visual, Auditory, Read/write, and Kinesthetic (VARK).
- Auditory learners prefer to learn by listening (e.g., lectures and podcasts)
- Visual learners prefer to learn by seeing (e.g., visuals)
- Read/Write learners learn best by reading (e.g., article) and writing (e.g., notes and summaries)
- Kinesthetic learners prefer to learn by doing (e.g., hands-on activities and projects)
According to Howard Gardner, a professor of cognition at Harvard University, human beings can be endowed with up to nine forms of intelligence. Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences refutes the commonly held notion that human intelligence only entails two forms of intelligence, namely verbal and logical/mathematical intelligence. All forms of intelligence have been documented through research except number nine.
The nine forms of intelligence are:
- Linguistic intelligence: the ability to use language and words
- Logical/mathematical intelligence: the ability to use numbers, logic, and reasoning
- Visual/spatial intelligence: the ability to perceive visual information and think in pictures
- Bodily/kinesthetic intelligence: the ability to skillfully use the body and hands
- Musical intelligence: the ability to appreciate, play, and compose music
- Interpersonal intelligence: the ability to understand others and see things from their perspective
- Intrapersonal intelligence: the ability to analyze and understand oneself
- Naturalist intelligence: the ability to recognize and classify plants, animals, minerals, and/or cultural artifacts
- Existential intelligence: the ability to understand philosophical issues related to life
Academic Needs
In the classroom, students typically demonstrate varied academic needs, including linguistic needs (e.g., second language acquisition) and exceptional needs that must be addressed through appropriate interventions (e.g., Individualized Education Plan and assistive technology)
Educational technology can help teachers address students' different learning styles, forms of intelligence, and academic needs by allowing them to:
- Deliver instruction through different sensory channels (i.e., text, audio, video)
- Use a variety of teaching strategies and classroom activities
- Design meaningful learning experiences that require students to collaborate, apply concepts, and think critically
- Evaluate learning via varied assessment methods, including authentic assessments (e.g., performance tests, portfolios, and exhibitions).
PLANNING FOR TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
Technology is a powerful tool that can enhance teaching and improve student learning if it is effectively implemented in the classroom. Technology should never drive the educational decisions that teachers make when planning for instruction. Rather, teachers' decisions should always be based on pedagogical considerations and the learning needs of their students.
To plan the integration of technology in the classroom, teachers can follow a step-by-step process such as Lever-Duffy’s and McDonald’s Dynamic Instructional Design (DID) model which involves 6 steps.
Step 1 – Know the Learners
In step 1, teachers identify the characteristics of their students (e.g., developmental stages; learning styles; cultural background; and prior knowledge and skills).
Step 2 – State the Objectives
In step 2, teachers develop the learning objectives for their lesson (i.e., what students will be able to do after the lesson is taught). The latter should be based on Bloom's revised taxonomy and describe measurable or observable learning outcomes.
Peruse a list of action verbs associated with Bloom's different levels of cognitive skills.
Step 3 – Prepare the Learning Environment
In step 3, teachers arrange the physical space of the classroom so that it is safe, nurturing, and conducive to learning.
Step 4 – Select the Teaching and Learning Strategies
In step 4, teachers identify the teaching strategies that they will use to teach the learning objectives, as well as the activities that students will complete to master the learning objectives.
Step 5 – Select the Technology Tools
In step 5, teachers select the technology tools that they will use to support teaching and facilitate learning.
Step 6 – Evaluate and Revise the Lesson
In step 6, teachers evaluate their lesson after teaching it to determine if it was effective. They conduct both formative and summative evaluations and modify the lesson if necessary.
REFERENCES
Clark, D. (2015). Types of evaluations in instructional design. Retrieved from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/isd/types_of_evaluations.html
Exploring your mind. (2018). Howard Gardner and the theory of multiple intelligences. Retrieved from https://exploringyourmind.com/howard-gardner-theory-multiple-intelligences/
Feild, T. (2017). ISTE standards for students and educators. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/1lw1IG0NAbg
Grotzner, T. (2011). Multiple intelligences. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/8oDrnoALnck
ISTE National Educational Technology Standards (NETS-T) and Performance Indicators for Teachers. (2020). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers
ISTE National Educational Technology Standards (NETS-S) for Students. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/for-students
Maloy, R., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Park Woolf, B. (2017). Transforming learning with new technologies (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson.
McCrindle. (2016). Generation Z defined: The 5 characteristics of today's students. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/QvCwcQmnyfE
Northeastern University Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning Through Research. Revised Bloom's taxonomy action verbs. Retrieved from http://www.northeastern.edu/nuolirc/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Blooms-Taxonomy-Handout.pdf
Sharpe, A. (2011). Dynamic instructional design model (DID): An iterative approach to design based on continual feedback. Retrieved from http://67.20.112.29/sharpe_eportfolio/attachments/article/5/DID%20presentation.pdf
U.S. Department of Education. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/index.html
VARK Learn Limited. (2018). The VARK Modalities. Retrieved from https://vark-learn.com/introduction-to-vark/the-vark-modalities/
Information from this blog may be used provided credit is given to Dominique Charlotteaux
