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TRANSCRIPT
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Ellie Barkin
Dr. Conte
Advanced Core Block
March 30. 2013
Instructional Technology: What should the 21st century classroom look like?
Every generation in the western world since the dawn of the twentieth century has
received a nick name. Students currently in the public school system were most likely born
between the years 1995-2007. People born during this time period are referred to as Generation
Z, or as Apple would like to call them, iGen. Children from Generation Z are constantly
surrounded by technology. They probably have at least one computer, MP3 player and tablet at
their house. Students from Generation Z have been exposed to technology since they were
young children. They are used to being constantly stimulated by a fast moving screen and loud
audio. The dilemma as teachers is figuring out how to take technology and make it functional in
an educational setting. Technologies that serve this purpose are referred to as instructional or
educational technologies. Thus, in a time period when technology rules the world, parents,
teachers, and administrators must work together to create a classroom that properly serves the
needs of Generation Z.
The Association for Educational Communications and Technology defines instructional
technology as technologies that are used to teach or disseminate information. Specifically, it is
the “theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management and evaluation of
processes and resources for learning” (Anderson, 2008). However, this term and definition does
not cover the most recent development of interactive technologies. Thus, the term educational
technology has come into existence. While these terms are very similar in their definitions,
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educational technologies focuses more on facilitating learning, and improving performance,
while instructional technologies are used to teach. People commonly use these terms
interchangeably, even though educational technology is normally associated with interactive
technologies. For the purpose of this paper, the term instructional technology will be inclusive
of all types of technologies used to educate children.
Instructional technology is nothing new to the field of education. There have been new
forms of instructional technologies present in the classroom since the roman times when books
and slates were first introduced. These technologies may not have plugged in, or responded to a
person’s touch, but these items improved education none the less. Since the beginning of the
nineteenth century, technological innovation and the inclusion of these technologies into the
schools has occurred at a daunting rate. Instructional technology has transformed from black
boards and books, to interactive computers and screens. Classrooms have traveled through the
Audio Visual Age, the Information Age, the Computer and Digital Age, and are now finally
beginning to enter the Interactive Age.
However, before teachers can effectively integrate technology into their classrooms they
must recognize the difference between instructional technology and technology education.
While these two terms sound very similar, the theories and philosophies behind these educational
principles are very different. According to the International Technology [and Engineering]
Educational Association’s Standards for Technological Literacy: Content of Technology (STL),
“Technology is the modification of the natural environment to satisfy perceived human wants
and needs” (ITEA, 2000, p.9). Technology education is the study of these technologies.
Studying technology provides students with an opportunity to study the processes, such as
problem solving, needed to create different technologies. When students study technology in
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grades K-12 they obtain a level of technological literacy that can be referred to as, “one’s ability
to use, manage, assess, and understand technology” (ITEA, 2000, p.9).
While technology education is focused on creating a hands-on educational environment
that encourages students to investigate math, science, and engineering principles through the
creation of technology; instructional technology is concerned with the technology in education.
The philosophies behind instructional technology are concerned with, “teaching and learning
with technology” (Dugger & Naik, 2001, p. 2). Additionally, the theories associated with
instructional technology identify technology in a classroom as a “tool” to enhance the teaching
and learning process across all subject areas. Teachers regularly confuse teaching technology,
and teaching with instructional technology. While these concepts may sound very similar, the
principles behind theses educational theories are very different.
Instructional technology serves its own very useful niche within the classroom.
Researchers have found that about “91% of teachers currently have computers in their classroom
but 1 in 5 feel their classrooms have the right level of technology” (Open Colleges, 2012). The
main questions that educators need to address in the twenty first century are: How will schools
obtain the technology necessary for properly teaching Generation Z? And how will teachers
adapt their teaching style to the new integrative technology classroom?
Focusing on the first question requires an in depth look at the economics behind
instructional technology. Technology is expensive for school districts and individuals. The
iPad3 costs about $550 per device. The average class size across the United States is about
twenty five students. Now this means that to supply just one class with enough iPads for every
student it would cost about $13,750. There are grades k-12 in the public school system.
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However, it can be expected that most kindergarten and first grade classrooms would not a have
a full set for the class due to the cost of these devices and the benefits of the use at this age. So
assuming that a complete class set is provide for grades 2-12, and most schools have at least one
class for every grade, the least possible amount of money that a school district could pay for
iPads would be $137,500. Now this number is not an outrageous figure but this is an unrealistic
scenario. Rarely do you find a school district that only has one class per grade. Imagine
multiplying this number by two, three or even twelve to simulate a larger school. Very quickly
this number gets over one million dollars.
Now imagine you are the superintendent of a large school district and parents, teachers
and students are pressuring you to bring more technology into the classrooms. How will you
spend your money? Do you invest in one large piece of technology that is very expensive but
affects a lot of students at one time? Or do you splurge and get every student their own personal
computing device? Recognition that technology is expensive is the first step of the process to
understanding the relationship between the benefits that technology provides, and the cost that is
spent on each type of technology.
The economists have looked closely at the costs, effectiveness and surrounding
conditions of different instructional technologies since the turn of the century. Specifically,
Jeffrey M. Puryear claims that, “technologies have at least two kinds of costs: fixed cost and
variable costs. Fixed costs are the upfront investments needed to put in place the necessary
infrastructure and software for making the technology available” (Puryear, 1999). Fixed costs
may include the costs of setting up a central managerial and training system that is necessary to
produce, distribute, implement, and maintain the technology.
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Not surprisingly the fixed costs vary for different kinds of technology. The fixed costs
of a television are fairly low compared to the fixed cost of a smart board. However, the benefit
of a fixed cost is that it is spread out over all the students served. Thus, if the instructional
technology will become a fixture within the classroom the cost of this technology decreases as
more students are served. In essence, “the fixed cost per student drops rapidly when you can
divide that cost by 100,000 students, or by a million, rather than by 1000 (Puryear, 1999).” In
contrast, variable costs are the price of adding students to the system after it has been set up.
School districts need to calculate both the fixed and variable costs when assessing technology
programs, and need to consider how many students they expect a particular technology to serve.
Instructional technologies that serve a large group of people and become fixtures within a
classroom and school often have a high fixed cost, but a low variable cost, and over time can be
quite inexpensive and cost effective. Items such as smart boards, document cameras, televisions
and webcameras are perfect examples of instructional technologies that satisfy these criteria.
Contrastingly, technologies with a high variable cost, and that work in conjunction with
conventional teaching, such as personal computers or tablets are unlikely to have any cost
advantage.
Administrators who are faced with the dilemma of determining what technologies a
school district should invest in need to understand the difference between fixed and variable
costs, but they also need to remember that the ultimate goal is student education. If a new
technology comes out that is cheap but does not have any additional educational value it is not
worth the investment. Conversely, if a new instructional technology comes out which is
expensive but has lots of potential for new innovative lessons and interactive learning it is worth
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the investment. Overtime, that investment will pay for itself through the educational value that it
provides to the students.
Recognizing that technology plays an integral role in the twenty first century classroom,
and understanding that instructional technology is undeniably changing the face of education;
many school districts are searching for the cheapest ways to increase the amount of technology
found within their classrooms. To achieve this goal many school districts are adjusting the way
they approach instructional technology and are introducing new educational programs to
accommodate the quickly and constantly changing medium. These instructional technology
programs are Bring Your Own Device and the Flipped Classroom.
With many schools around the country receiving major budget cuts due to the recession,
schools are embracing Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs as an effective alternative.
According to an article found in National Educators Association Today, “Over the past year,
BYOD or BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology) programs have been piloted in Ohio,
Minnesota, Texas and Georgia” (Chadband, 2012). Additionally, New Jersey has 19 school
districts that have begun to initiate the BYOD programs including, but not limited to, Forsyth
County Schools, Mankator Public School System and Allen Independent school district. Many
district officials insist that the BYOD programs are the best and only available option for
schools. These programs overtime have proven to be cost effective but they are not perfect
(Heick, 2012). The only reason that BYOD programs are cost effective for school districts is
because the burden to provide technology falls to the parents. As schools across the country
loose potentially more funding, are students and their families responsible for making up the
difference?
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Not all families can afford to buy the same device which means that in one classroom a
teacher could be working with several different types of technology. Thus, in a BYOD
classroom, teachers must be confident with technology so that they can easily adapt their lessons
to several different devices. To adapt to these lessons it may require a large amount of teacher
creativity in addition to teacher flexibility (Chadband, 2012). So while district administrators see
BYOD programs as the easy and cost effective solution, in reality BYOD it is much harder on
the teachers. “Not every district has the resources to properly train teachers to use the devices
students will bring in … A BYOD program could save money if implemented properly, but
tossing teachers into a BYOD environment without any training wouldn’t be very effective”
(Ritchel, 2013). Additionally, according to Elliot Soloway, a computer science professor at the
University of Michigan, there is no concrete evidence that a classroom full of students using
different personal devices would enhance learning (Ritchel, 2013).
Besides the cost and effectiveness of the BYOD program administrators and parents are
concerned with student use and accessibility of these devices. In most BYOD pilot programs,
the students are required to sign some sort of agreement which indicates the proper use of their
device (Flanigan, 2013). However, many students are able to bypass school policies and website
blocks by logging into guest networks. Teachers, parents and administrators need to be aware of
the issues and create proper educational policies and enforcement procedures to ensure that
students and teachers are using the internet and connected devices appropriately in their schools.
Additionally, the BYOD program enshrines the inequalities that are already found within
the school systems. The only way to ensure that all students receive a fair education is if
students have access to the same materials and learning opportunities. BYOD leaves this more
to chance, “with more affluent students continuing to have an unfair advantage over their
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classmates,” because they are able to buy the newer and better technology (Stager, 2011). Thus,
to make sure that all students will have access to technology at a particular time schools must
still have computers or other devices available for student use.
Another way that schools are bringing more technologies to their schools for very little
cost is by flipping the classroom. Specifically, “the flipped classroom inverts traditional teaching
methods, delivering instruction online outside of the classroom and moving ‘homework’ into the
classroom” (Knewton, 2011). In a flipped classroom, the instructional portion of a lesson occurs
at home or after school through educational videos. Taking the instructional portion of a lesson
out of the classroom allows for more time for classroom activities and targeted teaching. The
instructional videos often have an interactive component where students can answer questions
and complete problems that are associated with the lesson. Usually, the teacher will immediately
be able to access compiled data about how well the students understood the material from the
night before.
For teachers who use the Khan Academy in their classrooms the data provided from the
quizzes provides a content area breakdown. This means that teachers can see which specific
areas students need more help with. Thus, the teacher can focus the in class activity accordingly,
and offer more practice in that particular area. Additionally, if a teacher sees that only one
student did not understand part of the lesson, the teacher can easily request that one student to
stay after school for extra help or provide that student a little extra support in the classroom.
Flipping a classroom makes instructional technology and active learning key components
of the learning environment. Individually these two educational practices have been proven to
positively affect a student’s learning environment and comprehension of the material being
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discussed. The incorporation of these two techniques through a flipped classroom has proven
particularly beneficial for mathematics and English courses. In one case study taken from a
population of 736 students at Clintondale High School near Detroit, fifty percent of freshmen
failed English, and forty-four percent failed mathematics, before flipping the classroom. After
flipping the classroom, now with a population of 249 students nineteen percent of freshman
failed English and thirteen percent failed mathematics (Knewton, 2011). This case study
clarifies that flipping a classroom can be beneficial to a learning environment, but one has to
question how much of a role instructional technology inside the actual classroom effects this
change.
When a classroom is flipped most of a student’s access to technology for educational
purposes occurs at home or after school to view lectures. So again the burden to provide
technology falls upon the parents. While it is an important to change in, “instructional models so
the students can receive more instructional support in the classroom,” flipping a classroom does
not necessarily mean more instructional technology will be utilized. (Knewton, 2011).
However, flipping a classroom provides many organizational benefits for teachers in regards to
keeping track of student work and tracking student achievement online.
However, any method to implement instructional technology will prove to be
unsuccessful if the proper education is not provided to teachers and principals. Currently, one of
the major down falls of instructional technology is that schools invest in the newest and most
expensive technology available, install it in a teacher’s classroom and never teach the teacher
how to use it. While some teachers will take the initiative to learn on their own how to properly
use the technology, many others are not technologically literate and let this new powerful tool
gather cobwebs on the side of their classroom.
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Research says that teachers need to be given sufficient education and support whenever
they are provided with a new technology in their classroom for this technology to be effective
(Cavaghn, 2013). A brand new instructional technology does nothing if it is just sitting in a
classroom not being used. Teachers need to know how to use the technology in their room and
they need to be encouraged to use the technology in their rooms. The evidence suggests that,
“principals and teachers should be encouraged to participate in post graduate education” in
instructional technology (Cavaghn, 2013). Principals and teachers who receive a higher
education in instructional technology are more likely to take on a leadership role within a school.
With a higher education teachers and principals can help further educate other professionals and
encourage them to more effectively incorporate technology into their classrooms.
Besides all the research that helps to justify the use of instructional technology in
classrooms because of its adaptability, ability to engage students, and its versatility, there is the
actual opinion of the students. Recall that Generation Z has been exposed to technology since
they were young children and they probably have at least one hand held device on them by the
time they leave elementary school. Thus, there is a growing frustration among students that they
have to “power down” their use of technology when they enter school buildings (Ash & Davis,
2010). Many students feel that by “powering down,” they are cutting off a major source of
information and tools that they have grown accustomed to using. Additionally, students are
demanding more technologically rich learning environments. Students are requesting classrooms
that incorporate web 2.0 devices, the more hands-on interactive internet found on mobile touch
devices (Oberdick, 2011).
Based on the information discussed, instructional technology should be used within the
schools, as long as teachers and administrators are properly educated about the technology and
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associated systems in their district. Additionally, it is important that teachers remember that
instructional technology can be used as a teaching aid or to improve upon current teaching
methods. While instructional technology is expensive, it is important that school districts
recognize that there are many ways to reduce the cost and increase the educational benefit per
student of these technologies.
School districts need to recognize that more technology is necessary in order to engage
the twenty-first century student. While implementing these technologies, schools should try to
avoid the traditional technology classroom and transition towards an integrated technology
classroom where students use and understand the technology around them. Due to budget cuts
school can consider a BYOD or Flipped Classroom programs, but districts need to recognize the
burden they are placing on the parents and understand that even these programs come with their
own fixed and variable costs.
Overall, there is a lot of potential for instructional technology to create positive changes
in the classroom environment, to pedagogy, and to teacher student interaction. However,
without the proper funding schools are forced to implement programs like, BYOD and the
Flipped Classroom, that only partially fill the need for technology in schools. While these
programs work as a temporary fixes, and cheaply solve a very big problem. This problem is only
going to get bigger as more technology becomes available. School districts need to begin fully
addressing the issue of instructional technology and how they intend to pay for the technology
that many parents, educators and students deem as necessary for a proper education in the
modern world.
Works Cited
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Anderson, L. (2008). Definition of Instructional Technology. Retrieved from University of North
Carolina Wilmington: http://arcmit01.uncw.edu/andersonl/Documents/Definition%20of
%20Instructional%20Technology.pdf
This article clearly defines what instructional technology is, based on the terms defined by the
AECT. It also clarifies that Educational and Instructional Technology can be used
interchangeably, since the AECT adopted Educational Technology as an appropriate term in
2008.
Ash, K., & Davis, M. (2010, January 28). Sound of on School Tech Use. Retrieved from
Education Week: http://www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2010/02/03/02kids.h03.html
This article and connected video analyze the technologies students are exposed during their
home life verses school life. The article and video has students of different backgrounds
discussing the technologies they use at school and at home. The students in this video are
consistently dissatisfied by the technology that they are provided in their schools. The associated
article explains that students in the 21st century use technology constantly.
Cavaghn, S. (2013, February 22). Views of Technology Differ Among Elementary, High School
Educators. Retrieved from Education Week:
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2013/02/views_of_technology_differ_a
mo.html
This article explains that at different age levels there is a different amount of emphasis put on
technology and finding teachers with a background in instructional technologies. The article
states that high schools emphasize finding teachers and principals with a strong instructional
technology background more than schools at the elementary level.
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Chadband, E. (2012, July 19). Should Schools Embrace "Bring Your Own Device?". Retrieved
from NEA Today: http://neatoday.org/2012/07/19/should-schools-embrace-bring-your-
own-device/
This article addresses the concept of bring your own device. The article takes an in depth look at
the positive and negative effects of this policy. Identifying costs for school districts as a major
benefit of the new bring your own device policy. The article also discusses the impacts of this
new policy on school infrastructure, web policies and parents.
Dugger, W. E., & Naik, N. (2001, September). Clarifying Misconceptions about Technology
Education and Educational Technology. Retrieved from ITEEA Connect:
http://www.iteaconnect.org/TAA/LinkedFiles/Articles/TTTpdf/2001-02Volume61/
duggernaik_sept01.pdf
This article defines both educational technology and technology education. The side by side
comparison of these two fields allows the reader to recognize the major differences within the
two fields.
Flanigan, R. L. (2013, February 7). Schools Set Boundries for use of Students' Digital Devices.
Retrieved from Educational Week:
http://www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2013/02/06/02byod.h06.html
This article mainly discusses how the implementation of the new bring your own device policy
has forced schools to create new web policies. These web policies are no longer just for the
classroom but are for the halls, lunch rooms and auditorium. This article also discusses how the
bring your own device policy is encouraging teacher creativity.
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Heick, T. (2012, 7 31). 10 Schools That Have Implemented BYOD Successfully. Retrieved from
Teach Thought: http://www.teachthought.com/technology/10-schools-that-have-
implemented-byod/
Knewton. (2011). The Flipped Classroom Infograph. Retrieved from Knewton:
http://www.knewton.com/flipped-classroom/
This infograph defines what is meant when a teacher say "flipping the classroom." The
infograph explains the benefits and provides accurate statistics about flipping a classroom. The
infograph also explains the logic and educational theory behind flipping a classroom.
Oberdick, J. (2011, March 4). Symposium Stories #2: Different Views on Educational
Technologies. Retrieved from Pennstate:
http://symposium.tlt.psu.edu/2011/03/symposium_stories_2_davis_shaver_different_vie
ws_on_educational_technology/
Symposium Stories #2 is a podcast which provides the views of different college students on
educational technology in their classrooms. During the podcast these Penn State students discuss
the benefits of working with technology and how technology can cause students to be interested
in a subject they might not otherwise like.
Open Colleges. (2012). 21st Century Classroom. Retrieved from Ed Tech Magazine:
http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/sites/edtechmagazine.com.k12/files/uploads/
21stcentury-classroom.jpg
This graphic provides a detailed overview of what the 21st century classroom should look like. It
graphically explains how students and teachers are constantly interacting with technology
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throughout the course of a school day and even at home. It contains many useful statistics that
support instructional technology in the classroom.
Puryear, J. M. (1999, September/October). The Economics of Educational Technology. Retrieved
from Techknowlogia: http://www.techknowlogia.org/TKL_Articles/PDF/17.pdf
This article provides the economic break down to instructional technology. Instructional
technologies are expensive and schools need to recognize that there are certain technologies that
are more effective per dollar spent than others. This economic break down explains how certain
types of instructional technology practices are just wasting money because they are ineffective
based on the numbers of dollars spent.
Ritchel, M. (2013, 3 22). Digitally Aided Education, Using the Student's Own Electronic Gear.
Retrieved from The New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/23/technology/in-some-schools-students-bring-their-
own-technology.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
This article introduces how several schools in Florida implemented a BYOD program. The
article highlights the controversy the district encountered, the success of the program and the
issues that the program still encounters.
Stager, G. (2011, October 8). BYOD - Worst Idea of the 21st Century? Retrieved from Stager-to-
Go: http://stager.tv/blog/?p=2397
This article presents the negatives of BYOD programs. Highlighting some very essential
arguments that are often over looked by educators and researchers because they are focused on
the monetary issues associated with instructional technology.
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