Running Head: Technology in the Classroom !

Technology in the Student-Centered Classroom

Meagan Vandekerckhove

ETEC 511 64B - Foundations of Educational Technology

December 5, 2016
Running Head: Technology in the Classroom !2

The world around us is drastically changing and evolving as new technologies are

introduced on almost a daily basis. It is not unexpected then that the education system, the

system which prepares students to be productive members of society, must too, necessarily,

change. However, this is a slow process, for many in the education world are stuck in the old

ways, the way it has always been done. They are slow to open up to new ideas, techniques, and

strategies, and even slower to officially implement change. Fortunately, the education system is

beginning to re-evaluate its effectiveness, and is emerging into what is now being called 21st

Century Learning, or Student-Centered Learning. This new mindset and approach to teaching

and learning relies quite heavily on technology and the internet, giving students instant access to

the most up-to-date information available. With this shift in education calling for a more Student-

Centered approach supported by technology, all stake holders need to adjust their mindset on

what education is, focusing more on teaching the basic skills required to navigate this new world

and allowing students to take ownership of their learning.

In order to understand the new role that technology plays in the 21st Century classroom,

we must first have a rudimentary understanding of what Student-Centered Learning is. While

there is no concrete definition available, as the concept of Student-Centered Learning is still

relatively new in the grand scheme of things, there is a general consensus amongst scholars and

professionals alike, that Student-Centered Learning is built on the foundation of giving students

more freedom and choice in what they are learning, where they are learning, and how they are

learning. This idea is supported by Saxena (2013) who says, “In contrast to the traditional

methods, the modern learning environment [allows] students [to] play an active role in their

learning process and determine how to reach their desired learning outcomes on their own.”
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However, it is not all just about giving students choice; there is more to Student-Centered

Learning than just allowing students to take control and learn whatever pleases or interests them.

Yes students have a louder voice about what goes on in the classroom, but they are also learning

skills that will better prepare them for the evolving job force which they will meet in a few short

years. Educators are realizing that while it is important to know history, complex mathematical

processes and the ability to distinguish a sonnet from a haiku, it is also important for students to

know how to read, write grammatically correct sentences, do research, take notes, problem solve,

collaborate, and so forth. Therefore, in Student-Centered learning, students are given more

choice in the topic they are learning about or discussing, but the teacher is still responsible for

giving them the skills and know how: “you need to tell them stuff and show them how to do

things, but you also need to let your learners discover, experiment, and practice even if they miss

the mark or target” (Alber, 2015).

Additionally, in a Student-Centered Classroom, the roles of both students and teachers are

considerable different than they were in the old way. Traditionally, students were passive

receivers of information, similar to a sponge, and teachers were all knowing beings that imparted

their knowledge and wisdom onto their students. This model of education is slowly being phased

out. Rather, students are becoming active agents in their learning. They are beginning to speak

out about what interests them and what their individual learning needs are. Students are also

given opportunities and encouraged to work together and share ideas, collaborate. Other

educators and researchers agree on this description of the new student role in 21st Century

classrooms: “students take on more active roles as learners” (Powell, 2013); “students have

ample voice, engage frequently with each other, and are give opportunities to make
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choices” (Alber, 2015); “students… are given the freedom to explore areas based on their

personal interests” (Holzinger & Motschnig-Pitrik, 2002, p.161); and “students take

responsibility for their own learning” (ISTE, n.d.). There is also a shift in the teacher’s role from

all knowing to teacher as facilitator, mentor, and coach, or as Sugta Mitra (2008) would say, “the

Grandmother approach.” In this new role, teachers no longer need to have all the answers.

Rather, they need to know where to direct students to find the answers and know how to guide

them and give them the tools for success: “the instructor takes on the role of a facilitator or

coach” (Holzinger & Motschnig-Pitrik, 2002, p.165); “the role of the teacher now alters to being

a facilitator and a consultant to the students, supporting them throughout their learning

process” (Saxena, 2013); “teacher becomes encourager, advisor, and coach” (Wainwright, n.d.).

In addition to being a facilitator in their students’ learning, teachers are learning along side their

students. As Powell (2013) points out in her article, “the teacher becomes a participant and co-

learner in discussion, asking questions perhaps correcting misconceptions, but not telling

learners what they need to know.” This is challenging for many seasoned educators as they are

not used to giving up so much control. They are not used to not having all the answers. This is

also a struggle for newer teachers, such as myself, as I am surrounded by well-meaning

educators that are wanting to help me get established in the profession by doing it the way they

do, which contradicts the new model and how I was trained. However, as noted earlier, and

supported by many, this is a new process and way of thinking and it will take some time to

adjust, for teachers and students alike: “students who are not used to being active participants in

their learning need a good deal of adjustment” (Saxena, 2013; Bart, 2011).
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Fortunately, students and educators are not alone in their endeavours to conquer this new

model of education. The modern world comes with many “convinces” that can help smooth this

transition, such as technology and the internet: “technology can help pave the way for both

teachers and students” (Saxena, 2013). While many teachers are hesitant to use technology in

their classrooms, it has been found that “students are excited about being able to use technology

and therefore are more apt to learn” (Wainwright, n.d.). I can attest to this as in my classroom we

use programs such as SpellingCity.com to practice our spelling words, YouTube videos to

reinforce concepts, and computers/laptops/iPads to type our stories, and the students are always

more excited and engaged than if I were having them practice and learn with pen and paper. I

notice less groans and the students are actually excited in stay in at recess and lunch to finish

their work. I even had students voluntarily doing spelling practice over fall break. In addition to

having to teach a pre-determined curriculum, teachers also need to diversify the content to meet

the needs of all their students. As Hudson (2014) so eloquently puts it:

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of teaching is effectively reaching all learners…

Elementary teachers have the daunting task of meeting every student right where they

are, supporting progress towards grade-level standards and cultivating the development

of the whole child.

If you talk to any teacher, of any grade, they would say that is is perhaps the most challenging

part of their job. Students have such diverse needs, skills, and ability levels that it is difficult to

teach a single lesson and do a single activity that reaches all students in the classroom. However,

technology is a “great way to reach diversity in learning styles” (Wainwright, n.d.). It creates the

opportunity to adjust and modify the content and assignments so that all students can be
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successful. Unfortunately, many teachers are still hesitant to bring technology into their

classrooms because “integrating technology takes a fair amount of upfront time in terms of

getting past the learning curve and choosing the correct technology to support each learning

objective” (Bart, 2011). This is a challenge for many as they feel like they don’t know where to

start, they don’t know where to look for support, and they are afraid of the time commitment.

This results in teachers falling back to what they know, what they are comfortable with and

generally, at least in my experience, that is powerpoint. Rather than taking the time to explore

and learn what’s out there and ask others what they are doing, many will get their students to

type good copies of their teacher edited work on the computer, create a powerpoint presentation,

or use the computers for a free-time reward. In terms of using technology to differentiate

instruction, many leave it up to their learning support teacher rather than try it out themselves.

This is slowly changing as more and more new teachers enter into schools and are able to share

their knowledge and “tried and true” technologies with their colleagues. However, as I am

experiencing, this is a slow process.

Once you get past the initial hurdle of where to begin with technology, the possibilities

are almost endless. Yes students will still type their work on the computer, but now you can teach

them how to edit it, what the red and green underling in Word means, how to use an online

dictionary and thesaurus. You can even have them use cloud based technology (if your school/

district permits) such as GAFE or OneDrive so that they can work on their assignments at school

and at home. These technologies also create more opportunities for collaboration as multiple

students can be working on the same document simultaneously from anywhere there is an

internet connection. I have personally experienced these technologies as a student myself and as
Running Head: Technology in the Classroom !7

a teacher with a grade 5/6 class. The students loved it, especially when it came to their Genius

Hour projects as they were able to keep all their work in one place and didn’t need to worry

about forgetting it at home or at school. As a teacher this is a great tool as you are able to see

who has done what to the document, for group projects, and can accurately assess what the

students know and who did the work. Teachers will also have their students create presentations

to share their learning with the class. Many will still use powerpoint as a fall back, but there are

many other options out there that can better showcase student knowledge than powerpoint such

as PuppetPals, ShowMe, Explain Everything, iMovie, HaikuDeck, PowToon, and the list goes

on. We need to teach students how to give a presentation and be knowledgable about their topic

with out reading a script which is usually what happens with powerpoint. We need to

demonstrate for them that there are other tools out there that can support their presentation and

are more engaging. Most importantly, we need to give students time to explore these presentation

tools and let them figure out what works best for them. Then we get into the power of the

internet. According to Holzinger & Motschnig-Pitrik (2002), “the internet opens up vast

knowledge and communication sources, it largely frees the instructor from acting as a pure

knowledge transmitter” (p.161). The internet also gives students the ability to “access the most

up-to-date information quicker and easier than ever before” (Wainwright, n.d.). While the

internet is certainly a very powerful tool, especially in a Student-Centered Classroom as it allows

students to look up information on any topic, students need to learn how to use the internet

properly. There is the expectation from parents that teachers will demonstrate for their students

how to use the internet “[appropriately] and safely” (Cohen, 2014). Unfortunately, this isn’t

necessarily being done until high school, if at all. Internet use is more than just teaching kids
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about being safe on social media and how they represent themselves to the world, digital

citizenship. It is also taking the time, like I have with my grade 6/7 students, to teach them how

to do a proper google search and narrow the millions of results to the ones that are most relevant.

It is also about teaching them how to check multiple sources, usually three, before deciding

something is fact, because while the internet is a wealth of knowledge, it also allows anyone to

be an author and “publish” their ideas. We need to teach students how to differentiate between

fact and opinion and how to properly evaluate an online source, even before they click on the

link. Then, once they have a handle on that, they need to know how to take notes properly (in

their own words) and give credit to their sources. They need to know that they can’t just take a

picture off the internet and insert it into their presentation. By the time they get to high school,

they should have a good grasp on how to use the internet for their needs, and how to do so

without plagiarism or copyright infringement. These are all skills and tools that students need to

be explicitly taught in the Student-Centered Classroom, for with these they will be prepared to

explore their passions and interest, to connect with their classmates in meaningful discussions,

and share their learning with the world.

Unfortunately, in terms of technology in our schools and classrooms, our ideas are bigger

than reality. There are many logistical problems that come with technology, many of which are

out of the classroom teacher’s control. The biggest, most prevalent concern is around access. Do

all students have equitable access to technology at home? As much as we would like to answer

yes, the reality is, not all students do, especially in more remote and rural areas; “many students

may not have technology in their homes” (Matthews, n.d.). For these students, their only access

is at school, but this is not always reliable access. It has been noted multiple times, and I can
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attest to this from my own experience, that there is often a lack of funds or lack of priority for

technology: “the reason for insufficient technology in a classroom are many such as lack of funds

to having other priorities” (Matthews, n.d.). Often when speaking with my administration about

getting more or newer technology in our school, I am met with the reply, “there is no money in

the budget.” This is a sad reality for many schools and district throughout the province and

country. The schools that do have lots of technology, that is up to date, often have very involved

PACs (Parent Advisory Councils) that fundraise all year long with the purpose to purchase new

technologies. There is also the issue of outdated technology, which is also very common. As

MacDonald (2014) notes, “when you think of it, waiting five minutes to log in - that’s long… but

for school standards, they’re the fastest in the class.” This is the reality that many schools and

classrooms are facing. In many schools, teachers sign up for an allotted time in a computer lab or

for a laptop cart, usually a 30minute block of time. Then students spend a minimum of 5 minutes

just logging onto the computer. Then, there are connectivity issues; “it is important school

wireless networks keep up with the ever changing technology in order to keep up with our

students” (Wainwright, n.d.). Often times, students are unable to get any work done in the

allotted time because they can’t get onto the computer or the internet, and then the server is down

and so on. My students have been frustrated many times this year already by these issues and

they are not shy about letting administration know about it. Yet unfortunately, it is up to the IT

department, not administration to fix these problems, and they are working on the school district

budget and goals. Lastly is the issue of professional development. Teachers, specifically in

British Columbia, are being mandated with the new curriculum to be using technology. However,

there is minimal professional development provided around this area to support teachers. Often
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times, teachers need to go out on their own to find information and support, or in some cases,

they avoid technology altogether as there is minimal to no support readily available for them.

In summary, Student-Centered Learning is becoming the new educational model that

teachers and students are adapting to. Roles are shifting as we find our way through this new

system, and it will take some getting used to. There is an immeasurable amount of technology

out there to support both students and teachers in Student-Centered classrooms, however, this

technology is not always accessible, reliable, or up-to-date. It is a long, slow process to move

from the traditional education model to Student-Centered Learning, but it a change worth waiting

for, as it empowers our students and better prepares them for what lays ahead.
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References

Alber, R. (2015). How Student Centered Is Your Classroom? Edutopia. https://

www.edutopia.org/blog/how-student-centered-your-classroom-rebecca-alber

Bart, M. (2011). How Technology Can Improve Learner-Centered Teaching. Faculty Focus.
http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/instructional-design/how-technology-can-improve-learner-
centered-teaching/

Cohen, S. (2014). Technology int he classroom: Is it a good thing? Today’s Parent. http://
www.todaysparent.com/kids/technology/technology-in-the-classroom/

Holzinger, A., & Motschnig-Pitrik, R. (2002). Student-Centered Teaching Meets New Media:
Concept and Case Study. Journal of Educational Technology & Society. 5(4). p.160-172.

MacDonald, M. (2014). Struggle to teach students ‘21st century skills’ when classroom
technology isn’t up to speed. National Post. http://news.nationalpost.com/toronto/struggle-to-
teach-students-21st-century-skills-when-classroom-technology-isnt-up-to-speed

“Marcia Powell teaches physics, chemistry, technology, and other science topics at West
Delaware Community Schools in Manchester, Iowa and Iowa Learning Online.”

Matthews, C. (n.d.). Technology in the Classroom isn’t Utopia. It’s a must. SNOW: Education,
Access, and You! http://www.snow.idrc.ocad.ca/node/227

Saxena, S. (2013). Using Technology to Create Student-Centered Learning

Environment.EdTechReview. http://edtechreview.in/trends-insights/insights/743-using-
technology-for-student-centered-learning-environment

Ted Talks. (2008, August). Sugata Mitra: Kids can teach themselves. [Online Video]. Retrieved
from http://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_shows_how_kids_teach_themselves.html

Wainwright, A. (n.d.). 10 Reasons Today’s Students Need Technology in the Classroom.

SecureEdge Networks. http://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/10-Reasons-Today-s-Students-
NEED-Technology-in-the-Classroom