Educational Technology Research

Times, They Are a Changing

As a member of Gen X, I have lived though the the rise of personal technology, at home and in schools.  I still remember typing papers (which is still technology over the paper and pencil!) and when my elementary school got computers.  Technology was an add on or perk back in those days and has moved into a more integrated and integral part of teaching and classrooms.  The rise of pervasive technology impacts our lives and the way students learn and interact with the world now, in ways I hadn't really thought about.




I had not heard about Project Tomorrow and their work in researching the trends in schools, from students, teachers and administrators perspectives. These insights can help districts work towards better meeting the needs of all stakeholders.

Image Source : Project Tomorrow Speak Up

I was glad to learn about #8 and that students are learning to be good digital citizens.  It stands to reason that if we are putting our students out into this technological world, we should teach them how to function there.  This is another aspect of using technology, is that there are new skills we need to teach students and teachers alike.  I enjoyed looking at the New Media Consortium's Horizon Report, which pointed out similar trends, and breaks down which challenges are more easily solvable than others.  Improving digital literacy, for example has some clear steps to be taken, but addressing the achievement gap is more complex.  Another perspective I hadn't considered, but is vital in addressing the challenges and issues that arise with these added technology.

The most shocking revelation to me was number 3, that more than half of K-2 students prefer digital books over paper ones.  I have always been an avid reader, and love adding books to my personal reading collection and my classroom library. I am not a fan of e-readers.  I can see how they may save paper, and are easier to carry around, especially when travelling, but they do not smell or feel the same way a bound book does.

Image Source:  Pinterest

  

Not only is this information surprising, it causing me to reflect on my instruction.  I never use digital books in my classroom either, occasionally a book on CD or an animated version of a story we've read.  If this is a trend and the way students will be interacting with texts in the future, I should be at the very least introducing digital books in ECE.  Being aware of these technological trends, and how students in this new generation will be exposed to and used to learning, can help teachers plan more effective lessons for their class.