Focus Question: How does computer technology, promote unique, powerful, and transformative learning for students and teachers?
"Computer technologies, with their ability to make learning interesting, can promote higher levels of involvement an engagement among students..." As a teacher it is their job to obtain the students full attention, outer attention can be easily achieved by simply having class rules such remaining quiet during a lecture, staying seated, and so on. Inner attention is what needs to be achieved for true learning, having the student think and work out a problem or situation. With more and more students growing up and deeply immersing themselves in technology and communicating via the internet, it causes technology to become a gateway for teachers to use as a way to reach the students and further their learning. Teachers can create assignments, group projects, that make students think critically, problem solve, be creative, and collaborate among their peers using a platform they are already comfortable with such as social networks, social media, digital learning games, and online programs.
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Tech Tools: Web Resources and Apps for critical thinking and problem solving
Now there is virtually a website or app for any subject learning. Students can access many different web resources or apps to help them as an extra aid in a certain subject or multiple subjects. These resources offer videos, quizzes, games, pictures, articles, and tutorials all related to what the student needs help with. Having all these different options can make it easier to boosts the students learning and understanding in different subjects.
Summary- With all this technology such as online learning games, interactive networks, etc., it leads to promote critical thinking and problem solving among the students. It sparks curiosity, creativity, and desire for learning. Digital literacy is very important for the ability to access, understand use programs. The students have the ability to express their creative thinking through digital programs. Digital citizenship is how one treats and uses technology in our society.
Resources: Textbook - Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013).Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
It is amazing to think of the influences technology has on learning. You noted that both outer and inner attention needs to be met to truly make a difference. Agreed - however, it is not as easy as it may seem to achieve. A necessary ingredient for such success is to deal with all of the 'reality' factors, but awareness and planning is a great start! :)
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