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Chapter 4: Roles of Educational Technology

Objectives:
a.) Infer the roles of educational technology in the 21st century
classroom, based on research findings.
b.) Recognize the importance of educational technology
c.) Lend oneself in using educational technology

Beliefs about Educational Technology

The history of educational technology reveals that many educators, parents and
students believe the reason for using technology are based in two major beliefs;
(1)technology is composed of tools to facilitate learning thus should be used in
education and (2) research has shown the effectiveness of computer-based methods.
Both of these commonly held beliefs have some validity and both provide reasons for
using technology. The fast development in technology
require us to answer the following questions:

• Since technology can assist the students in

many ways, how should it fit with what teachers can
already do?
• At which levels of students, topics, or activities
should school rely on computer-based method?
• Does some reliable information suggest
specific benefits for using technology in education?

The teachers must identify specific contributions that

technology can and should make o an improve students’
achievement through teaching and learning with the use of
computer gadgets. The teachers must create their vision, define
technology’s role in the schools then plan for its use. The rationale

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identified for using technology will be the guide in setting the goals, the skills and the
resources needed to accomplish these goals.

The Four Pillars of Education and the 21st Century Skills

Each learner must consider education as a

life-long learning and certain skills are
associated with each pillar of education. There
are four pillars of education, namely:
Learning to learn, Learning to do,
Learning to live together, and Learning
to be. Educational Technology is closely
related to the four pillars because technology skills
and tools help the learner attain them.

Learning to learn enables on to

address coping situations that need knowledge, greater
intellectual curiosity, shapes and mental faculties and enables one to make judgment on
the things and situations they experienced. Technology
assists them to carry on with learning more efficiently
through surfing in the computer, discovering through
research and applying gadgets to facilitate the
acquisition of knowledge.

Learning to do equips one with certain skills to

undertake certain task to be productive and competent.
The learner put into action what they learned,
and the task is translated to actual manipulation
or productivity. Learning to do does not stop at this
point but a learner should do a task over and over
again to attain skills leading to an efficient

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performance. Technology is applied along with the task of doing something.

Learning to live together 269. It also emphasize the idea about unity in diversity
in terms of race, religion, and personal beliefs. Social media helps to be connected and
understand other people reactions by focusing on others point of view. Forum for
dialogue and discussions could help lessen the gap among
peoples’ differences, in the world of work, in the community and
in the world collaborative project, social activities, humanitarian
action and membership in organizations are some ways to
enhance the learners’ ability to learn to live together.

The last pillar, learning to be gives an individual a

picture of what he plans to be after certain periods I his lifetime.
The learners outlook about himself may vary from time to time
as he realizes certain episodes in his life. Example is, at a young
age, he wants to finish his elementary schooling, then secondary
schooling, and later the tertiary preparation for the world of work.
This pillar will provide a goal to an individual on the specific
knowledge, competencies, and tasks which one should acquire
for a successful life. This may concern aesthetic, artistic,
scientific, cultural, social, and developing imagination, and
creativity. The learner can also discover technologies which will
be necessary in attaining what he wants to be.

Elements for Using Technology in Education

Element 1: Motivation

• Gaining learner attention

According to learning theorists, Robert Gagne gaining

the learners attention is a critical first event in providing
optimal conditions in instruction. Although other aspects of instruction must direct

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this attention toward

meaningful learning, the
visual and interactive
features of many
technology resources
seem to help focus
students’ attention and
encourage them to spend
more time on learning task
(Pask-McCartney, 1989;
Summer, 1990-1991).
Substantial empirical event
indicates that teachers frequently capitalize on the novelty and television-like
attraction of computers and multimedia to achieve the essential instructional goal
of capturing and holding students’ attention.
Students enjoys watching situations where they seemed to be the key
players. Thus, some teachers utilize characters who the students like to be
associated with in preparing their lesson materials. Modules that portray typical
behavior of students in their age group can catch their attention much better.

• Encouraging the Learner Through Productive Work

Production work makes learning more meaningful students. The teacher

often tries to engage them in creating their own technology-based products. This
strategy has been used effectively with word processing [Tibbs, 1989; Franklin,
1901], hypermedia [Volker, 1992; Larou 1990], computer generated art
[Buchholz, 1991], and telecommunications [Taylor, 1989; Marcus, 1995]. Student
seem to like the activities because they promote creativity, self-expressions, and
feelings of self-efficacy and result in professional looking products they can view
with pride. Other productions work among students using technology are creating

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some art projects for the children in the community immersion activities. Another
example is creating a product which can be sold for an entrepreneurial project.
The product can be derived from surfing in the computer and looking for
resources in the community.

• Increasing perceptions of learner control

Many students are motivated by feeling, they are in control of their own
learning [Amone and Grabowski, 1991; Relan, 1992]. Learner control seems to
have special implications for risk students perceive themselves as in control of
their learning, the result has been called intrinsic motivation, or being motivated
by awareness that they are learning. This finding, reported from the earliest user
of computer-based materials, is considered as one of the most potentially
powerful reasons for using technology resources as motivational aids. However,
when learning paths become complex [ with weak learning skills seem to profit
most when teachers supply structure to the activities [Kozma, 1991,1994; Mcneil
and nelson 1991]. Some teachers use
concept diagram to make the students
understand better the interrelationships
of various concepts. An example is
the study of the solar system. The
teacher can show the concept of
distances from the sun; the
concept of movement around the
sun; and the concept of having
additional bodies revolving around
the planets like the moon and the
earth.

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• Technology use as motivation

Motivating students to learn more has assumed greater importance in

recent years as we recognize strong correlations between dropping lot of school
and undesirable outcomes such as criminal activity. The drive to keep students in
school is an urgent national priority. Technology has an important role to play in
achieving this goal Kromza and Croniger [1992] described several ways in which
technology might help to address the cognitive, motivational, and social needs of
at-risk students; Bialo and Slivin (1989) listed several software packages that
were either designed or adapted to appeal to these kinds of students.
Technology-based methods have
successfully promoted several kinds of
motivational strategies that may be used
individually or in combination.

Another reason for technology use is

the motivation among the students to enroll in
school where teachers teach using
technology. Research findings showed that
this was the reason given by college freshmen
for enrolling in certain institution of higher
learning.

Element 2. Unique Instructional Capabilities

Element 2 which deals instructional

capabilities is closely related to the four pillars of
education, namely: learning to know, learning to do,
learning to be, and learning to live together.

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They set the use of technology in molding the individual to meet the demand of
the 21st century through the following:

• Linking learners in information sources (Learning to know)

• Helping learners visualize problems and solutions (Learning to do)
• Tracking learners’ progress (Learning to be)
• Linking learners to learning tools

Another powerful reason for using technology resources, is that some technological
media can facilitate unique learning environments to be more powerful and effective. A
module can be an example for this. The students can work independently using the
computer or hard copy during times when motivated to study. Some modules in the
computer are animated. Furthermore, students are exposed to varied technology
materials which enable them to learn independently. The students enjoy working on it
while learning to know. Animated exercises with different movements to show whether
their responses to the questions are correct or not appeared to be unique on the part of
the learner.

• Linking learners to information sources

Through hypertext systems, as seen on many internet web page, students

can select a keyboard from a screen and get pointers from several other sources
with information on the same topic. These leads to other related sources and
topics, forming an endless chain of information. Kozma [1991,1994] reports that
hypertext learning environment “both skills in addition to those with prescribed
books and reference materials”. Computers handle the logistics of this complex
activity.

• Enabling Learners Visualize Problems and Solutions

Kozma (1991) also reports that interactive visual media (videodisc
applications) seem to have unique instructional capabilities for topics that involve
social situations or problem solving. He notes that these media provide powerful
visual means of “representing social situations and tasks such as interpersonal

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problem solving, foreign language learning, or moral decision making”. The

growing number of videodisc and CD-ROMS products designed for this kind of
topics (the ADI videodisc from ABC News, Computer Corporation’s Success
Maker) confirms that designers and educators are recognizing and exploring
these unique and powerful qualities.
• Tracking Learners Progress

Students’ progress can be recorded and reported in many ways.

Preparing a portfolio in class accomplishment can be recorded in a logbook or in
an electronic diary. A system of recording students’ progress can be
done through computers program which can be availed of by
both the students and the parents within and after a grading
period.

• Linking Learners to Learning Tools

There are many ways by which the learners can see

technology to link with information needed to their lessons and
in solving problems for lifelong learning. Several computer
programs enable students to solve statistical data,
researchers about different topics and other data related
to their interests ranging from humanities, the arts,
communication history and many more.

Element 3: Support for New Instructional Approaches

The educational system is struggling to revamp its

instructional goals and methods in preparation for the complex
demands of life in the technology driven 21st century (SCANS Report,
1992). Educators are beginning to look at technology resources to help
make these new directions at once feasible and motivational to
students. Several new instructional initiatives can benefit from
applications of technology:

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• Cooperative Learning demonstrate the value of small groups with members

coming from different abilities. Many technology-based activities lend to cooperative,
small-group work: development of hypermedia products and special purpose data
base and research projects using online project done by a small group. Each
member has a task to complete the task. Making an activity card in chemistry can be
an interesting work like testing acid and metal. Each member can contribute an
observation to differentiate one from the other. A rapporteur can be assigned to list
down all the observations that can be reported to the class.
• Shared Intelligence. An emerging definition for intelligence is termed shared
intelligence or distributed intelligence. According to some theorists, the capabilities
afforded by new technologies make the concept of intelligence as something that
resides in each persons’ head too restrictive. “intellectual partnership with computers
suggests that possibility the resources enable and shape activity and do not reside
in one or another agent but are genuinely distributed between persons, situations,
and tools” (Polin, 1992).
• Problem Solving and Higher-level Skills
Students can solve problems and represent their knowledge by engaging in
higher level skills. Problem solving can be done by:

• Sensing the problem

• Researching the problem
• Formulating the problem
• Finding the alternatives
• Choosing the solution
• Building acceptance

All of the above processes involve higher-level skills (jonnaser, Daird 1999).

Element 4: Increase Teacher Productivity

• Freeing time to work with students by helping with production and record keeping
tasks.

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• Providing more information quickly

• Allowing teachers to produce better-looking more “student-friendly” materials quickly

Using technology resources can help teachers cope with their growing paperwork
load. Teachers and organizations realized that they spend less time on record keeping
and preparations so they can spend more time analyzing students’ needs and having
direct contact with students. Teacher can be more productive through training in
technology-based method and access accurate information that may help them meet
individual needs. Any technology resource can help teacher increase their productivity;
word processing, spreadsheet, database, gradebook, graphics, desktop publishing,
instructional management, and test generator programs along with online
communications between teachers (e-mail) and other online services. The teacher can
be encouraged to prepare interesting teaching materials for their students efficiently in a
shorter time. A compilation of this materials can lessen their workload when
they teach the same subject in the future.

Element 5: Required Skills for an Information Age

The final and most compelling reason for integrating technology

into teaching and learning is the need for students to learn skills that
will prepare them to become lifelong learners in an information
society. They need to be equipped with the skills to learn to know by
gathering information in addressing problems in school and in
real-life situations. Since the emergence of the internet, many
processes involved in locating and communicating
information now involve some for technology.

• Technology Literacy

Solomon (1995) says that “Technology for students is

about economic competitiveness”. The International Society
for Technology in Education (ISTE), the group that collaborated
with National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)

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to develop educational technology standards for pre-service programs, also

developed the National Educational Technology (NET) for K-12 students. Standards
available. Both sets of standards are recognizing that technology skills are becoming
required job skills. Several states (e.g. North Carolina) are also establishing their
own required technology skills for K-12 students. This trend makes it essential that
teachers both model and teach the use of technology-based methods for their
students.

• Information Literacy

Although information literacy skills may be simply a subset of the technology

literacy skills, some educators think they are so important that they should receive
special emphasis (Truett, 1992; Roblyer, 1998). Johnson and Eisenberg (1996)
introduced the big skills namely: 1. Task definition, 2. Information-seeking strategies,
3. Location and access, 4. Use of information, 5. Synthesis, and 6. Evaluation. The
information explosion fostered by the internet has made the big six skills more
important to learning and more involved with technology. However, Roybler (1998)
notes that students seem to find the first three skills- the ones requiring use of
technology procedures-more enjoyable and easier to do. It is the application and
analysis tasks that present the most difficulty. However, all these skills appear likely
to be essential ones. These skills are also emphasized in the 21st century skills
under information, media, and technology skills.

• Visual Literacy

Visual literacy is considered as subset of technology literacy. Christopherson

(1997) & Roblyer (1998), emphasized the need for improves visual literacy skills so
many people are heavily using images on visual communications. Christopherson
(1997) affirmed that the visually literate person can interpret, understand, and
appreciate the meaning of visual messages; communicate more effectively through
applying the basic principles and concepts of visual design; produce visual
messages using the computer and other technology; and use of visual thinking to
conceptualize solutions to problems. Roblyer (1998) reports on research that

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correlatives visual literacy skills to higher scores on intelligence tests and to later
success in more technical and vocational areas such as engineering.
Christopherson observes that “students with visual communication skills are more
marketable” but these skills will soon be required rather than merely desirable.
These reports create powerful reason for teachers to integrate technology at early
levels into students’ communication methods.

The research findings reveal the importance of visual literacy among teachers.
They must utilize well-planned images when preparing instructional materials to
capture the real essence of what they like to convey to the learners. Here,
technology will make this task easier. Illustrations and pictures are found in the
computer which they can easily access and use.

REFERNCE: Tabbada, E. V., Buendia, M. M., Educational 12

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