Flynn Synthesis Paper

8/4/2019 Flynn Synthesis Paper

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Technology Integration is Vital for the Twenty First Century

Abstract

The twenty first century has brought many changes to the educational. Education is at a crossroads of

the new while evaluating the old methods. Technology has enhanced education is a step forward and for

each stakeholder that is associated with education. With this growth, technology in education there has

been a few issues that have surfaced, where is technology headed in the future and how will it change

education in the long run? As well there is a growing gap with regards to digital divide in America,

which has caused a have and have not scenario in many educational institutes. This paper explores the

realms and research of technology education, where technology has been and where it is going.

Daniel F. Flynn

Boise State University

Dr. Dennis Beck

July 27, 2010


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Technology Integration 2

In the classroom of today, one would often find that teachers are using a multitude of technology

resources, such as computers, LCD projectors, software, smart boards and so forth. This has been

affirmed greatly in the past twenty years, as technology has grown to proportional sizes and is still ever

expanding. With growth in technology in the twenty first century there has been many positives and

some negatives, such as digital divide that needs to be addressed. Technology is an integral part of

education and is the key to the growth of students and all stakeholders involved in education today.

Technology should be integrated across the curriculum in K-12 schools, with respect to the current trends

and issues within technology.

Current computer technology that is available in education has progressively grown over the past

twenty years and has taken on a new realm with regards to curriculum. Fouts (2000) states, In the past

decade the use of computer and related technologies has expanded from use primarily as an instructional

delivery medium to technology as a transformational tool and an integral part of the learning

environment. In the past decade the computer has been characterized as an agent of change, by bringing

new and important components to education (Bracwell & Laferriere, 1996). With computers being the

base for all technology in education and the driving force of the future it then becomes a vast part of how

computers are shaping educational technology. As the twenty first century progresses there becomes

more of a need to include technology in the curriculum, and a strong foundation to this would be

implementing technology literacy for both students and teachers.

With the growth of technology and the advent of emerging technologies taking over in the

education realm it becomes critical to develop strong technology literacy skills. Judson (2010) states,

Just as an inclusive definition of language literacy encompasses oral expression, verbal communication,

reading comprehension, and writing ability, technology literacy must also be defined widely to illustrate

true proficiency. Judson continues to argue that this is a matter of fluency in technology, as in a

language for both digital natives and immigrants. The use of technology in education is no longer a

luxury, rather it is a standard and needs a strong skill set for all stakeholders in education. The argument

that Judson states elaborates the need of a strong fluency as a base for technology development and


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progression in the twenty first century. A strong computer literacy base allows for strong use of

technology based lessons for students to engage in with courses.

Now that technology has arrived in education it has become a main stay for teachers in the

classroom. Teachers have traditionally developed lessons based without the use of technology until

primarily the last twenty years. However, with the advent of technology in lesson plans there has been a

revolution of sorts that has brought in question the motivational factors of students when using

technology. Clayton et al (2010) argue that there are no differences between the motivation factors of the

traditional methods compared to the technological methods of today. It is the belief that technology

appeals to the student that is unconventional by nature, rather than traditional. However, in todays

business world CEOs and hiring managers will state that business related jobs are unconventional and

are now employed by unconventional people.

As technology arises, it begs the question, have standardized test scores risen in many areas

when technology is introduced? In a study by Robert Maninger, (2006) it is the argument that using

supportive devices with well trained teachers and high classroom management tools, can increase the

results of English course students. Maninger states, In this study the available technology was a key to

the teachers success. It is important to view the differences between arguments, as each and every bit of

information is needed to evaluate what the pros and cons are in educational technology should be

integrated in the classroom. However, with a combination of making technology a more traditional

method of learning, rather than a novelty and using this to enhance curriculum, output of student

successes increase exponentially.

Technology as it stands today, based on the above points and arguments, has become more

than just a luxury, it has become an agent of change in education. Many reports present strong

assertions that technology can catalyze various other changes in the content, methods, and overall quality

of the teaching and learning process, most frequently, triggering changes away from lecture-driven

instruction and toward constructivist, inquiry-oriented classrooms (Culp, Honey, & Mandinach, 2005).

This transformation comes from the use of technology, as technology becomes more constructivists


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natured for student centered learning and critical thinking. Students have more of an ability to take

ownership in their learning and comprehension of course curriculum. A traditional method of lecture

based learning has caused a lull in the progression of how students relate to material and is why

technology is a cartelist for change in the twenty first century.

Despite the many benefits of technology education in the modern twenty first century, there

has been a distinct digital dive that had developed in educational technology. One major issue that is

occurring in America is the technology education and literacy has not spread across all areas of American

life (Peter, 2010). Even if technology is there, there are some that cannot access this technology purely

because of the lack of proper education. Peter also notes that just because an individual knows how to

access technology it doesnt mean that this individual understands how to use this technology in the right

context. The digital divide has also brought about a new sense of the have nots in America today,

especially in rural and inner-city areas of the country (McConnaughey, Ann Nila, & Sloan, 1995). This

for a large part has kept the growth of technology in k-12 schools at bay, as some schools in areas that

have money are able to buy and maintain a good technology program. Its critical to build a national

infrastructure for educational technology so that each school will haves access to technology. In other

words, a federally funded program based on a technology standard might close the, Have and have not,

gap (Arafeh, Levin, Rainie, & Lenhart, 2002). The winding of the gap also included the digital

disconnect between skills of students across the country, as the haves continue to develop technology

ready skills and the, Have nots, continue to struggle in bringing a balance to the digital divide. If

technology is to be integrated within the curriculum of schools across America, than national attention

needs to be a priority for each and every stakeholder in America. The digital divide in America puts into

question and carries a lingering doubt about the future of not only technology but technology in

education, but education itself.

It goes without doubt that the future of education is going to be steered by technology use and

integration. Right now it can be argued that technology is still in the developmental phase as it relates to

educational curriculum integration. However, it is important to use this technology to study its long term


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effects on education and the technology used in education. Technology is critical in education in the

twenty first century, as new technology emerges and most potential employers are looking for technology

oriented employees.

The future of computing has become embedded in the cloud of computing, a virtually unseen

untouchable mega realm of space and technology. The cloud of computing in simple terms is the ability

to use space in the virtual world as needed, such as Google Docs, Web 2.0 user generated content, social

networking and virtual servers. Flexibility: Cloud computing allows organizations to start a project

quickly without worrying about up-front cost. Computing resources such as disk storage, CPU, and RAM

can be added when needed (Yan, 2010). With this option, educational institutions can build upon

cheaper more cost effective computing options, and not have to invest in costly servers, software and

hardware. It is important to note that currently most of the aforementioned points are what is cost

prohibited to many of the educational institutes in America today. The cloud of computing could also be

the agent of change in the twenty first century in the growing digital divide. As a viable alternative this

current and emerging technology can offer both the have and have nots software that is cheaper and

sometimes more effective then stand alone licenses that are often costly and outdates before effective life

of the product. This is clearly defined in what is called Web 2.0, or USG (User Generated Content) or it

has also been called dynamically created content. As mentioned above, programs such as Google Docs,

del.icio.us, Facebook and other dynamically created content are available for anyone to use, most at no

cost. The Web 2.0 evolution has produced social bookmarking, which permits students to tag, comment

evaluates, and collect published works. It fosters direct peer-to-peer engagement to create, share and

interact via networks (Berk, 2010). Berk illustrates the point of how students are using the web today,

as a productive tool to communicate with. These skills can transfer to technology integration across the

curriculum by tapping into powerful web 2.0 tools and their ability to deliver quality dynamically created

content.

The use of web 2.0 and the cloud of computing have directly affected the job market places for

each student in the twenty first century. Job markets of today are requiring more and more use of


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technology in the work place, and the current trends in technology are included, such as web 2.0, min

computing and other technologies. For instance, companies such as Xerox, Federal Express and

pharmaceuticals companies use mobile computing devices in their everyday transactions and require that

potential employees have skills using these technologies (Powell & Dent-Micallef, 1997). Of course the

needs of the industry are ever expanding and todays educational system needs to be conducive to what

industry wants a well developed modern employee.

Technology in education has arrived and has taken a strong foot in how teachers teach and how

students learn. It is evident that technology is in its infancy as its regards to educational technology,

mainly due to preliminary research and a lack of a national technology standard for all schools.

Educational technology has tremendous potential to aid and enhance students educational learning needs.

However, as the twenty first century moves forward it is important to address the issues that pose a big

question to equitability in technology distribution. A few solutions could bridge the gap between the

have and have nots, such as the cloud of computing and a national priority of technology education for

all schools. As the twenty first century rolls onwards, technology must be in the forefront of education

and must be equitable.


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List of References

Arafeh, S., Levin, D., Rainie, L., & Lenhart, A. (2002, April 14). The Digital Disconnect: The Widening

Gap Between Internet-Savvy Students and their Schools. Retrieved July 24, 2010,

from Pewinternet: http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2002/The-Digital-

Disconnect-The-widening-gap-between-Internetsavvy-students-and-their-

schools.aspx

Berk, R. (2010). How Do You Leverage the Latest Technologies, Including Web 2.0 Tools in Your

Classroom?International Journal of Technology in Teaching and Learning , 1-13.

Bracwell, R., & Laferriere, T. (1996). The Contribution of New Technologies To Learning And Teaching

In Elementry and Secondary Schools. A Collabboration of Laval University and

McGill Universtiy.

Clayton, K., Blumberg, F., & Auld, D. (2010). The relationship between motivation, learning strategies

and choice of environment whether traditional or including an online component.

British Journal of Educational Technology , pp. 349-364.

Culp, k., Honey, M., & Mandinach, E. (2005). A Retrospective On Twenty Years of Education

Technology Policy.Journal of Educational Computing Research , 279-307.

dos Santos Ferreira, G. (2009). ). New Spaces, New Tools, New Roles: Two Case Studies on the Impact

of Open Educational Resources.International Journal of Learning , 273-286.

Fouts, J. (2000).Research on Computers and Education: Past, Present and Future . Seattle, WA: Bill and

Melinda Gates Foundation.

Maninger, R. M. (2006). Student Test Scores Improved in an English Literature Course through the Use

of Supportive Devices. Tech Trends.

McConnaughey, J., Ann Nila, C., & Sloan, T. (1995). Falling Through the Net: A Survey of the "Have

Nots" in Rural and Urban America. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Deparment of

Commerce .

Peter, T. (2010). Finding a Better Way to Bridge the Digital Divide. Christian Science Monitor.

Powell, T., & Dent-Micallef, A. (1997). Technology as Competitve Advantage: The Role of Human,

Business and Technology Resources. Strategic Management Journal .

Yan, H. (2010). On the Clouds: A New Way of Computing.Information Technology and Libaries , 87-92.

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