Samantha Henegar

The use of technology in the last sixty years has increased exponentially in all aspects of life. This ubiquity of technology can be seen everywhere and has shaped people’s lives, culture, and the nation. For example, the invention of the printing press made books and newspapers, and therefore information, more available. The telegraph and telephone increased the speed of communication as did the invention of the radio and television. More recently computers, which were once prohibitively large and expensive, have become affordable, smaller, and available commercially. In 1926, Nikola Tesla predicted the invention of the smartphone to Collier’s magazine by being quoted as saying  “... through television and telephony we shall see and hear one another as perfectly as though we were face to face, despite intervening distances of thousands of miles; and the instruments through which we shall be able to do his will be amazingly simple compared with our present telephone. A man will be able to carry one in his vest pocket” Now almost every person in developed countries have access to wireless networks and devices. This advancement of technology has changed everything including education. 

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The look of education has changed dramatically in recent history. Teachers have embraced the use of new technologies as a productivity tool to make work easier. As technology has evolved and improved so too has the use of technology as a tool for teaching and most recently for the development of student-centered learning environments. I believe that it is of utmost importance for teachers to understand that the evolution of education is happening right now, and to be willing to adapt their teaching methods to incorporate technology and the skills of using it in their teaching methods.This rapid evolution can be seen most recently as public education’s response to the pandemic. Schools across the country created new virtual options for their students, and teachers adapted to the new method of teaching by learning new technologies. These teachers also had to change the way they think about learning and teaching. Technology must be embraced and implemented as a way to reshape the pedagogy and to enhance the learning environment for students. 

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Students will require new skill sets in the workforce that no previous generation has ever needed. Not only will students require the usual math, writing, reading, etc. they will also need to be able to network, use and learn new technologies, communicate with others, and collaborate with individuals in person and remotely. Therefore, teachers must design learning activities that provide students with opportunities and instruction to use and develop these skills. 

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Not only will students need to learn how to use technology to collaborate, they will also be required to use reasoning and critical thinking to solve complex real world problems, and design new innovative solutions. An example of this is assigning the learners to work as a group to gather information to help solve an open ended question, and then create a product (not necessarily through the use of technology) to be shared with other students. Sharing their final product will allow for others to see different lines of thinking. This type of learning connects to constructivism which is allowing the students to be in control of their own learning, and also connectivism which recognizes the importance of student collaboration. This means that in addition to learning how to use the technology effectively, teachers must ensure that learning experiences are relevant to students and also with real world application. Students must be given the opportunity to use technology and collaboration to develop critical thinking and reasoning skills, and collaboration skills.   

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Students must be given chances to work with experts in their field to gain knowledge of what real jobs require and to learn about the use of technology in that field. By designing activities and projects that incorporate the expertise of working professionals, students will gain insight into possible future careers and also learn higher level information than is required by the TEKS. 

Teachers should make it their goal when designing learning experiences to create a student centered environment. This means that the physical design of the classroom will need to be updated. Instead of desks lined up in rows facing the podium or white board, classrooms will need to be laid out to encourage student discourse and collaboration on projects. One suggestion for an update set-up is to have students in groups of two to four students and assign students to groups/pairs to complete their work. This will allow the teacher the freedom to move around the classroom to assist students and give the students the freedom to work in groups unhindered by their physical environment. 

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Students need to be provided with the ability to access the internet for communication, school work, and attainment of information. Since access is a problem for some communities, so too is the issue of inadequate funding and retaining experienced teachers in these schools. This means that districts and states must allocate funds to ensure that even students in underserved communities have access to devices and internet connections, and also to help with the retention of quality and experienced teachers.. If inequality in education is to be addressed then policy makers must be involved in the advancement of technology, access for  students, and retention of teachers. 

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Because technology has been available to most people in developed countries it has shaped not only the culture, but also the way things are learned. Education, as seen during the recent pandemic, is the backbone of our nation. Since this is the case, it is vital that teachers, administrators, parents, and policy makers prioritize technology in schools. Since the use of technology is only increasing, and students are going to need new skills and critical thinking it is vital for those in positions of influence to prioritize technology to avoid handicapping groups of students. Technology is going to shape the face and future of our students and society, therefore it is necessary for teachers to involve students with meaningful and technology rich learning, to ensure that they will be prepared to succeed in life after school.