or device, it’s not transforming your classroom. The possibilities
for technology in the K-12 classroom setting are endless and, if
implemented correctly, change the course of education as we know it.
Change in Educator Practices / School Infrastructure
Although technology is getting all the hype for being a game
changer in the education industry, the real success comes from
teachers and their active role in ensuring the proper employment of that
technology in making a difference in learning. According to Education
Week, 90 percent of teachers agree that technology gives them the
ability to tailor lessons and homework assignments to the individual
needs of students. Yet, teachers and schools who rate their system-
wide technology integration on a lower scale don’t have as much hope.
Buy-in from educators, school leaders and board members, parents,
and the community is critical when looking to successfully integrate
new technologies into a curriculum. The change in how teachers are
teaching and how students are learning requires a complete shift from
room layouts and resources needed for students, to continuing teacher
education and administrative observations. Each piece of the education
puzzle needs to be thoughtfully addressed in order to successfully
accommodate a new way of learning.
“What technology allows us to do is amplify and expand the
repertoire of techniques that effective teachers use to elicit the
attention, effort and engagement that are the basis of learning,” Michelle
Miller says in Minds Online. “The tools we use can and do change us
but when we use these tools mindfully, we can remain in control of
those changes, shaping them to benefit our students.” As schools are
implementing the infrastructure needed for technology advancements
in the classroom, teachers are being tasked with providing their
students with a more individualized approach to learning. Professional
development for these teachers is critical to ensure that they are not
stretched too thin and their budgetary resources are properly allocated.
Support from administrators and coaching from peer mentors in how to
approach this new way of teaching has proven to increase the likelihood
of success in the classroom. In addition, classroom evaluations are being
reconfigured, as sitting in the back of a classroom no longer accurately
assesses a teacher’s effectiveness in this new learning environment.
The World Economic Forum states that 75 percent of educators
and students feel there is a gap in their ability to meet the needs of a
growing IT-focused workforce. In addition, 90 percent of organizations
currently have an IT skills shortage; by 2020, it is estimated that there
will be 1.5 million jobs in the digital industry across the globe. These
statistics alone make technology integration into schools a necessity.
Not only will our young children come out of their education prepared
for a role in a booming industry, but our teachers will have the
confidence in knowing that they’ve provided their students the best
opportunity for success. ■
WEST COUNTY
❘
FALL 2018
21