This post is a summary of my thesis to the University of Milano-Bicocca on how technology is used in teaching. This masters program in Entrepreneurship was part of the SMARTUP-program.
The thesis objective was to research how education technology is used in teaching. We aimed to identify challenges and opportunities when using technology in teaching and to design a solution that supports the use of technology in teaching. According to the thesis literature review, education industry is adapting technologies fast, but the full potential of technology in education remains unlocked. There is a need to develop new practices, supported by emerged integrated digital tools, social media, and the internet.
As students’ expectations towards technology increase, responsiveness to those needs must increase as well. It is important for teachers to develop their expertise and constantly learn to adopt new digital practices. Differences in students’ digital readiness make it challenging. Digital natives might not remember the world without digital technologies, whereas adult learners need to learn to give new meaning and perspective to their old experiences (transformative learning) and revise their interpretation of meanings.
The above digital landscape in teaching is based on the thesis survey results. The image above describes how devices create digital environments, which devises are being used as well as which pedagogical approaches needs to be supported.
We also conducted class observations as part of the study. The second observation took place at a Finnish University of Applied Sciences. During observed class students used their own mobile devices during class for accessing and testing software chat page. In addition, projector, widescreen, and laptops were used in teaching in means to have everyone collaborating and for transparency in activities during class. The observation transcript under captures class events and journey mainly reflecting students' views.
Based on our findings technology is obviously present in teaching. It should not be in the spotlight but rather embedded in teaching, supporting 21st skills and competencies, student-centered learning and lifelong learning. Various hardware and software are used in teaching already. These Technologies that are in use already are from the mature end of technology solutions. The digital environments that organizations have, but which are in use, are more recent innovations such as multimedia production, augment, and virtual reality. Organizations are actively exploiting all possibilities of use for mature technologies, whereas only figuring out how to use these new technologies in teaching.
Based on the data analysis of observations and digital survey results, existing learning theories, there is a need for a solution that allows teachers to continuously and effortlessly discover creative ways to use technology in teaching. There should be a way to share knowledge of the latest digital tools between students, teachers, schools and technology providers. Another priority that the solution needs to have is to a threshold that technologies that are used in teaching support pedagogical priorities and meet the pedagogical quality standard.
There is a need for a solution to support educators and learners to achieve better learning results, save time and be more effective and productive in a constantly changing society. Our business idea is to produce new kind of platform in the form of application for teaching and for connecting the teaching ecosystem by sharing knowledge and best practices. The key factors of the platform come from learning theories.
If you wish to know more drop an Email to the blog author.
Commentaires