Technology in Teaching

           The effects of technology in the classroom are related to both the teacher and the students. In the past classrooms were lecture driven. With technology involved in education, the students are more active in their learning. The teacher is no longer the center of attention. They play the role of a facilitator or guide of information and not so much of an information source. Technology in the classroom allows the students to be more active with the opportunity of communication of information. By being active the students are then more likely to generate their own choices on how to obtain, manipulate, or display information (Bridgforth).

          Technology also allows a teacher to present his/her topic to the students in an easy yet effective way in a sense that it’ll enhance the interest of the students towards learning especially in reading and/or learning literature. With the use of technology, the teacher will be able to present his/her topic in literature in a better way. It could be through powerpoint presentations or even through a video presentation.

          The statements above are also true for a Filipino teacher working abroad. I asked him about how is technology being integrated in teaching and how does it helped him as a teacher outside the country wherein we know for a fact that most of the countries abroad are so much ahead from us in terms of technology.

          The picture below is the proof of our conversation. I chose to make his surname blurry to protect his privacy. (charot)

PLEASE CLICK THE PICTURE FOR A CLEARER VIEW.

          Indeed technology is a great help for us future teachers and students. But we must always keep in mind that teachers are still needed inside the classroom to facilitate the students’ learning for they know more about the needs of the students than technology does.

Understanding Hypermdeia

           

            After the discussion of hypermedia, I have learned that it can provide learning activities that will help the students who are mentally challenged. It will provide activities suited to the teacher’s and student’s learning objectives and needs. Aside from that, it will also give and presents variety of media that will cater the needs not just off the slow learners but those who are fast learners, too. Unlike in the traditional teaching strategies and methods, the teacher needs to give an extra effort and time just to help those mentally challenged students to understand the lesson. With that it gives teacher a hard time to develop new strategies and objectives for both fast and slow learners. Therefore, it is really advantageous on the part of the teacher to use hypermedia in teaching.

            I am indeed lucky as a future teacher for I experienced and will always experience the beneficial effects of using computer. Like this hypermedia a virtual learning process but using this we should understand that hypermedia in educational context are used in order to ensure the successful integration in the learning process. This hypermedia application will serve as instructional materials to motivate the students to learn. But of course, in using this application we should know the advantages and limitations to become effective.   

            

Technology and the Teacher

          Almost everyone believes that technology has made life easier and more comfortable and that it has enabled us to perform tasks that we could not do otherwise. Even in school or in our homes, teachers and even a group of kindergarten students are seen glued to computers, touchpads and cell phones looking for information, playing games, chatting with friends etc. Anything and everything seems to be available at the click of a button.

          We cannot deny the fact that technology and education are pretty intertwined these days and nearly every teacher has a few favourite techie tools that make doing his or her job and connecting with students a little bit easier and more fun for all involved. Technologies are perfect for kids, the cool information will keep them interested as they learn some important ideas and concepts along the way for it covers a wide range of interesting areas including the Internet, video games, computers, cell phones, robots and more. But, can technology replace a teacher? Of course, not!

           Although, the computers are extremely useful for the students, they cannot completely replace the teachers. For example, teacher can sense when students are losing interest in the lecture and introduce some changes in the pattern of lecture to revive their interest. This cannot be done by computer.

          In spite of the advantages that technologies and computers may offer, still the teacher should be and must always be the in-charge of the class. A teacher can use technology in his/her discussion with the class like presenting it in a white board, using LCD projector, powerpoint presentation but he/she must first learn how to use the equipment and then decide whether or not it supports the class objectives and curriculum. As what Shelley Pasnik said: “Incorporating technology into the classroom requires a double innovation”.

          Teachers have something that computers never will. They are people, and have the ability to use compassion in their lessons. Teachers can better adjust their lessons to students' needs than technology could, and can provide more comprehensive feedback to student which is what they really need in order to achieve academic success. Yes, technology can be a tool or instrument that would help teaching however a teacher will always have a reason to be needed for technology cannot comprehend a person's unique characteristic like a human being can.

          And to put it in a nutshell, a good teacher can make use of technology to teach well! But, remember technology is just a supplement not a substitute.