Integrating technology with purpose - Teachers' still count!

As Marc Prensky asserts ‘Our students have changed radically. Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach’ (2001, pg.1). Students of today exist in a world that is vastly different from the generations before them, and are dependent on their learning institution for providing them with an environment which meets the demands of the society in which they live, in the present, but also in the future. The world does not yet know the problems and challenges our children will face, however we do know that the ability to be flexible and think creatively will be needed to succeed.

Over a century ago, students knew little about what was going on in the wider community and relied on schools to be their primary source of knowledge growth. Now, accessibility to information is equal across time and space for teachers, students and parents alike, and as such, schools have needed to rework their identity and purpose in order to meet the needs of the “digital natives” they educate. Senge affirms
the idea of a school that can learn has become increasingly prominent during the last few years. It is becoming clear that schools can be re-created, made vital and sustainably renewed… by taking on a learning orientation. This means involving everyone in the system... developing their capabilities together (2000, pg.5)

In an effort to meet these demands, schools have undergone a technological transformation… Wiki, IWB, LAN, Blog, Skype, animate, collaborate! Schools are spending millions on digital cameras, computers, flipcams the list goes on. Schools are no different to businesses in their need to evolve and adapt to the changing conditions and requirements of the market place, however according to Senge (2000) many schools have not implemented the strategies required for sustainable change and innovation. The term ‘integration’ assumes a blending of processes and techniques to cohesively evolve current practice. However, the questions remains... are schools integrating technology purposefully, to enhance the learning opportunities of their students? Essentially, are schools learning how to use technology to help their students learn?

This presentation will focus on the purposeful integration of technology focusing on a the journey of a school which has undergone radical change in the last two years. The ability for teachers to embrace and trust technology will be explored through a model which requires teachers to 'foresee' the opportunities for technology integration in the classroom. Examples which allow students to create, communicate, collaborate and celebrate their learning will be explored in the effort to see how technology can enhance student understanding and learning if chosen in the appropriate context for the right purpose.

References:
Prensky, M. (2001) ‘Digital Natives Digital Immigrants’ in On the Horizon MCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5.

Senge, P. (2000). Schools that learn – A fifth discipline fieldbook for Educators, Parents and Everyone who cares about education.

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