Philosophy of Ed Tech

I recall being a student when the most advanced use of technology in the classroom was the use of an overhead projector. With the radical growth of technology, classrooms today are vastly different than they were just years ago. Undoubtedly, the introduction of this technology has brought many changes with them. Some of these changes offer wonderful opportunities, however, those opportunities come with stipulations. We must find the best way to reap the benefits of technology and offer them to students as we prepare them to enter an ever more digital world.

Successful and strategic implementation of technology into classrooms offers students access to opportunities that may otherwise not be possible. Regardless of content area, students' education should simultaneously develop content knowledge and the digital skills necessary for any field of work, or study (Burns, 2015). This can be done through regular use of digital tools. For example, students using Desmos graphing calculator to visually verify their work, collaborating with peers in digital spaces, such as Padlet, and processing data using Google Sheets, all can help develop students’ digital literacy. Students should have opportunities to engage in authentic digital work, not just digital worksheets. Meeting this requires careful and intentional implementation of technology into lessons by teachers. Doing so may prove challenging for many educators, however, there is research that supports those trying to reach that goal. The SAMR model outlines how technology can be implemented to enhance and transform student learning (Puentedura, 2010). Applications of the SAMR model have shown how technology can offer students ways to engage with the content they are learning in ways not possible before, such as addressing local problems and having members of the community assess their proposals, talk with authors, and have digital pen pals (Terada, 2020). Just as with any classroom structure, technology requires careful implementation to ensure its benefits outweigh its disadvantages.

Without a thoughtful implementation, technology can result in larger gaps in accessibility and even jeopardize students' privacy. By introducing Online Educational Services into our classrooms, we grant access companies access to data about our students. Although student information is closely protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy ACT (FERPA), since many of these educational companies are not themselves educational agencies, the level of protection offered to students through FERPA is lowered when the information is held by companies (US Department of Education, 2014). Additionally, while making assignments available, and due, digitally ,through platforms like Canvas is convenient for some students, many low-income students lack reliable access to the necessary digital resources at home. When only 3% of teachers in high-poverty schools believe “students have the digital tools they need to effectively complete assignments while at home”, making materials largely digital may serve to only widen the gap in access to quality education between affluent and impoverished student populations (Darling-Hammond, Linda, Molly B. Zielezinski, and Shelley Goldman, 2014). Thus, educators should be aware of and consider the access to tech offered by their school sites when ‘digitizing’ their classrooms. Yet, the potential disadvantages can be managed through careful planning and use of technology.

I believe, despite valid concerns, technology should have a regular role in most, if not all, classrooms. Technology in the class can allow students access to forums and communities centered around math. This can aid them in gaining the confidence that they do indeed have membership to the math community. Additionally, technology provides a great entry point into computational thinking. Engaging in “problem solving, design systems, and understanding human behavior” are all skills fundamental to computational thinking (Wing, 2006). These skills combined with digital literacy is what the job market will value. Although I do not believe educators should be preparing students for a job, these are skills with worth that extend to the job market and, more importantly, beyond.

As technology continues to progress, we must not continue to postpone addressing the question, how should we implement technology into our classrooms? The world around us has already accepted technology with a strong embrace. Despite any concerns one may have, and there are many valid concerns, we must prepare our students with the skills to navigate that world. My job will continue to be to teach students mathematics. Yet, if my students are not able to communicate, apply, or interact with mathematics using technology in a meaningful way, my efforts would have been effectively null.

Works Cited

Burns, M. (2015, July 1). The Common Core and Digital Skills Development. Edutopia. Retrieved December 10, 2021, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/common-core-digital-skills-development-monica-burns.

Darling-Hammond, Linda, Molly B. Zielezinski, and Shelley Goldman. Using technology to support at-risk students' learning. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education, 2014.

Puentedura, R. (2010). SAMR and TPCK: Intro to advanced practice.

Terada, Y. (2020). A powerful model for understanding good tech integration. Retrieved May, 12, 2020.

US Department of Education: Privacy Technical Assistance Center. "Protecting student privacy while using online educational services: Requirements and best practices." (2014).

Wing, Jeannette M. "Computational thinking." Communications of the ACM 49.3 (2006): 33-35.