Based on your readings from this unit, examine the uses of technology with problem-based learning (PBL), project-based learning (PJBL), and Inquiry-based learning (IBL) in a classroom and answer the following questions.
- Explain how you think modern technology has impacted secondary education.
- Provide two benefits and two challenges that you are likely to face as an instructor using modern technology.
- How can you integrate technology into PBL, PJBL, and IBL? Provide relevant examples.
Include at least two scholarly sources to support the ideas in your post.
Your discussion should be a minimum of 250 words in length and no more than 750 words. Please include a word count. Following the APA standard, use references and in-text citations for any sources.
In explaining how modern technologies have influenced secondary education, I would like to give an example from my teaching practice. Twenty years ago, an English classroom was fully equipped if it had the necessary number of chairs and desks, visual aids - posters on the walls, textbooks, notebooks, a video recorder, a TV set and a tape recorder for playing cassettes, a blackboard on which you could write with chalk and a teacher's desk at the blackboard.
Now a classroom is considered equipped if it has a stable connection to the Internet, a sufficient number of tablets or laptops for individual or group work, there are special areas for working with children with disabilities, there is an interactive whiteboard with a projector or screen, mobile chairs or desks that can be easily placed, removed and organised as needed, there is a carpet on which you can work sitting down, there are speakers with excellent quality, headphones and a microphone, or preferably several microphones, for speakers.
In twenty years, a generation of children has grown up that we call digital natives (Wang et al., n.d.). They know how to use electronic devices, the Internet and other modern technologies in their natural environment, usually at home. When digital natives come to school, they feel more familiar with technology for various purposes than in the environment of 20 years ago. As teachers today work with students accustomed to receiving information through digital channels, the pros and cons of this interaction emerge.
The minuses include the teachers themselves being digital immigrants, it can be challenging to learn to teach digital natives. Next, digital natives may be more adept at their work with technology than the teachers, which can create tension. And third, the challenge of digital natives interacting with their peers who don't have the same level of affluence, access to technology, health issues, etc. Which affects any group work. Everything that prevents a student from becoming a digital citizen (NETP Development, 2017)
On the plus side, teachers can use technology to integrate instructional strategies (Epistemo, 2021) in social learning such as negotiation, document sharing, thinking, pair or group work, questioning techniques, for example.
Here is an example of using technology in group learning: students use Google Documents to resolve a controversial issue. You could ask them to take full advantage of the document synchronisation in this program, editing each other's work and providing real-time feedback with a comment function. This allows students to learn collaboratively, coming together as they solve problems using technology.
And teachers can also be assured that technology integration enhances learning by looking for applications that help students interact with higher level cognitive skills and differentiated instruction (Epistemo, 2021).
An example of using technology to enhance learning: students record themselves while reciting poetry using Audacity software to work on their public speaking skills. The Audacity software adds value to the lesson in several ways: it allows students to express words as audio cues; it allows students to hear themselves and make changes to their speech, and it also allows students to use higher level cognitive skills such as analysing and comparing.
Thus technology is effective when it enhances the quality of a lesson by improving learning to a level that would not be possible without the technology. For example, some tools support differentiation or break down a complex concept into its basic components to make it more understandable. In addition, software that helps students think at a higher level will be more beneficial to their cognitive growth than solving problems and using hands-on software.
References
The growing use of technology in 21st century education. (n.d.). Epistemo.
NETP Development. (2017, January). Reimagining the role of technology in education: 2017 national education technology plan update. U.S. Department of Education.
Wang, E., Com, B., Michael, H., Myers, D., & Sundaram, D. (n.d.). BISE -STATE OF THE ART Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants Towards a Model of Digital Fluency The Authors. https://aisel.aisnet.org/context/bise/article/1254/viewcontent/06_2013_StateOfTheArt_Wang_Myers_Sundaram_DigitalNativesAnd.pdf
Dear Ekaterina,
Dear Colleague,
Thank you for sharing your insights and examples from your teaching practice. Your reflection on the evolution of classroom tools over the last two decades is both compelling and relatable. The shift from traditional classroom setups to technology-integrated environments highlights the rapid pace at which education has had to adapt to meet the needs of digital natives.
I found your point about the challenges for teachers, who are often digital immigrants, particularly thought-provoking. While it is true that digital natives may be more adept at using technology, this also presents an opportunity for reciprocal learning. Teachers can model lifelong learning by embracing and adapting to new technologies alongside their students. Moreover, this collaborative learning environment can strengthen the teacher-student relationship, making the classroom a shared space for discovery and innovation.
Your examples of integrating technology into lessons, such as using Google Docs for collaborative work and Audacity for enhancing public speaking, are excellent illustrations of how technology can foster higher-order thinking and practical skills. These strategies not only engage students but also prepare them for real-world applications. Additionally, tools like Audacity align with differentiated instruction by allowing students to work at their own pace and revisit their recordings for improvement.
I agree that equity in access remains a significant challenge. While technology offers immense potential for personalized learning, addressing disparities in access is crucial to ensuring all students can benefit from these advancements. Initiatives such as providing shared devices in schools or incorporating low-tech solutions can help bridge this gap.
Your emphasis on using technology to enhance cognitive skills resonates deeply. As you mentioned, technology should not merely replicate traditional methods but elevate learning to levels that would otherwise be unattainable. This philosophy is at the heart of integrating PBL, PJBL, and IBL with technology.
Thank you for your thoughtful post. Your examples and reflections provide valuable insights for educators striving to balance the challenges and opportunities of technology in the classroom.
Dear Ekaterina,
Your analysis of the evolving classroom environment highlights a critical shift in educational paradigms over the past two decades. The juxtaposition of past and present classroom setups emphasizes how modern technology redefines accessibility, engagement, and differentiation in education. The concept of digital natives, as you mentioned, brings to light the challenges of meeting students' expectations for a digitally enriched learning experience while addressing disparities in access and digital fluency.
Your example of using Google Documents to facilitate collaborative learning is a strong representation of how technology supports active engagement and critical thinking. Additionally, your use of Audacity to enhance public speaking skills aligns well with Bloom’s taxonomy, as it promotes both metacognitive reflection and higher-order thinking.
By integrating these technologies purposefully, you exemplify how modern tools can bridge the gap between instructional goals and student needs. Your insights underline the importance of thoughtful application to maximize technology’s potential in learning environments.
Hi Ekaterina,
Your post effectively highlights the influence of technology in education in practical ways. The examples of using tools like Google Documents and Audacity are practical and demonstrate how technology can enhance collaboration.
I agree that digital natives are often more adept with technology than teachers who are digital immigrants, like me. In my experience, employing a flipped learning model, for example, has been more effective when teaching digital natives compared to digital immigrants. The results can be truly impressive when digital natives are guided to focus on their studies.
Thank you for your post!
Hi Ekaterina Chshyogoleva
Modern technology has profoundly reshaped secondary education, bridging traditional teaching methods with innovative digital tools to meet the needs of "digital natives." Today’s classrooms, equipped with interactive whiteboards, tablets, and internet access, enable collaborative and differentiated learning that was unimaginable two decades ago. While challenges such as the digital divide and teachers’ adaptation as "digital immigrants" persist, these obstacles can be mitigated with thoughtful integration of technology. Tools like Google Documents foster group collaboration and real-time feedback, while software like Audacity develops higher-order cognitive skills through self-assessment and analysis. Ultimately, technology elevates education by enabling personalized, interactive, and deeper learning experiences that were previously unattainable.
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The dynamic between digital immigrants and natives can also foster reciprocal learning, where teachers learn from students' comfort with technology, and students gain from teachers' broader life and critical thinking skills.