Blog Post 5 - Pros and Cons of Technology Use

In my previous blog, I discussed the technology common during my elementary school years.  To be honest, there wasn't much change in my high school or university experiences.  When I first started teaching in the early 2000's the video projector joined the team, and I recall that there was one projector shared between each grade at the 6-8 middle school I left in 2007.  Today, every classroom has a projector and Smartboard, and the ability to quickly search youtube or google for a video or image to enhance learning is something that enhances my teaching significantly.  

Obviously, the internet has opened up new horizons for information and research as well.  One observation I've made, though, is that while today's students are completely at home with computers, and information abounds, they still often gravitate to books and non-screen text for research.  One example is our Biomes science inquiry research project.  Much of our research is online, centred around carefully-chosen websites at their reading level with tidily-arranged links for all the main topics - location, climate, flora and fauna, human impact, etc.  Yes, after several weeks of access to these sites, many students found themselves struggling to locate and organize information, and the transfer from screen to pencil to page was holding them back.  The vast majority much preferred to find their information from the library books we found on their focus animals.  They were happier looking at the table of contents, indexes and glossary pages, and reading through text on an un-scrollable page.  Their efficiency increased as well, along with their ability to work independently with the text.  If only over the summer our librarian had not discarded most of the titles from the Animals section...

I know that some teachers allow students to present their findings as a Google Slides presentation - and I often do the same.  But do I want students to just copy and paste factoids?  Are bullet points really as helpful at teaching students to synthesize information as writing out sentences and paragraphs?  Obviously here are pros and cons for each, and we needn't choose only one.  But I regularly witness student-teachers raise their noses at things like a coil-bound book my grade 4-5 students have composed (or a corresponding diorama, papier-mache rhino tusk, or clay print demonstrating the size of a Grizzly's paw), and instead patronizingly asking if Prezi might not be a superior method of representing their learning.

To some, it seems that unless some form of new technology is harnessed, an activity is less valuable.  I found a great website (https://www.3plearning.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-technology-in-the-classroom/) that provides a list of principles to keep in mind when using technology in the classroom.  I've included their list below, along with my own comments (in blue) on how we can combat some of the cons.

Pros:

* technology makes learning more engaging;

* technology is a cost-effective alternative to traditional materials (cp. paper use, ebooks, etc.);

* technology gives students and teachers access to an endless supply of learning resources (cp youtube, wikipedia, etc.);

* technology can save teachers time;

* technology allows for authentic learning opportunities;

* technology opens up new possibilities for student collaboration;

* technology in the classroom develops students' technological literacy skills;

Cons:

* technology can be a distraction - combat this problem by making technology use purposeful, and teach self-regulation skills to prevent misuse;

* good tech tools cost money - combat this by seeking funding from admin, or purchasing only the most 'necessary' tools;

* unreliable information is everywhere - Combat this by equipping students with digital literacy skills and critical thinking skills;

* technology takes time to learn and integrate - combat this by focusing your Pro-D time and money into a self-directed inquiry into technology use;

* not all tech-enhanced teaching strategies make a difference to student learning - again, strive to be purposeful in technology use, and ensure tech use adds to learning by (eg) increasing engagement, motivation, or skill-development;

* technology can be isolating - make sure that your classroom is balanced with lots of opportunities for collaboration and group problem-solving in non-tech areas;

I guess if I had to summarize my learning thus far about technology use in the classroom in three words, they would be: make it purposeful.

References:

Best, J. (2021, April 6). 13 pros and cons of technology in the classroom teachers need to know. 3P Learning. Retrieved July 28, 2022, from https://www.3plearning.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-technology-in-the-classroom/