Technology and Teaching Standards (The Australian Curriculum)

The Australian Curriculum has been formulated to encompass seven various areas known as general capabilities. The general capabilities assist with the development of knowledge, skills, and behaviours, enabling students to live and work successfully in the 21st century. (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]), n.d).

These capabilities include literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology (ICT) capability, critical and creative thinking, personal and social capability, ethical understanding and intercultural understanding (ACARA, n.d). There are both benefits and challenges of Learning Management Systems (LMS’s) for learning in schools and incorporating ICT capabilities for student centred learning.

The Digital Education Advisory Group (DEAG) states that there is a change in the nature of work and shift towards technology-rich workplace environments, requiring multidisciplinary teamwork and greater levels of innovation and creativity (Digital Education Advisory Group [DEAG], 2013, p. 20).

To accommodate these changes within the educational landscape, there needs to be a change in the delivery of curriculum content. Coates, James & Baldwin (2005, p. 19) define LMS’s as a course administration tool or pedagogical focus that has the capacity to create virtual or online learning environments for students. These administrative and educational tools provide an online platform that enhances an educator’s ability to develop, assign, and track student learning. These systems are generally internet-based systems such as Blackboard, Moodle, Google Classroom, Desire to Learn and Edmodo.

Reference

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (n.d). General capabilities. Retrieved from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/languages/general-capabilities/

Coates, H., James, R. & Baldwin, G. (2005). A Critical Examination of the Effects of Learning Management Systems on University Teaching and Learning. Tertiary Education and Management, 11, 19–36. Retrieved from  http://uait.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/53312706/A%2520critical%2520examination%2520of%2520the%2520effects%2520of%2520learning%2520management%2520systems.pdf

Digital Education Advisory Group (DEAG). (2013). Beyond the classroom: A new digital education for young Australians in the 21st century. Retrieved from https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/deag_final_report.pdf

Thinking about technology

Emerging technology and the integration into the classroom pose a number of issues for 21^st Century Educators. The main issues are described as; accountability and the standards movement, funding for educational technology, the digital device (equality of accessibility), misuse, the role of distance education, privacy and safety, malware, viruses, spam, hacking and online plagiarism (Roblyer & Doering, 2014, p. 30).

Also addressing issues that the integration of technology pose for Teachers and 21^st century students is the Future Tense podcast; 21st century education. Anthony Funnell refers to his book The Future and Related Nonsense in highlighting the need to “embrace new technologies but to maintain a healthy degree of scepticism at the same time.” His message is “technology doesn’t educate people, people educate people.” And that there is need to ensure educators are adequately trained before new technologies are adopted and introduced into the classroom.

While the issues faced are genuine, and of great concern, they are outweighed by the need to create multiliterate and multimodal citizens, and the requirement of 21^st century learning, as Greg Whitby highlights we need to “equip young people to be socially critical and participants in a society that is opening up so rapidly to them” (Mishra, 2012, March 26).

Mishra in his keynote address @ 21st Century Learning Conference – Hong Kong 2012 uses a great metaphor to illustrate the change in contemporary learning and how rapidly information is available. Referring to his own experiences he describes travelling for over hour to borrow books from a library, and the imagery of a slow dripping tap describes how information was once received. The next image shows a group of men holding a large fire hose, water forcefully and powerfully blowing out the water, and this imagery this reflects how rapidly and readily information is currently received. Referred to as the era of “ubiquitous access” (Roblyer & Doering, 2014, p. 39).

Reference

Mishra, P. [21CLI (Old)]. (2012, March 26). Keynote Speaker @ 21st Century Learning Conference – Hong Kong 2012. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bwXYa91fvQ

Roblyer, M., & Doering, A. (2014). Pearson New International Edition. Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. Harlow, England: Pearson.

Introduction

 

Hi,

I’m Alexandria, I am enrolled at Charles Sturt University, currently studying a Masters of Teaching (Secondary). I’ve created this blog to reflect on the weekly modules of subject ESC407 – Classroom Technologies.

I started my Masters at the beginning of 2017 and I’m studying on a part-time basis as I’m balance study, work and parenthood. This is my first time studying online via correspondence and I’ve loving it. No two weeks (or days) are the same, and the flexibility of the online study environment makes it all possible.

I have no teaching experience to date, and my undergraduate was a Bachelor Law/Bachelor Communication (Journalism). After completing my undergrad I continued to complete a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the College of Law and was admitted in New South Wales. This all seems like lifetime ago, since starting a family.  I’ve found study this time round, much harder (baby brain has been scientifically proven).

I’m looking forwards to learning more about classroom technologies, and applying such technologies in the classroom. I’m particularly interested in utilising tools to engage students, to explore alternatives to outdated text based resources and assessments which focus on ready and writing.

Please feel free to comment, I’d love to share ideas as we progress on this learning journey together.

Thanks,

A