Technology-Supported Learning

Evolution, not Revolution
Technology is a powerful tool with the ability to facilitate educational aims. Properly implemented and supported, this tool can empower and excite students and teachers. Utilizing networking technologies in the classroom can encourage active learning, support innovative teaching, and enable students to become active researchers and learners.This makes the field of education an area which is undergoing major restructuring due to increased Internet usage and applications. Technology can have a reciprocal relationship with teaching. The emergence of new technologies pushes educators to understanding and leveraging these technologies for classroom use.


Classroom Tools and Technology Software
Many kinds of tools can be used to enhance the role of technology in speeding up the process of teaching and learning and make the teachers mission easier.Teachers need to put careful thought into their lesson plans in order to implement those tools properly. The level of student understanding must be taken into careful consideration.so teachers can adapt and adopt those tools which include:

1. Computers and their accessories (speakers, printers, scanners...etc.)
2. Internet access with Internet Explorer and Firefox
3. Emails
4. Weblogs: online diary on Web site. It is a frequently updated personal journal, intended for public viewing.
5. Projectors
6. Word processors
7. Powerpoint
8. Audio-visual courses: these courses consist of filmstrips and recorded tapes bearing a spoken text corresponding to each frame.
9. Audio-lingual courses: are courses with recorded materials with no visuals. The recordings are usually accompanied with drills and repetitions.
10. Problem-solving and thinking skill games, such as
• Civilization
• World ofWarcraft(WOW).
• Lure of the Labyrinth
• Diplomacy

Advantages and Disadvantages
Teachers should be aware of both sides of the coin so they can make an informed decision about whether using technology is right for them or not.
Using technology can
Advantages
1. Change in Student and Teacher Roles
When students are using technology as a tool or a support for communicating with others, they are in an active role rather than the passive role of recipient of information transmitted by a teacher, textbook, or broadcast. The student is actively making choices about how to generate, obtain, manipulate, or display information. Technology use allows many more students to be actively thinking about information, making choices, and executing skills than is typical in teacher-led lessons. Moreover, when technology is used as a tool to support students in performing authentic tasks, the students are in the position of defining their goals, making design decisions, and evaluating their progress.
The teacher's role changes as well. The teacher is no longer the center of attention as the dispenser of information, but rather plays the role of facilitator, setting project goals and providing guidelines and resources, moving from student to student providing suggestions and support for student activity. As students work on their technology-supported products, the teacher rotates through the room asking about the reasons for various design choices, and suggesting resources that might be used.
2. Increased Motivation and Self Esteem
The most commonreported effect on students was an increase in motivation. Teachers and students are sometimes surprised at the level of technology-based accomplishment displayed by students who have shown much less initiative or facility with more conventional academic tasks.
Student are satisfied with the immediate feedback provided by the computer and the sense of accomplishment and power gained in working with technology:
Kids like the immediate results. It's not a result that you can get anywhere else except on the computer. . . . For them it really is a big deal. Much more so than I ever though it was going to be. --Elementary school teacher
By giving students technology tools, we are implicitly giving weight to their school activities. Students are very sensitive to this message that they, and their work, are important.
3. More Collaboration with Peers
Another effect of technology cited by a great majority of teachers is an increased inclination on the part of students to work cooperatively and to provide peer tutoring. Collaboration is fostered for obvious reasons when students are assigned to work in pairs or small groups. Teachers note an increased frequency of students helping each other. Technology-based tasks involve many subtasks leading to situations where students need help and find their neighbor a convenient source of assistance. Students who have mastered specific computer skills generally derive pride and enjoyment from helping others.
It's a much more facilitating atmosphere because the kids help each other so much on the computer. It changes the style and the tone of the classroom a lot. --Elementary school teacher
4. Helps prepare students for work when emphasized as problem solving and thinking skill tools
5. Increases the preparation of students for most careers and vocations.
6. Opportunities for new learning experiences
7. Increased administrator and teacher productivity: as technology is a flexible tool, teachers can adapt it to achieve their aims.
8. Increased teacher and administrator communication with parents: through a network that connects the school administration along with the parents to be partners in the process of administrating.
Disadvantages
When teaching with technology, instructors must be aware of the hindrances technology can bring to the learning process. Some negative effects of technology in today's classroom are that it can take away valuable learning time, it can be overused, and it can be also turn educational experience into games for students.
1. Takes Away Learning Time
In today’s classroom, teachers are pressed to make every minute count. If the teacher and students are not experienced with technology in the classroom, valuable time is often wasted on technical troubles. In addition, the teacher faces the difficulty of having a class full of students who are all at different skill levels. In many schools, most students will have a computer and Internet access, but schools that are located in impoverished areas may have a large portion of their student body with little to no computer experience. While it is important to educate these children in technology, it must be done at a pace that meets every individual’s needs or more learning time will be wasted

2. Overuse
In some classrooms technology is overused. This can lead to a variety of problems. Many students learn best by physically and mentally interacting with what they are studying. If most of the teaching is done using a computer, these students’ needs are not being met. Technology should be used to supplement the classroom curriculum, but should not be used as the sole source of learning.


3. Game Mentality
One problem that many classroom teachers face is that students often use computers primarily for games. Because of this, many students associate computers and technology with game playing. Though some teachers can use this to their advantage, if this issue is not addressed, some students may get distracted and off task quickly.

Great.