“As with many other technological changes
that are unfolding in society, the integration of digital tools in schools is
new and complex and does not always achieve its intended outcomes.”-Maloy, et
al., Transforming Learning with New Technologies,
2017
Change is often the aspect that
most people are adverse to, often, because change is hard. It’s not easy, or
fun, to change. We become used to our own routines and procedures, and we don’t
always love the motto, “Out with the old, and in with the new.” Let’s face it:
Change is not always for the better, unfortunately.
In Chapter Twelve of their text Transforming
Learning with New Technologies, Maloy, et al. (2017) parse out the
complexities that come with adding technology into the classroom. This is the
major change that schools and educators will be facing for the new few years to
come. It’s the change that both sectors have been grappling with for the past 20
years.
Definitionally, Maloy, et al.,
(2017) refer to how technological integration can drive educational change: “Technology
integration refers to ways teachers make technology integral to their instructional
and professional work. Educational change refers to how teachers create new
patterns of teaching and learning in schools” (p. 295). Integrating technology
into the classroom, thereby, drives education change because it creates and
allows for the opportunities of new teaching patterns and new pathways for learning.
Throughout this entire course, we have learned what a technologically integrated
classroom looks like, how important is for students to have digital literacy,
and how much technology assists and aids students in the classroom. Maloy, et
al. (2017) the following methods for how to successfully incorporate technology
into the classroom: informed decisions and choices, the multiple dimensions of
technology, educational change promotion, and how to engage in a continued and
sustained form of learning (p. 296).
However, as I previously mentioned,
inherently, people are change adverse, especially when it comes to what is
being done in the classroom. The authors state: “Technology’s capacities to
transform teaching and learning can be sidetracked or stymied by the
organizational culture of schools” (p. 306). If the culture of the school is change
adverse or does not have the budget to make such a change, then it is extremely
difficult to—for lack of better phrasing—get the ball rolling. They go on to
state: “Those most affected by a change must be directly involved in making change
happen” (p. 306), which is, unfortunately, not how it works for every
educational institution.
Change, especially technological integration,
is not going to happen unless we as educators step up to the plate and allow
for it to happen, demand for it to happen. On a parting note, Maloy, et al.
(2017) state: “Teachers with a technology-leading mind-set demonstrate
curiosity and perseverance, which is why they continue exploring technology’s
use in schools” (p. 316). As educators, we have to be the forces of change
within our classrooms, because fortunately or unfortunately, our world is
becoming ever more digitized by the Nano-second.
I agree with you when you say that as teachers we have to step up to the plate to allow change to happen. Change can be a good thing when you have teachers who want to find more ways to help students learning needs and integrating technology can be that way to help them.
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