I believe that learning can take place anywhere and anytime beyond the walls of

classrooms. Technology is adding a sense of fluidity to education. First of all, thanks to

technology, there are now so many new ways to explore and learn. Technology help students to

learn more easily on a higher level. Secondly, the use of technology creates many opportunities

for self-directed learning. Students no longer have to rely only on the information that the teacher

presents, and the teacher is no longer considered the sole source of information for

students. Technology allows students to research, evaluate their findings, and assimilate their

learning. Thus, technology provides many opportunities for authentic learning experiences

((Townes, N.A.).

Learning is dependent on interaction with others. A rich learning environment is created

when students hear and see the ideas and experiences of others, share their ideas, discuss and

learn from each other. Technology helps to foster this interaction among many learners. With

three to five computers in the classroom, students can create digital stories in the classroom using

Voicethread. Students can also explore students-created multimedia presentations using

Microsoft PowerPoint, LibreOffice, Prezi, or Google Docs and make videos using Windows

Movie Maker or Animoto (Townes, N.A.). The use of technology also creates opportunities for

repetition and practice. Individual students may use simulations or specialized software to assist

their learning or practice of skills as often as needed until the concept is mastered (Townes,

N.A.). However, technology should never be seen as a solution to motivate students. This is a

common mistake teachers should avoid. When technology is seen as a solution to motivate
students, over time students interest fade with the technology. Thus, technology should always

be connected to a learning standard (Townes, N.A.).

Technology is amazing to have in the classroom; however, many teachers are working

with limited technology devices. Townes (N.A) mentioned there are many strategies for

technology integration when working with limited technology. These strategies include: 1)

teachers getting their media before going into the classroom, so they can use it unplugged, 2)

teachers using a BYOD (bring your own device) system; 3) teachers letting go of the mindset

that technology should be used all the time, 4) teachers using technology for projects so that

computers are only needed for part of the process, and 5) teachers embracing technology even

when it does not work the way you want it to. Teachers can also download images from the web,

and then save them on a flash drive and access them on their school computer where

downloading speeds may be slow. Additionally, teachers can access Youtube clips at school that

are blocked by dragging them to a cloud storage folder like KeepVid and open the cloud storage

at school and then playing them (Townes, N.A.).

Many classroom teachers are seeking more interesting ways to use technology in their

classes, not only as a means to engage students in meaningful and immersive learning

environments, but also to enable students to use and experience powerful cognitive tools (Kervin

& Herrington, 2007). Technology support and enhance seamless learning (Kervin & Herrington,

2007). Seamless learning allows learners to learn anytime, anywhere, and provides them with

multiple ways of learning throughout the day (Uosaki, Ogata, Li, Hou and Mour, 2013). In

seamless learning environments, students are encouraged to take advantage of learning resources

that exist both inside and outside of the classroom (Wong & Looi, 2011, p. 2365) such as mobile

devices (Townes, N.A.). Seamless learning can take place in the classroom, at home, at work or
outdoors, face-to-face or online. Although seamless learning can take place without the use of

technologies, electronic devices and connectivity play an important role in maintaining learning

across settings (Uosaki, Ogata, Li, Hou and Mour, 2013). Townes (N.A.) noted that with access

to a handful of mobile devices students can: 1) create videos the Animoto app, 2) record group

discussions using a voice recording app, 3) record themselves reading aloud for fluency checks,

4) read required classroom readings on e-books, 5) access course content using the Edmodo or

Schoology apps, 6) conduct research, 7) foster skills practice using apps specific to subject area,

and 8) collaborate using apps like Whiteboard.

 Reference
Kervin, L. and Herrington, J. (2007). Authentic learning supported by technology: 10
suggestions and cases of integration in classrooms. Educational Media International,
44(3), 219-236.

Townes, J. (N.A.). Strategies for Integrating Technology.

Uosaki, N., Ogata, H., Li, M., Hou, B. and Mour, K. (2013). Guidelines on Implementing
Successful Seamless Learning Environments: A Practitioners’ Perspective. iJIM, 7(2).
Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v7i2.2467

Wong, L. H., & Looi, C. K. (2011). What seams do we remove in mobile-assisted seamless
learning? A critical review of the literature. Computers & Education, 57(4), 2364-2381.