Emerging Trends in Educational Technology







What are the emerging trends in educational technology?

I think that one of the major emerging trends in educational technology is not "what" students are learning, but instead "how" they are learning. We have begun the take the locus of control away from the teachers and move it to the students. Technology has allowed students to take ownership of their learning. They now that technologies that will give them immediate feedback as to whether "they got it" and they have a wide world of places to gain more information. I have said many times while taking this class just how jealous I am of the opportunities that kids have now that I didn't in the past!

How do they reshape the culture of learning and teaching?

I think, and hope, that with this changed ownership, students will take more of an interest in their learning. We spent so many years giving them information, much of it on things that they weren't really interested in. Now we have a culture of differentiation and scaffolding that allows technology to more cater to the learner, and hopefully will allow them to better engage in what they are learning. If I tell a student to write me a paper, many of them groan. If I say you can do a paper, a presentation, a blog or a video they might not all love the assignment, but I'll have more participate because while they are all learning the same material, they are getting to do it their way.

What is the role of teachers in an era of digital learning?

I think the biggest role of teachers is to embrace the change! This is very hard. It takes work and time and we all know time is not something teachers always have. However, if we want our students to own their education, want to be at school and to best prepare them for the very different lives they will lead than us, we owe it to them. The increased movement to professional learning communities and online learning communities will help facilitate this as teachers have a better network to get ideas and materials. With help, the daunting task seems a little more achievable. 

Comments

  1. UnknownMarch 24, 2019 at 4:55 PM

    I agree that it is an exciting time to be a student. We are definitely shaping a different type of student than educators have had in the past, with the student needing to take more ownership in what they are learning. I am finding, though, that students are not as eager to take ownership. Or they understand that ownership is theirs, but they are very quick to transfer blame when it is not going the way they want. Maybe it is just in our district, but we have not done a very good job of equipping them with the ability to be self-directed learners, and even though in the high school I want then to take the reigns, they are very uncomfortable with this. I am wondering what other districts are doing to prepare their students to become the new life-long learners? - Jeff DeKuiper

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