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Classroom and Technology. Part 2.

Classroom and Technology. Part 2.



March 19, 2018

 

Classroom and TechnologyWe live in a society in which technology is so pervasive that we do not notice it anymore when it is used for everyday tasks such as information retrieval, communication as well as entertainment. As a result, the current generation of students is growing up more technologically literate than the preceding ones. However, most students learned to use technology outside the classroom and teachers have been struggling to integrate it into the curriculum.

The classroom is now full of computing devices, from handheld computers (smart phones) to laptops and desktops, devised for many purposes and are being used in the same way as pencils, paper, and books were used.  There is an argument that technology can play a significant role in education as it becomes more human-centered and less visible. We can ask now How have handheld computers been used in the classroom? Have they increased motivation to learn? Does the use of handheld computing devices support learning?

Students in middle school have reported using their mobile computing devices mostly for taking notes, while elementary students have used them for writing and said they preferred them to writing by hand. Students have also reported that they have found them useful for organizational activities such as scheduling, writing to-do lists and outlining ideas.

Handheld devices have also been shown to increase productivity as well as the quality of the work submitted by students. This implies that these devices increase student motivation and engagement in learning, specially the completion of written assignments. Teachers have reported that computing devices enhance the learning process, and resulted in noticeable improvements in the peer editing process.

However, research has shown that most teachers use computers as opposed to mobile devices for their activities. Reasons for this being the relative size of the screens and the keyboards, which limit the use of hand held devices.

As teachers are beginning to adjust to the changes, Intelligent Computer Assisted Language Learning (ICALL) is under development and although its deployment is challenging, these resources go from simple grammar checkers and grammar conjugation tools through to complex, rich language learning environments with automatic speech recognition and enhanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) features. It must be remembered that technology in itself will not make the difference; it is what students do with it that does.

We live in a society in which technology is so pervasive that we do not notice it anymore when it is used for everyday tasks such as information retrieval, communication as well as entertainment. As a result, the current generation of students is growing up more technologically literate than the preceding ones. However, most students learned to use technology outside the classroom and teachers have been struggling to integrate it into the curriculum.

The classroom is now full of computing devices, from handheld computers (smart phones) to laptops and desktops, devised for many purposes and are being used in the same way as pencils, paper, and books were used.  There is an argument that technology can play a significant role in education as it becomes more human-centered and less visible. We can ask now How have handheld computers been used in the classroom? Have they increased motivation to learn? Does the use of handheld computing devices support learning?

Students in middle school have reported using their mobile computing devices mostly for taking notes, while elementary students have used them for writing and said they preferred them to writing by hand. Students have also reported that they have found them useful for organizational activities such as scheduling, writing to-do lists and outlining ideas.

Handheld devices have also been shown to increase productivity as well as the quality of the work submitted by students. This implies that these devices increase student motivation and engagement in learning, specially the completion of written assignments. Teachers have reported that computing devices enhance the learning process, and resulted in noticeable improvements in the peer editing process.

However, research has shown that most teachers use computers as opposed to mobile devices for their activities. Reasons for this being the relative size of the screens and the keyboards, which limit the use of hand held devices.

As teachers are beginning to adjust to the changes, Intelligent Computer Assisted Language Learning (ICALL) is under development and although its deployment is challenging, these resources go from simple grammar checkers and grammar conjugation tools through to complex, rich language learning environments with automatic speech recognition and enhanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) features. It must be remembered that technology in itself will not make the difference; it is what students do with it that does.

 

March 19, 2018
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