EVOLUTION OF EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASS ROOM
Abstract
Before the industrial revolution, education mainly occurred at home or in informal schools that were often nothing more than a one-roomed school houses. Teaching was not a profession and there were no structured teaching and learning activities. The teaching and learning materials used then ranged from making inscriptions on the walls, the ground, to slates and even more sophisticated skin or papyrus reeds for writing. This has however changed over the years to include other teaching and learning materials from paper, to books and to the latest technology of tablets.
This study attempts to look at the evolution of education technology, from when teaching was concentrated to small communities to a modern learning environment in which may skills become obsolete nearly as fast as they are learned.
Key words: Technology in Classroom, Evolution, Modern day classroom
Introduction
Education technology has been defined as; The study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and resources Richey, R.C. (2008). According to the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) Definitions and Terminology Committee, educational technology includes other systems used in the process of developing human capability.
Educational revolution for the last 200 years has seen apprenticeship change to universal school with enormous changes in technologies that have been invented in the recent years. Classroom teaching as a social activity has embraced the use of these technologies in an effort to make teaching and learning adapt to the ever changing society, thanks to the global revolution.
During the industrial revolution when formal structured school started taking place, the teacher and the pupil were limited to using a modified wall as a chalkboard where instructions were written by the teacher. The pupils on the other hand, would write on the floor and the wealthy few would scribble on a polished slate made from stone. Because of increasing disparities in income, these changes varied from place to place due to the social and cultural advantages.
These tools were seen to aid the teaching and learning activities in the formal classrooms. They were developed by the education enthusiasts. The materials used by the pupils or learners varied as a result of the above mentioned factors. Whereas in some areas, they used slates for writing, other tools such as the pen also saw significant changes from feather dipped ink pen to pencils to ink pens.
The following are tools as used in the classroom
Technology in the Classroom - 19th to 20th century.
As stated in the Introduction, various tools and equipments have been used by both the teacher and the learner in an effort to improve the teaching and learning activities. These are;
· Slate in the Classroom: Slate as identified by (1976): writing slates were made of slate, which is more durable than paper and was cheap at the time when paper was expensive. It was used to allow children to practice writing .The pupils would use chalk sticks to scribble on the polished slates and the teacher would walk around inspecting the pupils work and they would wipe off the writing using a piece of cloth. In some areas, the pupils would carry the slates home and in others they would be kept in the class.
· Chalk board: This is identified as the earliest tool that the teacher used to pass knowledge to the learners. It was initially just a part of the wall and charcoal could be used as the medium for writing. This soon evolved to a smoothened wall and portable boards mounted on a stand. Chalkboard soon became synonymous with the teaching profession and to this modern day, it still retains the status symbol for the teaching profession.
· Paper: When paper was introduced into the classroom for use by pupils, skepticisms raised then were that it was not a sustainable medium for use owing to its high cost. A principal’s publication in 1815: “Students today depend on paper too much. They don’t know how to write on a slate without getting chalk dust all over themselves. They can’t clean a slate properly. What will they do when they run out of paper?”.
· Textbooks: Soon after the introduction of paper into classrooms and the printing machine invention, the text books were introduced to solve the problem of determining what the children should learn, ie., they defined what should be covered in the curriculum. This helped in provision of uniformity in what the students were learning in different schools.
· Charts: A teaching aid that became favourite with teachers who would find it difficult to write all their notes and drawing on the board. When teaching and learning activities were moved into structured classrooms, the charts would be hang around the classroom as permanent teaching learning aids. Printed charts just like text books provided uniformity of the content being taught.
· Radio: Radio lessons were introduced into the classroom around 1917, but it’s not after the 2nd world war that structured radio lessons were introduced to schools. Educational technology enthusiasts then hoped that this would eventually reduce the number of teachers and ensure standardized teaching and curriculum implementation. They however only allowed one way communication and assessment of the content was a challenge.
· Overhead Projectors: An overhead projector typically consists of a large box containing a very bright lamp and a fan to cool it. On top of the box is a large lens that would reflect the light. Above the box is a mirror and lens that focuses and redirects the light forward to a white surface like the wall. In the early 1980s, overhead projectors were used as part of a classroom computer display/projection system. The overhead projector as an easy low-cost interactive tool for educators became a quite useful in the classroom. Teaching materials pre-printed on plastic sheets, upon which the teacher would directly write using a non-permanent, washable color marking pen. Teachers found it to be time saving and efficient, they however could only be used where there was electricity and thus only used in developed world or privileged areas
· Films, Television and Video: These electronic devices are among the latest to have been introduced in the classrooms. Despite being widely criticized as being passive medium compared to reading and interacting with the teacher, they have undoubtedly played a big role in the revolutionalisation of classroom activities. In the late 1960s, the proliferation of educational programming on TV and videos helped children from different backgrounds to learn some basic skills such as phonics and counting skills.
Technology in Modern day classroom
There are various types of technologies currently used in traditional classrooms. Among these are:
- Computer in the classroom: Having a computer in the classroom is an asset to any teacher. With a computer in the classroom, teachers are able to demonstrate a new lesson, present new material, illustrate how to use new programs, and show new websites.
- Class website: An easy way to display your student's work is to create a web page designed for your class. Once a web page is designed, teachers can post homework assignments, student work, famous quotes, trivia games, and so much more. In today's society, children know how to use the computer and navigate their way through a website, so why not give them one where they can be a published author. Just be careful as most districts maintain strong policies to manage official websites for a school or classroom. Also, most school districts provide teacher webpages that can easily be viewed through the school district's website.
- Class blogs and wikis: There are a variety of Web 2.0 tools that are currently being implemented in the classroom. Blogs allow for students to maintain a running dialogue, such as a journal,thoughts, ideas, and assignments that also provide for student comment and reflection. Wikis are more group focused to allow multiple members of the group to edit a single document and create a truly collaborative and carefully edited finished product.
- Wireless classroom microphones: Noisy classrooms are a daily occurrence, and with the help of microphones, students are able to hear their teachers more clearly. Children learn better when they hear the teacher clearly. The benefit for teachers is that they no longer lose their voices at the end of the day.
- Mobile devices: Mobile devices such as smartphones can be used to enhance the experience in the classroom by providing the possibility for professors to get feedback. As opposed to previous school of thought that mobile phones use in classroom can be a nuisance, the professors are
- Interactive Whiteboards: An interactive whiteboard that provides touch control of computer applications. These enhance the experience in the classroom by showing anything that can be on a computer screen. This not only aids in visual learning, but it is interactive so the students can draw, write, or manipulate images on the interactive whiteboard.
- Online media: Streamed video websites can be utilized to enhance a classroom lesson (e.g. United Streaming, Teacher Tube, etc.)
- Digital Games: The field of educational games and serious games has been growing significantly over the last few years. The digital games are being provided as tools for the classroom and have a lot of positive feedback including higher motivation for students.
· There are many other tools being utilized depending on the local school board and funds available. These may include: digital cameras, video cameras, interactive whiteboard tools, document cameras, or LCD projectors.
- Podcasts: Podcasting is a relatively new invention that allows anybody to publish files to the Internet where individuals can subscribe and receive new files from people by a subscription. The primary benefit of podcasting for educators is quite simple. It enables teachers to reach students through a medium that is both "cool" and a part of their daily lives. For a technology that only requires a computer, microphone and internet connection, podcasting has the capacity of advancing a student’s education beyond the classroom. When students listen to the podcasts of other students as well as their own, they can quickly demonstrate their capacities to identify and define "quality." This can be a great tool for learning and developing literacy inside and outside the classroom. Podcasting can help sharpen students’ vocabulary, writing, editing, public speaking, and presentation skills. Students will also learn skills that will be valuable in the working world, such as communication, time management, and problem-solving.
Conclusion
The consequences of the current educational revolution are just beginning to be felt. Technology driven venues of learning are springing up everywhere and technological innovations are having enormous influence outside of school system. Those who do not embrace technology must understand the possibilities of the new technologies from inside. As Don Tapscort (1998) argues, “Children are more comfortable, knowledgeable and literate than their parents about an innovation central to society, they are a force for social transformation.”
Further, Collins A. & Richard H. (2009) aver that the pressure to change the classroom with computing is coming from outside the classroom, in different forms from children and families and central office. The schools appear to be dragged reluctantly into a new technologically rich education system.
It is therefore important to rethink how education in a technological world will influence, learning, motivation, careers, leadership as well as the role of government in education. The emergence of new forms of teaching and learning outside of school threaten the identification of learning with formal schooling forged in the 19th century. This however, will provide everyone with an equal chance to good education regardless of their social, economical or political background.
