EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY USE 

   Living in the 21st century, it is no doubt that technology is taking over almost anything and everything, and education/schools are no exception. With the right knowledge and guidance, technology can in fact be extremely educational for children in and outside of school. Technology not only enables children to easily access scholarly and educational information online, but it further allows children to have an enhanced and enjoyable learning experience. With technology students are able to better prepare themselves to be successful individuals as they get older and more independent living in this digital era by gaining career and technical skills.

  A great example of this is STEM education. STEM is an educational teaching method that combines science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. “As students engage in STEM education, they develop transferable skills that they need to meet the demands of today’s global economy and society...Transferable skills are the skills and attributes that students need in order to thrive in the modern world. Based on international research, information provided by employers, and its work with jurisdictions across Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Education has defined seven important categories of transferable skill:

1. critical thinking and problem solving

2. innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship

3. self-directed learning

4. collaboration

5. communication

6. global citizenship and sustainability

7. digital literacy” (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2020).

 

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving:

Technology enables children to think critically and problem solve, children learn how to gather information and carefully use their thinking to analyze and break down the information to see what they can do to solve a situation or scenario.

 

Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship:

Technology is a great space for children to exercise their creativity skills and further explore their imagination as there are tons of safe sites and apps that allow children to do this. Children are able to learn what it takes to create their own work or business online.

 

Self-directed learning:

Technology allows 24/7 access to educational resources. Thus, educational technology gives children the opportunity to learn by themselves and learn from experience, children get to better exercise their skills and abilities online which allows them to better understand themselves in a way, and the best part is that children are able to do this at their own pace. Technology is also a great tool or children to get additional support and help. For example: watching Youtube videos to help strengthen your learning in a specific subject/topic that is being taught at school.

 

Collaboration and Communication:

Educational technology can help children develop collaboration skills and different communication strategies. Technology enables children to not only engage and get further help from their teachers online outside of school but it also connects children together. Through online learning and activities children can communicate and share their ideas with each other .

 

Global Citizenship and sustainability:

Technology not only allows children to understand what is happening around them locally but it also educates them on everything that is happening around the world. It gives children a better understanding of the world as a whole and the chance to understand what their place in the world means and why it is so important.

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Digital Literacy:

The use of technology teaches children about digital literacy that is important for children to be aware about when we are online, and this is needed more now than ever as we are being more technology based in almost every area or field of work. There are lots of terms and concepts when it comes to digital literacy but some of the most important ones are digital footprint, typing skills, composition, researching, and being familiar with common platforms and terms.