Article Critique of Blackwell, Lauricella, and Wartella’s Factors Influencing Digital Technology

use in Childhood Education

Introduction

Within Education everywhere there is a great emphases and question surrounding

technology. Is technology good for students and how can it be implicated into teaching while

also being used in a meaningful way. In the article Factors influencing digital technology use in

early childhood education Courtney K. Blackwell, Alexis R Lauricella, and Ellen Wartella

address a specific question of educational technology by asking whether or not teaching of early

childhood education are using technology beneficially.

Summary

Within this article the researchers were wanting to gather information on two types of

factors inhibiting educators form using the technology already provided to them. This was not to

assess the need for new or more technologies in classrooms, but was merely to gage if teachers

were using technologies, and if not why not. Within their research they identified two types of

barriers that inhibit the use of technologies by teachers. The first was, “First-order extrinsic

barriers” (Blackwell, Lauricella, & Wartella, 2014). These barriers include, “lack of access to

technology, time to learn and use technology training and support, and professional

development” (Blackwell, Lauricella, & Wartella, 2014). The next barriers are identified by

“second-order intrinsic barriers” (Blackwell, Lauricella, & Wartella, 2014). These limit things

such as, “teachers’ use of technology due to teaching beliefs, comfort with technology, and

perceived values of technology for students learning” (Blackwell, Lauricella, & Wartella, 2014).

The limitations here are mainly focused on the teacher’s ideals themselves and the amount of

support a school system or faculty will give the teachers involved in education technology.
Critique

The article itself provided brief reasons as to why technology in early education would be

beneficial. One of the only arguments given was through the research on Sesame Street. The idea

surrounding educational television was that by watching educational television as a child it

provided these children with “long term academic and social benefits” (Blackwell, Lauricella, &

Wartella, 2014).

The main research that this article provided was surrounded over what educators were

using technology in general. It did not dive deep into what types and if it was being integrated

well into the classroom. This proposed many questions. Even when in agreement that technology

given to teachers should be implemented into classrooms to better the learning for and of the

students. There needs to be a plan on how to train teachers and help them with lessons that are

able to use technology in a way that helps the students. Teachers should not be using technology

just to use technology. There needs to be purpose behind everything a teacher does in their

classroom, this throwing in of technologies will not be beneficial to students unless it is clearly

used in a way to help the students learn.

Conclusion

While the research behind this article is understandable there needs to be more of a focus

on what now. We now know that teachers are afraid of using technology because they feel under

trained and lack the confidence, so how do we build these teachers confidence? How do we

expect the students to learn if the teachers are under prepared or supported by their school

districts? The research also pointed out that new teachers were less afraid of technology, but

more experienced teachers used technology more. Honestly it is hard to understand how this

would work and it makes the reader think that the technology being used is not being used in the
best way possible. It was also interesting that the teachers who had been teaching a while did not

always like involving technologies because of their personal pedagogies. This makes sense but

also makes it hard to conduct research over it considering every teacher is different and even if

some teachers have the same overall student first outlook they all exemplify it in many different

ways.

1.) Genre: Article Critique

Citing this article the idea of implicating technology into education is said to be
increasingly important. With this increased importance I think it is valuable to use
technology as a way to teach writing. Even the ability to write an article critique is
something that students would gain so much value from.
 We are fully capable of literacy when
we are able to communicate in all
forms of writing. #DigitalLiteracy

2.) Genre: Tweet

According to Hicks in Crating Digital Writing, “In some ways, creating a web-
based text is very similar to creating a print based text” (Hicks, 2013 pg36). When
teaching students how to write teachers also need to remember that digital literacy
is just as important and vital to students development as a writer.
 Dr. Bob

Dr. Bob,
I need help with my writing project. I still just feel very scared to create a text on
the computer. I feel more comfortable in my abilities to write with a pen and paper. I
honestly have no idea where to start for a Multi Genre Research Paper are there any
tips or tricks you can give me?
Thank you, Mattie Anderson.

3.) Genre: Email

The research that inspired this was Hicks quote saying, “The struggle all writers
have faced – whether with quill and parchment, chalk and slate, or pen and paper –
are the struggles are students still face with digital texts” (Hicks, 2013 pg27).
This was eye opening for me remembering all the projects I was given in high
school where I never felt like I had all the tools to succeed. When teaching writing
or even students in general it is my job as a teacher to make sure that my students
fill secure in their own abilities and this goes for all mediums of writing.
 4.) Genre: Text Conversation
Daniel Fasko the author of Education and Creativity cites that it is important as an
educator to “Support and reinforce unusual ideas and responses of students”
(Creativity Research Journal, 2010). When teaching students it is important to keep
their self-esteem and creativity up by allowing them to develop their own ways of
thinking. Through their own creativity it is important to allow them the ability to
express it in many genres and modes of writing.
 Digital Literacy Workshop
We should give our students the best education we
can!

5.) Genre: Online Ad

When researching professional development for educators the article, Effects of
Professional Development on Teachers’ Instruction: Results from a Three-year
Longitudinal Study, brought up many important points. One important point was
that the development of teachers directly relates to the education of students. In a
world where there is so much importance on technology teachers need to be aware
of what is happening around them so that they can implement these new forms into
their teaching. I want to help my students succeed.
 A Checklist of What is Needed in a Classroom
1. A teacher who is excited and willing to teach
2. Students who are ready to learn
3. The ability to teach and learn alongside your students
4. Students who are not ready to learn but who need a teachers
patience and help as well
5. Curriculum that will help students learn well
6. A teacher who encourages creativity in all aspects of learning
7. Writing that is reflected across all forums of literacy
8. Patience with students
9. Students who have patience with you
10. The ability to help your students who are struggling in your
classroom

6.) Genre: List

This writing was influenced by many of the reading referenced earlier, such as
Hicks, Fasko, as well as Goble in Making Curriculum Pop. When teaching writing
it is important to incorporate many elements that keep the students engaged.
Mattie Anderson

25 April 2019

Free Write: Why would I use technology in my personal classroom?

As a future educator of America it seems increasingly important to develop a better or

new understanding of technology and ways to incorporate it into the classroom. It is one thing

for a teacher to use technology for the sake of using technology; however, what would happen if

teachers were being intentional about the ways in which they taught and structured a classroom?

Personally, I want to be a teacher that benefits and works for the students. I never want to seem

unintentional in my teaching strategies this including my use of technology in a classroom. By

taking more of a design based approach there are many ways teachers can take technology and

use it as a way to enhance their teaching not to just teach the subject matter for them. What I

mean by design based approach is that as a teacher you would take the subject matter and

construct technological activities and teaching pathologies around the content matter. When

looking at this from the viewpoint of a teacher or writing it is so imperative that we write with

our students so why do we not also learn the technologies alongside our students. Keeping up

with current trends is hard especially when you have been an adult for a while but there is no

reason educators could not be learning the new digital literacy cites alongside students. To

implement them well in a class room teachers first must learn them on their own.

7.) Genre: Free write

Within this open ended free write a lot of the research was developed and reliant
upon Kittle’s ideology of being a writer alongside your students. I also developed
ideas based upon the readings from the article, What Happens When Teachers
Design Educational Technology? The Development of Technological Pedagogical
Content Knowledge by Koehler.
 References

Creativity Research Journal. (2010, June 08). Retrieved April 25, 2019, from

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1207/S15326934CRJ1334_09?needAccess=true

Desimone, L. M., Porter, A. C., Garet, M. S., Yoon, K. S., & Birman, B. F. (2002).

Effects of Professional Development on Teachers’ Instruction: Results from a Three-year

Longitudinal Study. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis,24(2), 81-112.

doi:10.3102/01623737024002081

Goble, P. B., & Goble, R. R. (2016). Making curriculum pop: Developing literacies in all

content areas. Golden Valley, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.

Hicks, T., & Lehman, C. (2013). Crafting digital writing: Composing texts across media

and genres. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Kittle, P. (2008). Write beside them: Risk, voice, and clarity in high school writing.

Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2005). What Happens When Teachers Design Educational

Technology? The Development of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. Journal of

Educational Computing Research,32(2), 131-152. doi:10.2190/0ew7-01wb-bkhl-qdyv