Technology in the classrooms can be
used to enhance student engagement if used effectively. There are ten examples
listed of ways to incorporate technology. Audio and video feedback helps for
students to not solely focus on the grade they received, but more clearly
understand why they were given that grade. This type of feedback is more
personal and also helps to accommodate both visual and auditory learners.
Digital portfolios are used for students to be able to share their work and
have their peers, parents, and teachers comment on them. Blended learning gives
opportunities for students to learn at their own pace by having alternate
resources such as a course website, Facebook learning support groups and
recorded podcasts that they are able to access at home. It also frees up time
in the class to allow for questions and deeper thinking. Social media enhances
students’ engagement, if used properly, with tools such as Facebook or blogs.
Game-Based learning helps for students to recognize their achievements causing
them to be more mindful of their progress. Collaboration tools allow for
students to show off their multimedia skills by giving more freedom in what
they share. These types of tools also create a deeper interaction between the
students. Design thinking lets the students choose more of what they want to
share, helping to keep themselves more interested. Another example is given for
reaching individuals and groups by explaining how technology allows for
students to maintain access of projects they have done by saving them in an
online folder and being able to share those later. Allowing the students to
track their own progress using technology helps to create a sense of
self-advocacy for them by being able to monitor all of their previous work.
Visual literacy is also a great accommodation for those who are more-so visual
learners. Each of these ten examples describes ways in which technology can
help foster a greater development for learning.
Saga Briggs did an excellent job
composing this article. By listing these ten factors separately, she was better
able to clearly define them. She provided a lot of content in her work, which
helped to show her credibility. Each bullet was also followed by an example,
which helped to paint a picture of what exactly was being said. I do agree that
technology can be very beneficial in classrooms if used properly. I also firmly
agree with the quote from David Geurin that was used at the start of the article,
“Classrooms don’t need tech geeks who can teach; we need teaching geeks who can
use tech.” Technology cannot be used effectively in the classroom if the
teacher is not knowledgeable of how to use it. However, if the teacher is
knowledgeable, it is up to them to decide which ways of using technology would
be most beneficial for their students. For example, I have never been provided
an audio or video feedback for my written assignments. After reading Saga’s
explanation on this topic, I think that is a great idea for teachers to
consider. It happens all too often that I wonder where I went wrong or what I
actually did well because of a lack of explanation. I also really like the idea
of game-based learning due to the fact that I would consider myself mainly a
visual and kinesthetic learner. I think this use of technology helps to
accommodate different styles of learning and helps to keep the engagement
because it makes class time more exciting. Because of Saga’s descriptions, I
was able to understand these ten specific ways that technology can be used to
enhance students’ engagement. Her written account of this helps for me as a
future educator to better understand effective ways of teaching.
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