Technology impacts learning changes in different ways depending on the instructional environment. For instance, in a physical classroom, incorporating technology to aid in instruction can be challenging with financial roadblocks for institutions and for individuals. Over the course of my career, I have seen several technologies that attempt to incorporate technology into instruction to create the "Not-So-New School" as described by Bill Cope (n.d.).

iClicker 2

Physical clickers, above, have led to the use of QR codes, such as with Plickers, then to educational versions of social media such as FakeBook. As education moved to a virtual environment, tools that helped to bring instruction to a virtual environment became prevalent. Video instruction combined with platforms such as Nearpod and Classkick allow for a teacher to give instruction while simultaneously seeing student work in real time. Drawbacks include the challenge of using a typical mouse to convey ideas and work.

Drawing Tablet

Additional technology can help with this including touchscreens or drawing tablets (above). Depending on the challenge, different technologies can be utilized to overcome them.

One learning technology that, while not groundbreaking, has increased participation and engagement are platforms such as Kahoot and GimKit. Both platforms allow a set of questions to be uploaded and assignments to be completed synchronously or asynchronously; as teams or individuals; as a competition or as teamwork. While this does not move instruction much out of the “Not-So-New School” of instruction, it does provide engagement through a game-type interaction. According to Ceker and Ozdamli (2017), this type of gamification incorporates learning techniques into accomplishing complex tasks. However, both platforms do have drawbacks to temper the increased engagement. They both lack real-time viewing of work but do provide reports showing different aspects of mastery after the games are completed. While there is no chat/interaction feature within the platforms, both platforms soften the ability to participate without making one participant the center of attention. Despite that, these platforms combined with synchronous video-chat instruction or in-person instruction can help foster discussion as participants engage in applying learning.

References

Çeker, E., & Özdamlı, F. (2017). What “Gamification” is and what it’s not. European Journal of Contemporary Education, 6(2), 221–228. https://doi-org.ezproxy.faytechcc.edu/10.13187/ejced.2017.2.221

Cope, W. (n.d.). The Not-So-New School.