"Pedagogical approach to teaching and technology'

The past can only inform and not determine the future of teaching and learning...(Prensky, 2008)

Teachers of today are preparing students for roles that may not yet exist in this ever-changing, ever evolving world. As students create, explore, and learn teachers need to adapt from worn out 20th century teaching where the teacher’s role was directive and ingrained in authority. This is a time when rote learning and behaviourism was a major style of learning theory and discussion about topics between children was frowned upon. Teaching in the 21st century should be a very different affair; students should be at the centre of their own learning, discussion between students encouraged and the teacher is now the facilitator. Teachers are mentors, allowing students to build their own route in their education.

A pedagogy rich in constructivist methods allows for learning that is active and real; it promotes a higher order of thinking and greater retention of knowledge. Learning and teaching theories and technology must be combined to create better learning for today’s student. Schools need to reflect the ever changing needs of society because those we teach are the future of this society. They will provide us with the medications we need and will develop cures for the diseases we may have. They will create, and produce those things that make our everyday living easier. Furthermore, they will create the cars and technology that will protect our environment along with much more.

In a technology-rich environment one must remember that the educational focus is on learning and instructional goals instead of the technology itself, the technology is merely the tool or vehicle for delivering instruction (Campoy, 1992). The technology used is not important; it is how the technology is used which makes it relevant in a constructivist classroom. In technology rich classrooms the teacher uses smaller group instruction than whole class; coaching rather than lecturing; students are more actively engaged; students are more cooperative and less competitive; students learn different things instead of all the same things and there is an integration of both visual and verbal thinking. Learning is independent, individualised, interactive, interdisciplinary and intuitive (Barr, 2001). Learning is ongoing!

Pedagogical approaches to teaching such as Inquiry, PBL, Cooperative Learning and Reciprocal Learning promotes and establishes students as inventive thinkers with global connections. It caters for student advances in communication and collaboration allowing for the development of students' personal and civic responsibility, their information management and interpersonal skills. With a digital-age-literacy students need to become adaptable, have self direction; be creative, innovative and able to manage complexity.

A 21st century pedagogical approach integrates technology and accommodates varying levels of student competency and individual learning styles, motivate students to take ownership of their learning, teach students how to learn-creating lifelong learners and measures or assesses what matters.

Technology offers teachers and students’ flexibility and adaptability allowing for reflective pedagogies across learning models such as activity theory, social constructivism, situated learning and constructivism. Because of technology as a tool in learning, these theories have been altered and have become more powerful. This is because we cannot have technology without a constructivist approach to learning and teaching. It is not possible to use worn out didactic methodology that incorporate technology. We cannot and should not use these methods in a technology rich environment.

I believe that being connected to online learning and myself a lifelong learner that my teaching pedagogy is very connected to 21^st century pedagogies. I am unwavering from the fact that today’s student needs technology integrated into their learning and that some of the most vital factors I need to integrate with technology is students who are allowed to collaborate, share, experience, create and express their ideas and knowledge.

References

 

Prensky, M. (2008). Backup education?. Educational Technology, 48(1).