How technology has helped my learning

In school I use technology very little really even thou I passed my GCSE in IT, most my work was handwritten and taken from textbook. In my current studies this has all changed with technology being the cornerstone of my research, presentations and assignments and can't imagine learning in any other way now.

I find Moodle a great tool for learning and on there a lot, just checking out assignment briefs and PowerPoints and refreshing my memory of what we went over in class. The ability to use Moodle really helps in the classroom too as gives you the freedom to listen to the teacher and take in what there saying, instead of scribbling down loads of notes ten to the dozen.

Even social media is a great learning tool and have found our PCET Facebook page really useful, with people always sharing tips and experiences and just a place where can express any concerns you may have about assignments and anything your unsure of, with classmates quickly coming back to you to ease those concerns.

Technology I believe has really helped my learning and development and didn't think I would be back in Uni now without it, just makes research and learning more enjoyable and more accessible which is great but being as busy a a PCET student is.

What is your experience of mobile technology and learning

My experience of mobile technology start in last year of school in 2000 where I had my first brick of a Nokia mobile phone, which by the way was indestructible and still works to this day and still to be found in the draw as the emergency "back up" phone. This was the extent of my mobile technology really with the exception of a few mobile updates until I returned to Uni in 2009, where my learning on mobile devices really began, getting a brand new 7" Dell note book, which fitted nicely to to my man bag.

From there I didn't look back and I was always on it for uni research, producing my assignments which gave me the freedom not to be stuck in the library or on a PC for hours on end and often did research on the train, in the uni canteen and just on my lap while sitting on the sofa watching TV (exactly what I'm doing now). That little Dell did me proud and got me though my Uni studies until the sad day in 2012 when it took it's last breathe and is no longer with us.

I am now always on a mobile device having a MacBook Pro, where I do all my assignments, lesson plans, lessons and research, but this is supported by my Smartphone and tablet which are always close by if I ever need to "google it" or check Moodle or my student emails. From a learning perceptive I could not be with my mobile technology and do a lot of research online to support my textbooks, so easy just to check a assignment brief or submission date just on your phone no Matter where you are.

I also have a kindle on my bedside table, witch is great for a late night read or laying by the pool on hols as a lot light that carrying a tonne of books, and this provides a bit of learning and reading just for yourself learning and enjoyment.

Barriers to the effective use of technology in education

When we think of modern day education and learning, technology plays a major part with everything from research to turning in assignments and VLE's, however this blog is going to look at the barriers of the effectiveness of technology in education and will be supported by academic findings.

Laurillard and Deepwell (2014) conducted a survey on the effective use of learning technology in education within a FE environment. The main barriers and findings of the survey as are followed:

• Lack of support for teachers in incorporate technology in their teaching practice.
• Lack of credit and recognition from awarding bodies, governing bodies and other key influencers 
• Focus on targets and inspection does not encourage experimentation in new technology.
• Lack of teachers knowledge in technology.

I feel the overall theme of the findings of this survey are that teachers believe that they are under too much pressure to perform with little or no encouragement and support to change their teaching styles and experiment with new technology. 

The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) produced a report in 2003 also about the barriers to the use of technology in learning and looked at the perspective of the student and found the main barriers being:

• Lack of IT Equipment and correct soft and hardware.
• Lack of Technical support.
• Lack of training due to the teachers ICT ability.
• Focus on basic skills not extending ICT knowledge.

The report suggests that these barriers can be overcome with the changing of attitudes and more training provided for students and teachers alike and looking at both internal and external barriers witch may be faced. 

They state that Key Questions that education providers should be asking are;

       "What barriers do teachers in your school think affect their use of ICT?

         Is the whole school involved in, and supportive of, the process of integrating the use of ICT?

         Are ICT resources deployed so as to enable teachers to access them easily and integrate them  

         effectively?

         Is your ICT training provisions focused on pedagogy, differentiated by skill level, and arranged

         with sensitivity to teachers workloads? "

The findings show that although technology plays a massive part of teaching and within education, there are still many barriers to it's effectiveness and that on going training and development alongside encouragement is key to overcome these hurdles and produce more efficient technology based teaching environment. 

     

                                                                   Bibliography 

British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (2003) What the research says about barriers to the use of ICT in teaching, accessed on 4th December from http://www.mmiweb.org.uk/publications/ict/Research_Barriers_TandL.pdf

Laurillard, D and Deepwell, M (2014) ALT Survey on the effective use of learning technology in education, Education Technology Action Group, Accessed on 4th December from https://www.alt.ac.uk/sites/alt.ac.uk/files/public/ALTsurvey%20for%20ETAG%202014.pdf

                

The value of mobile technology in teaching and learning.

Tablets, mobile phones and other mobile devices have become the norm in society today, with access to to the internet and knowledge only a few seconds away, but what impact has this had on education and the way we both teach and learn???

Weldon (2013) reports on a study carried by Project Tomorrow of two class of the same age in different schools where giving tablets and wireless access both at school and at home. The study revealed that through the introduction of mobile technology both study groups found;

From a teaching perspective: Teacher and student communication had improved and the teachers found productivity increased with the ability to develop new learning opportunities for the students.

The students found research and gaining learning materials easier, and learning styles and how they approached learn changed with the use of technology now their first port of call.

Weldon states that it has been hard to measure the importance of technology in learning and how studies like this can help us gain un understanding, this is supported by Julie Evans (Cited by Nagel,2013) who is the CEO of Project Tomorrow who Stated;

  "This study is important because it gets beyond simply putting a tablet in the hands of students, and it examines how to effectively implement tablets within instruction to improve student learning".

Nagel goes on to explain that the implementation of mobile devices at home did not encourage bad behaviour and some doubters may have thought but enhanced the learning experience, however he stresses that teachers need to control mobile learning and support students with clear goals and structure. 

Overall I believe this study just supports what I already thought, with mobile technology becoming a very important tool for both learning and teaching with students being to gain information so easily and pushing the research boundaries further than anyone could of imagined. Nagel makes a good point however, to make sure there is still structure and clear goals form the teacher to keep the students learning relative and to still have control of their students learning. 


                                                                    Bibliography 

Nagel, D (2013) Mobile Study: Tablets make a difference in teaching and learning, The Journal accessed on 3rd December 2014 from http://thejournal.com/articles/2013/11/20/mobile-study-tablets-make-a-difference-in-teaching-and-learning.aspx


Weldon, D (2013) Recent studies confirm value of mobile technology, tablets in classroom, FierceMobileIT, Accessed on 3rd December from http://www.fiercemobileit.com/story/recent-studies-confirm-value-mobile-technology-tablets-classroom/2013-12-05

How technology has changed learning

How technology has changing learning.

Over the past several years technology has completely changed the face of teaching and learning, with pens and paper being a thing of the past with laptops and iPads becoming the norm within the classroom.  Education Secretary Michael Gove (2013) in a speech highlighted three ways that technology has changed teaching, learning and assessment which were;

i)               Helping us learn – Explaining  that learning is now not just for the privilege few but now open to everyone with an internet connection, he elaborates on this by giving examples of online libraries and uploaded videos from teachers and scholars.  

ii)              How we teach - Interactive whiteboards have replaced tradition chalk boards where multimedia can be used for demonstration, interactive forums, games and networks can be shown on the board.  Students can use mobile tablets can be used for students for research and storing work.

iii)            How we assess – Teachers can now closely monitor student’s strength and weaknesses through online submissions, games and activities without the student having to speak up and maybe getting embarrassed in a classroom environment. Assessment can also be logged easier through technology, with a digital foot print being created with time, date and grade all being logged.

However Gove states that although technology has changed dramatically, the general style of teaching has not differed with teachers still standing in front of the class talking, suggesting that this will have to change in the future.

Dr McKnight (2013) supports Gove's statement by saying there are 12 ways technology has changed learning, including the the IPad with she calls a game changer, which is a powerful tool for both student and teacher and the it presents an exciting future for learning. McKnight also explains how the rise of the internet has had an major impact on learning with information being at our finger tips 24/7. 

I believe that the change and development in technology has drastically changed the face of education and on whole for the greater good and the prospect now of teaching in this era is an exciting one, however it is important not to forget the core values of teaching and that the teacher is the presentation and technology should support them not take over. 

                                                                           Bibliography 

Gove, M (2013) Technology is changing the way we teach, learn and assess, Education Business, The Business Magazine for Education Accessed on 28th Nov 2014 from ttp://www.educationbusinessuk.net/index.php/features/5-/3371-gove-technology-is-changing-the-way-we-teach-learn-and-assess

McKnight, K (2013) Top 12 Ways Technology Changed Learning, K-12 News, Lessons & Shared Resources, By Teachers for Teachers accessed on 25th Nov 2014 from http://www.teachhub.com/how-technology-changed-learning