A Position Paper About Mindful Teaching With Technology

Due to “The Global Fourth Way: The Quest for Educational Excellence” (Corwin, 2012),
Andy Hargreaves and Shirley Dennis (2013) found “mindful teaching with technology” as a
commonsensical middle way between technophiles and those who aren’t. This reform of Andy
and Shirley will give people especially the educators an idea on how technology should be used
properly. While people around the world are fighting against pandemic, it is so timely that
technology really gives a great contribution to how educational leaders prepare the teachers in
upcoming academic school years. However, the disruption in using it is possible. People highly
ignore the disadvantages of technology and how it affects the mind of individuals, especially the
learners. Educational leaders should consider this reform in providing a program that will
provide better ways on how to use technology with mindfulness. The Department of Education
is now managing webinars that are really useful in preparation for a new normal education.
Unfortunately, some webinar speakers experienced technical disruptions while on live stream.
It is one of the main problems when using technology. I experienced delays in a webinar live
stream in Abiva Publishing Incorporation and lagging while watching because of slow
connection. It is expected that the audience should master the art of patience and must be
capable of buying data plans to avoid the disruption. However, educational speakers on a
webinar series should ask technical assistants before going on-live. It is a matter of unity and
sharing expertise. Watching webinars helps the teacher to prepare on how to integrate
technology in strategies and techniques. Since distance learning might be possible in August
2020, teachers should integrate an activity that involves avoiding playing mobile legends and
other gaming apps for a month. It is a nice classroom policy that will help the learners to budget
their time studying and learning. It is to ensure that studying online should be prioritized first
before playing any video game. Applying mindful teaching with technology is a great help to
attain the good quality of education. Educational Leaders should be responsible in assisting the
teachers when technical problems arise and implement a policy that limits the learners in using
technology. It is a matter of cooperation.
Richtel (2012) believed that digital technology is hampering the student’s attention spans
and the ability to persevere in the face of challenging tasks. This statement of Ritchel is not new
to everyone. Since the virtual world started, young people have experienced excessive texting,
playing video games, and surfing social networks. It can be very addictive. It is like a drug that
you can’t control. Before the existence of pandemic, the teacher's problem is on how they will
get the learners’ attention while teaching. How much more now that we are preparing to face the
new normal education wherein learning at home is expected to happen. How can we monitor
the child's progress if this problem is already given? On the other side, Rideout (2012) showed
that media use among children and teenagers ages 8 to 18 spend twice as much time with
screens each year as they spend in school. This is the reason why many parents find difficulties
in disciplining their child. Parents should set rules to limit their child in using mobile technology.
It is also very alarming to all teachers to think of a realistic activity that engages students on how
they really want to learn. Teachers are now challenged on how to create a virtual classroom.
Game shows, talk shows, video blogs, etc are some suggested ideas for creative onne
assessment. These are highly recommended because they aimed to engage the learners on
how they will enjoy and learn a specific lesson. It also aims to enhance the learner’s
communication skills because they can express their own opinion. At this point, technology is a
very commendable and reliable tool to identify the learner’s identities and interests. Still,
teachers and principals should create a program about proper media use of parents at home
and students in school. Parents at home should monitor the effect of using technology on their
child. However, teachers and principals at school should implement a policy how to evaluate the
learner’s strengths and weaknesses while using technology. Cooperation among the
stakeholders will make it possible.
Imagine teaching with technology without being mindful. It is not about technology but it
is about how to use it properly. Finding a mindful balance with technology is needed. Firstly,
students and teachers can create a balanced impact using technology in education. How will it
happen? Technology allows students to share their own ideas. Students can share their own
thoughts through the teacher’s creative assessment such as journal, position paper, reflection
paper, etc. through google documents and other means of technology. Secondly, Technology
can be balanced by spreading kindness, compassion, and empathy. Many filipino bloggers
today posted kindness to help the needy. Vlogger Edgar “Choox” Umali, an online streamer
used to play mobile legends to earn money. He used the money to help the victims of the
earthquake in North Cotabato last 2019. He called his project “Stars for a Cause.” Choox is a
good model to all the young people now who played mobile legends. Using technology for a
cause is a great contribution to humanity. Teachers should mention this example to all students
to spread compassion and kindness. Imparting values in teaching will give the students an idea
on how to poster empathy to others. After all, no one in this world makes a living without helping
others. Lastly, Technology has the capacity to increase student engagement. Students engage
more in learning when it is collaborative. Imagine the possibilities when students can learn
virtually from experts all over the world.Cisco Youtube Channel shared an example of a unique
collaborative learning last 2016. Colleen Krumm, a fifth grade teacher in Woodland Elementary
School in New Jersey used video collaboration technology for the students to engage more in
the learning process. The students are very attentive because everyday they met different
experts all over the world to learn new things. It is a great opportunity to balance using
technology because it focuses on the student’s collaborative skills and ability. Mrs. Colleen
Krumm has a student named Peyton Walton who continues her education while being treated
for cancer. At this point, education applies for all the types of learners in a normal situation.
Teachers should use this strategy to enhance the student’s ability to collaborate with different
people around the world. Many people believe that all teachers know everything and it is not a
fact. Instead, teachers need more assistance and some professionals to teach and use
technology wisely.
I realized how technology affects our lives. It is like a wifi that is automatically connected in
our daily life. I considered this reform because it highly influenced the minds of the people. I strongly
believe that technology has disadvantages if it is used improperly. I learned how mindful teaching
with technology affects our educational system. I’m hoping that our policy-makers in government
should take a look at how mindful teaching with technology helps our teachers and learners to attain
better quality of education. However, I’m also hoping that this will be implemented well in schools
especially in public. How will we attain the full potential of teachers and learners if they are not
properly trained and oriented about technology? How could parents guide their children if they are
not informed and aware about technology disruption? How possible is it to change the educational
system if basic problems are unnoticed?. These are the questions that are blowing in my mind as I
took consideration in creating this paper. Being a teacher, I have the answers in my own questions.
As an educational transformer, I am the solution. I am part of this reform and so I am the one to
change the gaps and lapses. Being mindful gives me an idea of how I will address the proper ways
of using technology. Being mindful gives me courage to apply this reform in my teaching strategies. I
realized that it is not always about technology but it is about how people use and apply it.

REFERENCES
Dennis, Shirley& Hargreaves, Andy (Copyright 2013). Mindful Teaching with Technology. In
Malone, Helen Janc (2013), Leading Educational Change: Global Issues, Challenges,and
Lessons on Whole-System Reform (2013) Published by Teachers College Press 1234
Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027

Dennis, Shirley (2011). The Fourth Way of Technology and Change. Journal of Educational
Change, V12 N2 (p187-209)

Teaster, Pamela B. (2012) Finding a Mindful Balance with Technology/ The Mindful Classroom,
https://themindfulclassroom.wordpress.com/2012/10/21/finding-a-mindful-
balance-with-technology/

Richtel, Matt & Rideout, Vicky (2012). Technology is Changing How Students Learn.
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/01/education/technology-is-changing-how-students-learn-
teachers-say.html