Should Technology Force Teachers to Change Their Teaching Style?

Technology has impacted many things such as how people communicate, travel, practice medicine, learn, and teach. Many innovations give professionals a way to do things more efficiently; therefore, new training is required. In order to learn, a person must be taught. In order to teach, teachers have to understand how people learn in this day and age and that may include technology or social media. If technology is changing the way students learn, then it stands to reason that the way students are taught changes or should change as well.

Take a look at how a couple of theorists perceive learning and how a teacher could implement the principles.

Seymour Papert, an educational technologist, believes that “technology should help children experience knowledge and construct meanings” (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 30), and created constructivist software using this ideal.  A teacher would offer opportunities for children to develop ideas through experience while using technology to support those experiences. In this particular case, the use of any source of media is advantageous. However, many teachers are resistant to change and may not want to use technology in their classrooms. Methods that were effective when the teacher was growing up may not be as effective today.

“If they can't learn the way we teach, we teach the way they learn” -O. Ivar Lovaas

Jean Piaget, a developmental theorist, identified the key developmental stages that may affect learning. Teachers should “be aware of the students’ developmental stage when presenting content” (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 30). Just as coursework is based on the class and developmental stage of the students, the content presented with technology should be reciprocal. The use of technology should coincide with the physical development of the child when necessary. A child’s hand-eye coordination and dexterity should be considered as it may affect how a student uses the source of technology.

As technology advances, so should teaching methods. The world is changing and who can create the future leaders of today while using outdated methods of the past? Some teachers need to step up to the plate or out of the box and learn how to implement the simplest use of technology or media in their classroom. There is only one way to find out how effective it can be by adding technology to the classroom.

“Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is most important.”  -Bill Gates