Educator Perceptions of a One to One Technology Initiative

Mingus, Jeff

Educator Perceptions of a One to One Technology Initiative

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分析

Traditional approaches to public education that are based upon educational systems built during the Industrial Revolution no longer fully prepare graduating students from high school with adequate skills to compete in global job markets (Schwahn & McGarvey, 2011). The public education process currently in place was developed during the industrial revolution where assembly line learning was an effective way to develop the skills that the students needed to be successful when leaving school and entering either the next level of education or the work force (Schwahn & McGarvey, 2011). This was an approach based upon a classroom where the teacher was the focus. The student was there to receive information and to be able to memorize that information and regurgitate it. The Industrial Age delivery system is an assembly line where time for learning is the constant and the quality of the learning is the variable (Schwahn & McGarvey, 2011, p. 5). Today, however, that approach is becoming antiquated. Individual needs and individual skills can now be developed by a much deeper and personalized instructional approach through changed pedagogy and infused technology. While technology is a major resource from which the student draws upon to assist them in acquiring knowledge, the pedagogy that is changing based upon the introduction of technology is the empowering piece affecting today’s learners. Today’s graduates must have skills that are being listed as critical thinking, problem solvers, and good communicators. Educational technologies have been shown to enrich learning environments and enhance student’s conceptual understanding (Greenhow, 2008, p. 16). Technology is becoming an integrated part of all facets of society. Technology has grown exponentially since and has developed in areas of industry, personal home life and into the works of public education. Students going through the educational process during this time must obtain an entirely different skill set to become successful citizens than those of the past. In order to properly prepare students for the 21st century, many schools may need to revise current curricula and incorporate training for teachers on how to integrate technology that engages and motivates students to learn (Ullman, 2007). The change in approach to education to address this inadequacy is now focused, in some areas, on technology-enhanced education through the implementation of one to one technology initiatives. One to one technology initiatives are instructional approaches that differ in each school but, have common features such as: (1) Providing students with use of portable laptop computers loaded with contemporary productivity software (2) enabling students to access the Internet through schools’ wireless networks, and (3) a focus on using laptops to help complete academic tasks such as homework assignments, tests, and presentations (Penuel, 2006, p. 332). According to the U.S. Department of Education (2008), educational technologies have been shown to enrich learning environments and enhance students’ conceptual understanding. Developing learners with more skills and abilities to be conceptual thinkers as well as good communicators with problem solving skills will better establish the learners for integration to the technology rich environment that awaits them. One to one technology initiatives are designs that put a technology device in the hands of each student and that device becomes the tool or the resource guide for learning. The intent is to embrace the world of experiences, knowledge and resource that technology has brought to the fingertips of the world and to harness it to provide the most personalized and deepest educational experience for each and every student.

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