Lukaš, M. (2014). Supporting Friendly Atmosphere in
a Classroom by Technology Implementation.
Technology usage in today’s classroom is increasing as the availability of devices increases. It has gotten to a point where fewer teachers are saying “put away your devices,” but instead they instruct students to take their devices out. To support the idea that technology and education go hand-in-hand, I gathered information from an article titled, “Supporting Friendly Atmosphere in a Classroom by Technology Implementation.”
Three main ideas were focused on throughout this article;
1) With today’s technological advancements, if technology is not integrated into the classroom curriculum, then you will not see significant results.
2) Educators must be willing to readjust their curriculum in order to implement the usage of technology and continue to provide rigor in the classroom.
3) The proper usage of technology in a classroom will prepare students for everyday situations.
Let’s start with Focus #1 – Adjusting to technological advancements. Ten years ago (2007) the first iPhone was launched. Before then, students did not have the opportunity to use a cellular device to gather information. Nowadays students have access to a mini computer at all times; oftentimes in constant arms reach. To support this awareness, Lukaš states that students need to learn and grow with this updating technology; not just through social awareness, but through critical thinking and creativity. To piggy-back on that idea, technology in an educational setting is not only encouraged for students, but also for teachers and administrators. In the article, Lukaš discusses how technology improves the collaboration and cooperation amongst teachers within a school or district, and it allows for teachers to discover additional unique phenomena and real-world connections to share with students.
Onto Focus #2 – Readjusting curriculum to implement technology into the classroom. Teachers are not doing their job of engaging students properly if they are still teaching their classes through lecture all day, every day. Technology is not only a ‘new idea’ that teachers are implementing into their curriculum, but it is encouraged in order to create more engagement throughout the classroom. Lukaš examined the efficient method of using technology to keep students engaged, and he relates it directly to successful teaching. However, in order for technology in the classroom to be successful, teachers need to adjust their curriculum and individual lessons to establish a culture that will inspire students to be creative and encourage inquiry in the lesson. Students will partake in individual learning, which will allow teachers to ask more thought-provoking questions that will demonstrate a deeper-understanding from students.
Lastly, Focus #3 – Student preparedness for the ‘real world’. Throughout the article, Lukaš directs the reader’s attention to the importance of students having the ability to learn through discovery. While teachers are readjusting their curriculum to implement technology into their lessons, teachers should focus on software that will allow the students to individually explore the content. When students are exploring, they are also defining a problem, organizing their thoughts, and discovering a solution. In the long run, through the use of technology and software, students are broadening their own process of learning and developing higher-order thinking skills, which they will take with them onto their next level of education or in the working world.
After reading Lukaš’ article, I would personally recommend that schools look into purchasing enough devices for students to make use of them, or consider moving towards one-to-one (one device per student) in order to give all students the opportunity to broaden their horizon and work to their full intellectual potential. Lukaš states that we as educators need to acknowledge the use of technology as a resource. If we overlook this, it might create a gap between a teacher and the content, or worse, a gap might develop between a teacher and his or her students. Students today are born as ‘digital natives,’ and if educators cannot adjust their curriculum to allow for higher-order thinking by using technology, then those educations will not accomplish ideal teaching for students moving through the school system.
