K-12 Learning and Technology in a Post-COVID-19 Era Essay

General Idea of Research Topic/Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the use of education technology in K-12 learning due to limitations in student-teacher contact. The concept is drawn from a broader set of digital learning tools, such as software, hardware, and virtual learning techniques (Zhang et al., 2020). Therefore, digital education occurs through computers, smartphones, tablets, and similar electronic appliances. However, its impact on students who are between kindergarten and 12^th grade levels is unknown. Stemming from this gap in research, this proposal seeks to understand the impact that education technology would have on K-12 learners in a post-COVID era.

Having graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Media studies, this topic is useful to my career interest because of its potential in providing useful insights about the impact of technology on young learners. My experience in course planning and administrative management further highlight the relevance of this topic area to my professional interest because it will help in developing useful insights into how online education can help meet the educational goals of K-12 students in a post-pandemic learning environment.

Research Questions

Key aspects of K-12 learning that will be explored in the proposed study include an understanding of specific technologies that would have the greatest impact on young learners as well as the main areas of K-12 education that are likely to be affected by the same technology. The following four research questions will be answered in the study.

1. Which educational technology has the greatest impact on K-12 learning?
2. Which aspects of K-12 learning are most likely to be impacted by educational technology?
3. How do online learning technologies affect the time taken by learners to complete their courses?
4. What is the impact of online learning on student test scores?

Plan to Address Research Questions

The mixed methods approach will be used to undertake the proposed study. It involves the collection of qualitative and quantitative information for purposes of answering the research questions. This technique will be adopted in the study because the investigation is exploratory (Dhawan, 2020; Egielewa et al., 2022). Data will be collected using surveys and interviews by sampling the views of students and teachers regarding online learning. The respondents will be recruited randomly from two educational institutions to eliminate bias during data collection. Quantitative data will be analyzed using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) method because of its ability to synthesize large volumes of information. Alternatively, qualitative information will be reviewed using the thematic and coding method.

The proposed study is expected to comprise of five chapters, each with distinct characteristics highlighting different stages of the research process. The first chapter will be the introduction section, which will set the stage for the investigation by providing a background of the inquiry together with the research aim and questions that will guide the review. The second chapter will be the literature review section, which will analyze existing scholarly research on the area of study. The third section will be the methodology chapter, which will explain techniques used by the researcher to undertake the investigation. Comparatively, the fourth chapter will highlight the main findings that will emerge from the process, while the last chapter will provide a summary of the findings and propose recommendations to be adopted regarding the use of education technologies in the K-12 learning environment.

What is known and needs to be learned

Extant literatures have explored the impact of education technology on teachers and students alike. From a teacher’s perspective, researchers have investigated how instructors use online learning tools to increase efficiency in the delivery of lesson contents (Ranadewa et al., 2021; Chowkase et al., 2022). They suggest that this objective has been achieved by using different tools of learning, such as podcasts, videos, and PDF documents, in conveying educational materials to learners (Ranadewa et al., 2021; Chowkase et al., 2022). Stated differently, instructors have successfully used these modes of learning as part of their lesson plans (Liu and Zhang, 2021). For example, studies have shown that teachers have effectively used these technological platforms to enhance learning by recording, sharing, and archiving information that would otherwise have been lost upon the completion of lesson plans (Lewis and Price-Howard, 2021).Thus, online learning has helped teachers to extend their lesson plans beyond the traditional textbook learning model.

Digital learning tools have also expanded learner outreach programs by delimiting teachers from one geographical location when teaching. The flexibility associated with such freedoms has allowed teachers to embrace different learning styles (Ellis and Bliuc, 2019). This feature makes it possible to meet the needs of different classes of students due to varying learning preferences (Mok, Xiong and Rahman, 2021). For example, some of them prefer to use video learning formats, while others are more suited to learning through audio methods. Students have also benefitted from the versatility provided by education technology because some of them learn best while working individually, while others thrive when learning with groups (Ilin, 2021). These findings suggest that online learning can be personalized to suit different student and teacher learning methods. Therefore, it provides a way for teachers and students to personalize their learning styles given existing preferences in learning modes.

The existence of numerous benefits of digital learning on students and teachers has attracted criticism regarding the efficacy of online learning in the contemporary education environment. For example, some students claim that staring at computer screens for long periods affects their concentration (Shawaqfeh et al., 2020). This problem is compounded by the fact that digital learning exposes students to distractions because of easy access to social media and games (Rahman, 2021). Additionally, some researchers question the moral and ethical justification of using education technology as the main mode of learning because some families lack the resources to buy computers or provide stable internet connection for their children (Li, Islam and Gu, 2021; Mou, 2021). This observation has been linked to the promotion of education inequities in societies, especially among marginalized socioeconomic groups who may not have access to digital resources (Kim and Fienup, 2022). Some scholars also believe that some teachers may require additional training before using digital learning methods, thereby limiting their ability to adopt these learning methods (Shawaqfeh et al., 2020). Such concerns have slowed down the adoption of education technology in various education settings.

Overall, researchers have investigated the application of online learning tools from teacher and student perspectives but the evidence gathered through this analysis is generalized and difficult to synthesize within specific learner groups. Particularly, there is minimal mention about the application of these tools on the K-12 education setting. In other words, there is sufficient research done on understanding the merits and disadvantages of adopting online learning tools, but minimal emphasis has been made in comprehending how they affect nuanced learning contexts. Indeed, most of the research studies mentioned in this review have been focused on the higher education sector with little focus on K-12 education. It is important to conduct a nuanced research because this segment of the learning population may not be versant with sophisticated digital learning tools. The proposed research seeks to fill this research gap by focusing on the impact that education technology would have on K-12 learning.

Reference List

Chowkase, A. A. et al. (2022) ‘Online learning, classroom quality, and student motivation: perspectives from students, teachers, parents, and program staff’, Gifted Education International, 38(1), pp. 74–94.

Dhawan, S. (2020) ‘Online learning: a panacea in the time of COVID-19 crisis’, Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 49(1), pp. 5–22.

Egielewa, P. et al. (2022) ‘COVID-19 and digitized education: analysis of online learning in Nigerian higher education’, E-Learning and Digital Media, 19(1), pp. 19–35.

Ellis, R. A. and Bliuc, A. M. (2019) ‘Exploring new elements of the student approaches to learning framework: the role of online learning technologies in student learning’, Active Learning in Higher Education, 20(1), pp. 11–24.

Ilin, V. (2021) ‘The role of user preferences in engagement with online learning’, E-Learning and Digital Media, 6(2), pp. 234-246.

Kim, J. Y. and Fienup, D. M. (2022) ‘Increasing access to online learning for students with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic’, The Journal of Special Education, 55(4), pp. 213–221.

Lewis, H. and Price-Howard, K. (2021) ‘Worlds collide: traditional classroom meets online learning’, Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 45(5), pp. 924–926.

Li, A., Islam, A. Y. M. A. and Gu, X. (2021) ‘Factors engaging college students in online learning: an investigation of learning stickiness’, SAGE Open, 5(2), pp. 178-183.

Liu, D. and Zhang, H. (2021) ‘Developing a new model for understanding teacher satisfaction with online learning’, SAGE Open, 8(2), 478-489.

Mok, K. H., Xiong, W. and Rahman, H. N. (2021) ‘COVID-19 pandemic’s disruption on university teaching and learning and competence cultivation: student evaluation of online learning experiences in Hong Kong’, International Journal of Chinese Education, 6(2), 330-341.

Mou, T. Y. (2021) ‘Online learning in the time of the COVID-19 crisis: implications for the self-regulated learning of university design students’, Active Learning in Higher Education, 7(2), 173-184.

Rahman, A. (2021) ‘Using students’ experience to derive effectiveness of COVID-19-lockdown-induced emergency online learning at undergraduate level: evidence from Assam, India’, Higher Education for the Future, 8(1), pp. 71–89.

Ranadewa, D. U. N. et al. (2021) ‘Learners’ satisfaction and commitment towards online learning during COVID-19: a concept paper’, Vision, 3(1), pp. 448-456.

Shawaqfeh, M. S. et al. (2020) ‘Pharmacy students perceptions of their distance online learning experience during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey study’, Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, 4(1), 679-688.

Zhang, Z. et al. (2020) ‘Data-driven online learning engagement detection via facial expression and mouse behavior recognition technology’, Journal of Educational Computing Research, 58(1), pp. 63–86.