Technology as an Innovation in Education

 

Technology as an Innovation in Education

Author: Santosh Kumar Biswa, Sr. Teacher, Damphu CS, Tsirang, Bhutan

 

Due to advances in science and technology as well as the surge in popularity of social media as a result of the widespread acceptance of technology, the use of technology in the classroom is currently garnering greater attention. However, educators continue to prefer tried-and-true methods over the most recent craze. According to Kalpan (2017), using technology is important in and of itself because humans must be alive today. Teachers must adopt a different attitude, think differently, and master all technological demands if they are to support inquiry and interactive learning as well as some significant cultural shifts in the modern world (Oriji and Amadi, 2016). In the world today, innovation is being driven by human cooperation, the technology revolution, and human mobilization, but the educational system is unchanged. Through technological innovation in education, children will be able to move to the next level of learning, becoming independent learners. Educators should understand the effects that technological innovations have on students, teachers, and schools because enhance the ability to access, synthesize, and communicate information. Thus, technological advancements in education are crucial, and every student should be given access to technology-related skills, information, and values.

Technology and Innovations in Schools

Innovation in schools through the use of technology is an innovative process employed in schools through innovative activities, novelty, and innovative environments with the use of technology to develop the soft skills needed to succeed in life. Students are provided with computers in the classroom so that they can be offered a wide range of professional learning opportunities. Moreover, teachers can easily reach their students in innovative and appropriate ways. This would enable teachers to practice some innovative learning practices. However, simply having computers, iPads, projectors, televisions, and smart boards in the classrooms does not constitute teaching innovation. Clarifying the role of technology in education, the concept of technology-based pedagogical innovation, and the learning results are essential to connect the content and the concept to a learning theory. Pedagogical innovation should include innovation in products, processes, strategies, and approaches used in the classroom, and it requires a great commitment from the teacher’s side. Using technology during the learning process is one of the ways to reach students (Kaplan, 2017). Teachers can completely customize the teaching and learning process utilizing technology with the help of students to better suit the demands of 21st-century learners. With technological innovation in the classroom and relevant teaching and learning processes, the assessment model and the development of future school leaders would take on a new shape (BHSSC, n.d.). According to Pisanu (2014), to innovate learning processes with the use of technology in the classroom, we must redefine how we define and produce new knowledge and information in addition to making organizational and pedagogical alterations.

The Elements of a Globally Oriented Classroom with the Technological Innovation.

By leveraging technology as an innovation in the classroom, the classroom becomes a globally oriented classroom because students not only learn the knowledge but also acquire the ability to adapt and evolve. They are prepared for a dynamic workplace in the future as they are provided with opportunities to develop creativity, adaptability, and resilience (Thompson, 2022). Some of the elements of a globally oriented classroom with technological innovation are:

 

·     More activities that engage students to use technology are organized to form a blended classroom so that students feel the essence of the real world with the use of technology.

·     The teacher tries to create a flipped classroom by making them watch lecture videos in their homes and complete their assigned tasks at home while collaborating with their peers.

·     Encourage immersive learning content so that students explore and gain accessibility and flexibility while learning.

·     Promote learning through online platforms to enable them to access education through the internet, reducing knowledge gaps.

·     Encourage students to come up with presentations through different means with the use of technology, collaborating with their group members through project-based activities. This would enhance their social and communication skills.

·     Encourage students to create learning communities from around the world using social media to share creative ideas, learn from each other, and respect diverse ideas and concepts.

·     Video conferencing and virtual classrooms are considered tools for learning and allow students to collaborate virtually.

Characteristics of Change-Adept Educators and Educational Institutions

Being a "change adept" requires multiple capabilities from a teacher, but it is not limited to the classroom management system. Teachers should realize that focusing their constrained resources to have the greatest impact in the shortest amount of time is essential (Alsher, 2018). To do this, they need to consider innovation as a continuous improvement protocol to identify problems and improvement opportunities instead of sticking to their own ideas. Significant behavioral change is required from both the teachers' and students’ sides. They should accept that continuous improvement, project management, change management, and leadership commitment are the cornerstones for building a school into a change-adept. Here, the acceptance and attitude of both the teachers and students should be taken into consideration seriously. Any kind of learning should focus on life-long learning and should encourage reflection as the main protocol for the learning process with mastery, entrepreneurship, collaboration, etc. We know that we are more prone than resistant to change—but we are not adept at sustaining it (ASCD, 1999). Any changes in educational processes should be taken seriously with dedication and should make students aware of and adaptable to them.

Influence on Work and Becoming a Change Agent

           Sometimes, some situations influence our work and force us to become change agents to support positive change efforts. The influence can be from our colleagues or our students. In such a case, we should remain focused on students and improve the quality of instruction while fostering innovation, flexibility, and collaboration within and across schools, especially with the use of technology. At times, we also need to address the interests of our students to best fit our instruction following our educational goals. Teachers should know how they can inspire and lead change in their classrooms effectively so that they can prepare their students to meet the challenges of their future confidently. Students can be properly prepared for the numerous difficulties of the future by a teacher who knows how to motivate and drive change (School Education Gateway, 2016). For example, when students are engaging in project-based learning to study a concept, there can be some teachers who can talk about the time consumption of that particular content, and sometimes students may not show interest in completing the task. In such a case, the teacher should become a source of inspiration for their colleagues and students and accept responsibility beyond classroom instruction for a task or function that contributes to the quality development of students. The teachers should always encourage them to be proactive, adaptable, persistent, flexible, not afraid to ask questions, and able to see the big picture.

Conclusion

Utilizing technology enables students to enhance their knowledge and abilities through the 4Cs—creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication—so that they can effectively meet their individual needs for satisfying results in life. According to Dewey, the ultimate goal of education is to create whole people through ongoing education for capacity building and mindful growth, not just to teach the material for academic excellence in the classroom (Dewey, 1916/1980). Infusing technology as an innovation in education creates an enabling environment for students in the classroom.

 

 

References

ASCD. (1999). Creating Change-Adept School Systems. https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/creating-change-adept-school-systems

Alsher, P. (2018). Becoming Change Adept Takes More Than Change Management Capacity. https://www.imaworldwide.com/blog/becoming-change-adept-takes-more-than-change-management-capacity

BHSSC. (n.d.). Technology and Innovations in Education. https://bhssc.org/technology-and-innovation-in-education-tie/

Dewey, J. (1916/1980). Democracy and education: An introduction to philosophy of education. In J. A. Boydston (Ed.), The middle works: 1899–1924, volume 9, 1916 (pp. 1–370). Carbondale/Edwardsville, IL: Southern Illinois University Press.

Kaplan, D.E. (2017). Creative technology in the curriculum in online teacher training. Creative Education 8 (8). http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=77518

Oriji, A., & Amadi, R. (2016). E-education: Changing the Mindsets of Resistant and Saboteur Teachers. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1108660.pdf

Pisanu, F. (2014). Educational innovation and technology: A need for integration. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286476273_Educational_innovation_and_technology_A_need_for_integration

School Education Gateway. (2016). Teachers as agents of change. https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/latest/practices/teachers-as-agents-of-change.htm

Thompson, S. (2022). What Is Innovation in Education and Why It’s Important? https://corp.kaltura.com/blog/what-is-innovation-in-education/