Integrating Technology into Education

Technology is the live wire. We, the educators, need 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 techno-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.


Keeping in line with the emerging trends of the 21st century education, Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation, 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 characterised by flexibility and experiential learning. Core curriculum is intricately woven with inter-disciplinary subject approach to offer ample opportunities to engage learners in meaningful experiences.

 As educators, it is essential for us to understand 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.

Let’s refer to the Framework for 21st Century Learning that presents a holistic view of teaching and learning that combines a discrete focus on 21st century outcomes with innovative support systems to help students master the multi-dimensional abilities that even CBSE has emphasised.

A multi-pronged approach is essential to realise the goals of this Framework for 21st Century Learning. This calls for serious deliberation on how to plan, implement and deliver it effectively. Since our students belong to the digital world, technology can be used as an effective pedagogy tool. 
My perception of looking at technology as a tool for transforming vision into reality is focused on four pillars of pedagogy – curriculum, 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 multifarious interactive activities on inter-disciplinary themes. Technology as a tool can facilitate curriculum – the pivot of the education system.

— Design curriculum to build understanding of  core subjects and inter-disciplinary 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 customised 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-centred to student-centred 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, multi-media and on line 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
— Engage in meaningful learning situations

Technology as a tool for teaching strategies

Changes in the learning-related attitudes and values of today’s 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 student’s potential
— Skill-based application across core content and inter-disciplinary 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.
— Standardised 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 inter-disciplinary 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 programmes for all stake-holders to develop a positive outlook towards embracing technology into education. Professional training programmes for teachers to help them understand how various tools and techniques of technology can be used are of utmost importance.

Professional training programmes 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 teacher’s 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 organisation. 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 customised ones, are available to reduce the work load of the administrative and support staff.  It would be to our advantage to move on and take advantage.

Conclusion

Technology is being adopted by schools slowly 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.

Investment in technology is an investment for the better future of our children. Technology can give results only when it is used effectively as a tool by teachers.
Let’s 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.

Next Education India Pvt. Ltd., based in Hyderabad, is a technology-driven education enterprise. It provides ICT-based solutions across CBSE, ICSE, IGCSE and 23 state boards in eight languages in India. The company offers several products in the K-12 segment, including TeachNext, LearnNext, NextStudio, NextLabs and NextERP.

References:
http://www.p21.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=254&Itemid
http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/antifaiff/antifaiff.htm
http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Technology/HowToIntegrateTech.html

Integrating Technology into the Curriculum, by Gloria Antifaiff, written for EDCUR 805
Pedagogy, Innovation and eLearning in Primary Schools, by Jenni Way University of Sydney
and Colin Webb, University of Western Sydney
Characteristics of a 21st Century Classroom -Commitment to the role of the teacher as a facilitator of learning (2007);
http://www.onu.edu/a+s/cte/knowledge/facilitator.shtml
(The author is Director (Academics), Next Education India Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad)