Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
TX LRPT Teaching and Learning opinion
Texas Long Range Plan for Technology - My Opinion of Teaching and Learning
Texas began a long journey in 2006 as our state set out to integrate technology into
our educational system; and here we are, approaching the half-way mark to our
destination of 2020. The high
expectations for technology to be seamlessly incorporated into the lives of our
students continues to be a goal campuses, districts, and our state will strive
to achieve.
The
idea of teaching and learning seems so black and white. Teachers should teach, or give information to
the students, while students should learn, or receive information that is given
to them. However, the advances of
technology and the overwhelming amount of instantaneous information that is
available changes the roles of both the student and the teachers. The pros of access and use of technology include
keeping the students fully engaged, leveling the playing field for all students
[from different demographics and locations], preparing students for
post-secondary opportunities, and meeting the needs of each individual student
(“Vision 2020, Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020,” 2006). In addition to providing the students with
new and improved opportunities, the integration of technologies into the
classroom can “transform the teaching process by allowing for greater levels of
interest, inquiry, analysis, collaboration, creativity and content production (“Vision
2020, Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020,” 2006).
With
the benefits so blatant, one might assume that the integration should be
naturally occurring in our schools today.
It is not! The need for
professional development, constant upgrading and/or repair of equipment, and
time for the teachers to redesign the teaching of their curriculum seem like
obstacles too big to overcome. So,
although as educators we are aware that integration of technology needs to
occur, the lack of adequate support leads a large percentage of my colleagues
to continue to teach as they always have.
Texas began a long journey in 2006 as our state set out to integrate technology into
our educational system; and here we are, approaching the half-way mark to our
destination of 2020. The high
expectations for technology to be seamlessly incorporated into the lives of our
students continues to be a goal campuses, districts, and our state will strive
to achieve.
The
idea of teaching and learning seems so black and white. Teachers should teach, or give information to
the students, while students should learn, or receive information that is given
to them. However, the advances of
technology and the overwhelming amount of instantaneous information that is
available changes the roles of both the student and the teachers. The pros of access and use of technology include
keeping the students fully engaged, leveling the playing field for all students
[from different demographics and locations], preparing students for
post-secondary opportunities, and meeting the needs of each individual student
(“Vision 2020, Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020,” 2006). In addition to providing the students with
new and improved opportunities, the integration of technologies into the
classroom can “transform the teaching process by allowing for greater levels of
interest, inquiry, analysis, collaboration, creativity and content production (“Vision
2020, Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020,” 2006).
With
the benefits so blatant, one might assume that the integration should be
naturally occurring in our schools today.
It is not! The need for
professional development, constant upgrading and/or repair of equipment, and
time for the teachers to redesign the teaching of their curriculum seem like
obstacles too big to overcome. So,
although as educators we are aware that integration of technology needs to
occur, the lack of adequate support leads a large percentage of my colleagues
to continue to teach as they always have.
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