Teaching with technology: Optional or mandatory

By Liwliwa B. Suguitan

Technology has the potential to significantly change how people learn. It may strengthen and deepen connections between teachers and students, help us reimagine how we learn and collaborate, close long-standing equity and accessibility gaps, and modify the learning process to accommodate the needs of all students. Thus, student engagement may be raised, lesson planning can be improved, and tailored learning can be facilitated in the classroom with the wise use of digital learning resources. Furthermore, it assists pupils in developing crucial 21^st century abilities.

However, the question is: are all educators equipped with the information, abilities, and skills required for teaching with technology? Teaching online poses challenges for teachers trained primarily to work face to face. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck all over the world teachers were forced to move online to ensure students continue their education. This is not an easy transition and success depends on teachers having the skills, knowledge, and competencies for online teaching.

To date, technology is a major factor influencing education. Schools are expected to use technology to enhance the learnings of their students despite the challenges they encountered. The first category includes variables outside of the control of teachers, such as equipment accessibility, resource availability, training, and support. It is not possible to adopt online learning if students and teachers lack access to computers and quick internet connections. The second group of variables is those that are unique to teachers, such as their knowledge, skills, and attitudes toward using technology. Teachers lack the requisite skills if they have not received adequate training in technology. The mentioned concerns should be address properly so that Philippine education will be enhanced, and Filipino learners will not leave behind. Government should provide necessary technology tools and equipment’s for both teachers and learners. In addition, educators must be provided with relevant trainings and essential skills so that there is a lifelong learning.

Integration of technology nowadays is very important. Teachers and students are both parts of a society that is rapidly changing and we are in a digital age. Today, the much publicized 21^st century skills are realities. Everything in this world is driven by technology. Therefore, teaching with technology should be mandatory. Teachers need to embrace digital tools to adapt their teaching process to benefit from these tools’ advantages. Ideally, technology is integrated into the curriculum for students to perform better and provide them with fresh approaches of engaging with academic material. Technology helps teachers and students communicate when face-to-face instruction is not possible, strengthening the relationship between them. Student cooperation, peer-to-peer learning, and group projects are also possible on some types of platforms.

Technology is very useful in the classroom as it encourages teachers to broaden their lesson planning and delivery approaches while simultaneously engaging students in the learning process. Secondly, the use of non-traditional teaching tools, like interactive software or simulations, opens up fresh perspectives on certain subjects or ideas. Lastly, using technology in the classroom can help students gain practical skills like conducting internet research, putting together presentations, and creating content. These abilities are applicable to both academic courses and students’ extracurricular activities. Students can learn 21^st century skills including problem-solving, cooperation, critical thinking, and communication through several online platforms.

Technology enhances teaching and learning. When a class has access to digital materials, each student can move through the content at their own pace. In some circumstances, this can entail having to go over a part again or advancing to the class’s level on subjects they are knowledgeable with. This enables the teacher to offer tailored interventions to each student as necessary. Additionally, technology supports collaborative and peer-to-peer learning, enabling students to collaborate to better comprehend a subject or concept—a very successful approach to problem-solving.

 

Sample technology platforms in the classroom

Gamification. Gamification is about turning the classroom environment and regular activities into a game. It calls for creativity, cooperation, and play.

Online fieldtrips. Online field trips allow students to travel the world and explore natural environments without leaving the classroom.

Digital content creation. Blogging, article writing, photography, videography, online commenting, managing social media accounts, and editing and distributing digital media are examples of common kinds of content creation. Most of the students may already be creating content online, through posts on Instagram or TikTok videos. Teachers can harness this experience to submit assignments as videos or podcasts.

PowerPoint or Google slide. PowerPoint are a great approach to organize a lesson or introduce a topic for teachers who have access to a data projector. A presentation's slides can include animations, videos, and images. Another option is to urge students to summarize their ideas in a slideshow that they may use to return to class.

Communication. The way teachers-students, and students-students today communicate has been completely transformed by technology in the classroom. The ways in which a teacher can share knowledge with their pupils and the ways in which students can work together or connect with one another to assist learning have all improved thanks to email, instant messages, and video chats.

Social media. Social media use in the classroom is frowned upon by some educators and institutions. Although there are legitimate concerns about distraction, a clever teacher can employ social media features to engage pupils in the classroom. For instance, students can look up trending hashtags to discover what's happening in pop culture or the media. The use of hashtags by students to share their work and interact with one another might also be encouraged.

Open educational resources. Free educational resources, or OERs, have been produced by educators and organizations for a while now. These are pieces of instructional content for use in the classroom by teachers, such as an e-book, animation, presentation, or photograph, that have a Creative Commons license. Teachers and students can typically modify, distribute, or print these resources.

Learning management systems. The learning management system, or LMS, is the perfect instrument for easing some of the administrative burden on teachers. This technology is an online platform that can offer material and assessments while retaining student performance and biographical data. Blackboard and Moodle are two well-known LMSs.

Digital portfolios. For many years, portfolios have been used to evaluate creative areas like art and design. This idea is used in a digital portfolio. It is an assortment of digitally produced work that demonstrates mastery of a number of learning goals. These portfolios can be kept in software that has been especially created for them or on a file-sharing website like Dropbox.

Collaboration. Collaboration is a vital 21^st Century skill. Students can collaborate to produce and update a project together using Google Docs and other online tools.

 

Liwliwa B. Suguitan currently teaches at  Salpad Integrated School in Vintar, Ilocos Norte