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DLL 4196 Essay Exam

Kalie Miceli

Oakland University

DLL 4196: Digital Technologies in the Elementary Classroom

Doctor Ledong Li

March 6, 2021
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Part 1

The role of the teacher has changed from “teacher” to “facilitator” due to the

advancement of technology. “According to the research findings, the use of technology changes

the role of the teacher from a traditional knowledge provider rather into a facilitator guiding the

students' learning processes and engaging in joint problem-solving with the students” (Science

Daily, 2015). This means that instead of filling students’ brains with facts and knowledge to

memorize, teachers now take on the role of guiding their students to higher level thinking while

being more engaged with their lesson and classmates. With the increase and awareness of

technology in today’s rapidly growing world, traditional teaching practices such as long lectures

or copying information out of textbooks for memorization purposes are being challenged like

never before.

With the advancement of smart phones, tablets, and computers, teachers have the

freedom and accessibility to offer many new learning opportunities and resources for their

students. It’s now the teachers’ role to have students dive deep into the material they are

learning, rather than just learning it at a basic level. The student’s role is to now be more active

in their learning rather than passive. It’s their role to use technology to discover new concepts

and make connections between ideas, and to also become familiarized and comfortable with

using certain programs, such as PowerPoint or creating a website. “We want them to be active

learners, learners who have a thirst for discovery and knowledge” (Britland, 2013). Due to the

advancement of technology, a new role teachers have is to use the scaffolding method in order

for the students to guide their own learning. With technology, teachers are able to make lesson

plans more appealing and spark the interests of their students, by drawing on their funds of

knowledge.
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With the advancement of technology, the teaching pedagogy has changed. Teachers used

to “tell” students what to do and how to do it. Now, it is the teacher’s role to act as their guide by

encouraging student-based and problem-based learning. According to Mark Prensky, the author

of The Role of Technology and Teaching in the Classroom, “The role of technology in our

classrooms is to support the new teaching paradigm” (p. 1). For example, students used to learn

strictly by textbooks or encyclopedias. With the advancement of technology, they now

essentially have access to the whole world with the click of a button, leaving endless learning

opportunities. They now have access to highly effective tools, such as the internet. It is the

teachers’ role to guide students on how to make the most meaning and purpose out of these tools.

The teacher is there to act as a support, while letting the student’s explore and learn by

themselves.

There are many advantages of using technology in the classroom. Classrooms today look

very different than when I was in grade school. Classrooms have been upgraded with Smart

Boards and some students even have access to daily iPad use. “According to the Pew Research

Center, 92% of teachers said that the internet has a major impact on their ability to access

content, resources, and materials” (Purcell, Buchanan, Freidrich, 2013). From this quote, we can

gather how much technology can changed the ability to enhance their students learning with new

materials that they did not have access to before the advancement of technology. Some

advantages of technology in the classroom are having a more engaged environment, such as

allowing students to work their way through a WebQuest. Another advantage is it allows

teachers to use different learning styles. As we know, every student is different and has different

needs. For example, technology would allow a visual learner to use a Mind Map to brainstorm

their thoughts and organize new information.

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Technology in the classroom also encourages collaboration. For example, students will

work together to complete tasks online or teachers might use a discussion board for students to

communicate outside of the classroom setting. Another advantage of technology in the classroom

is that it prepares students for their future. As these students grow up, there will be high digital

demands. Familiarizing students with tools such as PowerPoint, can help them better prepare for

their future, as many colleges and jobs require this skill. There are many other advantages to

technology in the classroom, but I think the ones I chose show light on the many benefits it has.

There are also disadvantages when using technology in today’s schools. One

disadvantage is privacy concerns and safety. According to our Forum reading, Digital

Citizenship Defined, “Just because today’s students were born in an era of technological ease

does not mean that they know intuitively how to manage their online privacy” (p. 32). There are

concerns for students giving out their personal information, such as their phone number, home

address, or chatting with strangers. This is why teachers must fully educate and make students

aware of this risk in order to prevent any serious incidents. Whether inside or outside the

classroom, another disadvantage is the affordability of technology. There are many school

districts who are unable to provide technology for every student, as well as many families who

are unable to afford technology (including Wi-Fi) at home for students to use for school

purposes. Another disadvantage of using technology in today’s schools is that students can

become too dependent on it. For example, it could create dependencies for recalling information.

If a student does not know something, their first instinct might be to Google it or simply “ask

Siri.” This could leave to troubles down the road, and they could not be as easily able to recall

information without technologies assistance.

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Based upon a past field experience I had, the students went to “Media” class once a day.

They would learn about topics such as plagiarism and copyright laws through a PowerPoint

projected onto a screen. This was a great learning tool because it got the students engaged and

encouraged them to think critically with their peers. After the PowerPoint presentation, they

would fill out a worksheet where they answered some questions and responded what they would

do in hypothetical situations related to the material. I think this was very beneficial to the

students because it was introducing them to complex ideas as a young age. This exposure will

better prepare them for their school life and career ahead. In my old school experience I have

seen the advancement of technology. I started Kindergarten in 2000, so I feel like I really got to

see the transition of technology being integrated into the classroom. For the majority of my grade

school experience teachers used textbooks, chalkboards, and overhead projects with transparent

sheets. Later on, two of the classrooms received Smart Boards. I remember this being very

exciting and it definitely made learning more fun and I was able to engage with my peers more.

With every learning tool comes advantages and disadvantages. I believe it’s necessary to

incorporate technology in the classroom because it will only become more advanced with time

and we need our teachers and students to be able to properly adapt in order to reap all its

benefits.

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References

Academy of Finland. (2015, February 16). Technology changing teacher's role. ScienceDaily. Retrieved

March 1, 2021 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150216064735.htm

Britland, M. (2013, June 17). How has technology transformed the role of a teacher? The Guardian.

https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/jun/18/technology-transform-

teaching-students-schools

Miller, K. (2019, June 3). 22 Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology in Education.

FutureofWorking.Com. https://futureofworking.com/10-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-

technology-in-education/

Prensky, M. (2008, November-December, Published in Education Technology) The Role of Technology

in Teaching and the Classroom. https://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky-

The_Role_of_Technology-ET-11-12-08.pdf

Purcell, K., Buchanan, J., & Friedrich, L. (2013, February 28). How Teachers Are Using Technology at

Home and in Their Classrooms. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech.

https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2013/02/28/how-teachers-are-using-technology-at-home-

and-in-their-classrooms/

Walden University. (2021, February 26). Top 5 Benefits of Technology in the Classroom.

https://www.waldenu.edu/programs/education/resource/top-five-benefits-of-technology-in-the-

classroom

Ribble, M. (ISTE), Digital Citizenship Defined: Teach the 9 Elements to Enhance Students’ Safety,

Creativity, and Empathy. (Moodle)

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Part 2

My Question: In what ways can the internet be used for educational purposes to

encourage creativity in learners?

In the Ted Talk, Do Schools Kill Creativity, by Sir Ken Robinson, we learned the

importance of channeling creativity in our schools. With the advancement of technology we have

access to a variety of resources and tools that can enhance creativity in our students’ lives and

schooling experience. “Technology supports creativity in the classroom because it is a medium

that requires interaction, unlike the one-way participation of an activity such as watching TV,”

(Learning Technologies and Creativity in the Classroom, 2015). While watching the interview

with the creator of WebQuest, Dr. Bernie Dodge, he explains to us that learning alone is less

effective and that social interaction is key. Creativity in the classroom can help students

strengthen their critical thinking skills and learn through curiosity.

Soon enough, younger generations will not be able to imagine a world where they are not

constantly surrounded by new and innovative technologies, therefore using the internet in

creative ways in the classroom is crucial. Creativity promotes joy, motivation, and understanding

and is a very important aspect in children’s cognitive development. Using the internet for

educational purposes can allow students to discover and create new ideas in an imaginative way.

There are many ways in which the internet can be used for educational purposes to encourage

creativity in the learners. I am going to discuss some ways in which I will use the internet to

encourage creativity in learners in my future classroom.

Blogging is a socially interactive and creative way to spark student interest. As a future

teacher, I would love to turn a boring assignment into a fun creative process. Blogs are beneficial

to students learning because they enhance higher level thinking by helping students to create

their own content and increase their problem solving skills. Blogging allows student to “express
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their perspective and personality visually through custom themes, headers, layouts, designs, and

pictures” (Thomson, 2018). By allowing the student to choose these factors, the teacher is acting

as a facilitator and allowing room for creative exploration with the internet as a tool.

Another way the internet can be used for educational purposes to encourage creativity in

students is the use of podcasts. Podcasts (whether listening to one, or creating one) are a great

way for teachers to check for understanding and they’re a simple tool to use. In my future

classrooms I would like to have my students listen to some podcasts and then create one of their

own, leaving them freedom to choose whichever topic they most desire. From the YouTube

video, 5 Reasons to Pilot Student Podcasting Projects, I learned that podcasts can help students

to develop their voice and they’re a good way for students to work at their own pace. The

students could use the internet to listen to podcasts, to research about their own podcast ideas,

and to create an original work of their own.

Another way I will use the internet for educational purposes to encourage creativity is

through Mind Maps. Mind Maps are beneficial to both the teacher and student because they can

help illustrate and organize concepts of a certain topic. “Mind Mapping tools can boost student

creativity in the classroom as they provide them with different ways to interconnect their

thoughts, thereby challenging them to visualize as they seek to find new correlations,” (Learning

Technologies and Creativity in the Classroom, 2015). They encourage creativity because the

student can choose how to color code their map and decided which images are suitable. From

students’ Mind Maps, teachers can understand how students are processing information and help

them in the areas they seem to be struggling.

There are numerous other ways in which students can use the internet to explore their

creativity. Some examples include using YouTube as a tool to explore topics that interest them,
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or to try out new hobbies that explore their creative side. Students could design their own

website or create graphic design to express themselves. Teachers could create WebQuests and at

the end the student could create their own original project to go with it. Some online teaching

tools that I found and will use in my future classroom are Kahoot, Baamboozle, Google Slides,

and FlipGrid. These tools are a great way to get students excited about learning and promote

collaboration.

With the advancement of technology we need to be able to use the internet as a tool for

creative purposes. Creativity in the classroom will help students to reach their maximum fullest

self -potential. In a rapidly changing world where new technology is being presented to us on a

regular basis, we must find ways to familiarize and introduce our students to creative ways they

can use the internet to enhance their learning. Instead of relying on traditional methods of

teaching, teachers need to make use of the internet because it opens up so many opportunities for

learning. As Sir Ken Robinson explains, creativity is something we are born with, we just need

to know how to express it. “Creativity is a way of living life that embraces originality and makes

unique connections between seemingly disparate ideas. Creativity is about living life as a journey

into seeing and communicating the extra-ordinariness of the simplest, most every day acts,”

(Rowe, 2012). This quote reiterates the idea that internet use for creativity is important in a

students’ learning experience. As a future teacher it is my goal to use the internet in ways that

explore student creativity.

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References

Botha, M. (2020, March 17). A creative life online: How to use the internet as a creative tool.
Retrieved March 02, 2021, from https://www.writerswrite.co.za/a-creative-life-online-how-
to-use-the-internet-as-a-creative-tool/

Conqr, G. (2017, July 31). Learning technologies and creativity in the classroom. Retrieved
March 02, 2021, from https://www.goconqr.com/en/blog/learning-technologies-creativity-
classroom/

Digital Kids, Asia-Pacific. (2019, December 06). Digital creativity and its importance to a child's
development. Retrieved March 02, 2021, from https://dkap.org/digital-creativity-child-
development/

Ferlazzo, L. (2020, December 08). 10 favorite online teaching tools used by Educators this Year.
Retrieved March 02, 2021, from https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-10-
favorite-online-teaching-tools-used-by-educators-this-year/2020/11

Pear Tree Education Inc. (2013, March). Creativity in Education (21st Century Education)
[Video] YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJkOZ1mdx2A

Roe, B. (2012, December 17). Why is creativity important in everyday life? Retrieved March 02,
2021, from https://tscpl.org/art/why-is-creativity-important-in-everyday-life

Thomson, M. (2018, June 21). Why Your Students Should Blog: 6 Powerful Benefits. Retrieved
March 02, 2021, from https://www.emergingedtech.com/2018/04/why-your-students-
should-blog-6-powerful benefits/#:~:text=Blogging%20Exercises%20Student
%20Creativity,Develop%20unique%20and%20original%20content