The use of educational technologies can significantly enhance teaching practices, allowing tutors to improve the quality of learning. For instance, incorporating an online discussion method into my current classroom assignments could considerably increase student interest in the topics, presenting them with an opportunity to make an informed contribution (Tucker, 2013). Offering the learners to explore the subjects and suggest well-organized responses freely is a remarkable approach to ordinary peer-to-peer conversations, which prompt deeper engagement and compel the students to conduct additional independent research.
Another prominent educational technology advantageous for my working experience is the implementation of collaborative tasks that require consistent group work. As the majority of teaching strategies rely on individual practices, students are often nervous or reluctant about fulfilling assignments together. Nevertheless, the ability to cooperate with other learners is essential for the student’s academic and professional careers, and this competence can be significantly improved by the introduction of educational technology (Kist, 2013). A perfect example of such utilization would be an exercise that necessitates completing a project through electronic devices, educating the learners to interact both with technology and each other in an engaging manner.
The inclusion of electronic materials could also benefit my current teaching experience, reducing the amount of paper usage and increasing the availability of resources. Although some written notes and printed supplies are still required, there are multiple instances of paper overuse, especially in the implementation of handouts and reading materials (Dappolone, 2013). Rather than providing paper resources or demanding the delivery of handwritten assignments, it would be more effective to use online storage spaces, which reduce the amount of printing and allow easier access to the tasks. Simpler means of using the resources could greatly enhance student learning processes, as well as contribute to the establishment of higher engagement levels.
Nevertheless, the misuse of technology can also be a detrimental consequence for the classroom. One such instance is the promotion of online research, which does not always yield credible results (Dappolone, 2013). The variety of Internet sources produces tremendous amounts of untrustworthy information, and students should be aware of the potential threats to online knowledge availability. Another example is the digital divide which is often established by the degrees of accessibility of technological devices (Scherer, 2011). While some students might be provided the necessary resources, others might suffer the consequences of diminished access to online learning, negatively affecting the relationships between the learners. Although technological devices are highly beneficial for the classroom environment, it is imperative to establish an understanding and digitally unbiased atmosphere.
Finally, a potential complication might arise in the distinction between digital and page-based reading, which differ significantly given the requirements of the tasks. Focusing only on the characteristics of screen-based texts can reduce the amount of practice available for paper reading, diminishing the quality of learning (Kist, 2013). To properly teach the students the methods of interaction with printed and digital materials, it is essential to include both of these exercises in the classroom activities, asking the students to balance these endeavors.
Creating a Google Site has proved to be more challenging than I expected, as I encountered several complications during this activity. For example, it was difficult to establish the proper availability of my web page for other people, as well as change the URL address. Furthermore, there are still some questions that I need to research, namely the layout options and page nesting, which are crucial for devising a quality site.
References
Dappolone, M. (2013). Making best practices better. Educational Leadership, 70(6), 69–72.
Kist, W. (2013). New literacies and the common core. Educational Leadership, 70(6), 38–43.
Scherer, M. (2011). Transforming education with technology. Educational Leadership, 68(5), 16-21.
Tucker, C. R. (2013). The basics of blended instruction. Educational Leadership, 70(6), 57–60.