When used effectively and in a purposeful manner, technology can empower teachers to deliver high quality, modern education that suits each and every one of their students.
Mathematics teachers have always led the way with technology in the classroom, from the introduction of hand-held calculators, to supplementary ‘ed-tech’ programs that became popular as home computers grew increasingly common.
We have thoroughly entered the age of 1:1 devices, a trend which is reflected in the majority of Australian classrooms. 69% of metro schools, and 51% of regional schools have already introduced 1:1 devices (1), with that proportion steadily increasing as states scramble to keep up with the pace of change. The ACT recently guaranteed that all students in public secondary schools will receive Chromebooks by 2019, a significant milestone.
Despite the investment in these resources, teachers are aware that technology in and of itself won’t instantly improve student outcomes, and that devices need to be used strategically to avoid becoming glorified calculators, or purpose-built distraction machines.
The key to making technology work for you is integrating it seamlessly into your classroom, and ensuring its impact on student learning is visible and measurable. Here are some ways to get the most out of 1:1 devices in your school:
There are a whole suite of online tools that will streamline and secure your access to student work. With collaborative tools like Google and Apple’s classroom offerings, gone are the days of ‘I forgot my homework’, ‘my printer isn’t working’, and ‘my USB is at home’. Now teachers can see student work live, easily share documents/task sheets/marks, and simplify group work.
In addition to the tools that are modernising classroom administration, 1:1 devices can save time preparing, curating, and sharing resources with your students. Having class-wide access to high-quality, up-to-date resources, through websites such as brilliant.org, mathsisfun.com, transum.org, help create a variety of learning experiences that students find enjoyable and engaging.
Adding technology to the ‘pen and paper’ learning experience allows the creative potential of students to soar. Providing students with the scope to extend themselves beyond traditional assignment formats and use technology practically lets them branch out and develop important skills. Projects could include: designing a website, making an animation, creating a video series, or conducting an online survey and analysing the results.
In addition to delivering the key learning areas, the general capabilities are an essential part of the Australian Curriculum. These skills fall outside the specific content silos of the key learning areas, but are still vital skills for students to succeed in the 21st Century. The introduction of 1:1 devices can help teachers deliver all of the general capabilities, but especially the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability.
Students are already learning these skills in their home lives, but there is incredible value in students learning how to integrate technology with their education as well.
An inordinate amount of teacher time is currently spent on administrative tasks. Technology has the power to alleviate some of this burden. Most schools already use some form of Learning Management System (LMS), but these generally require manual data entry from teachers. When students have their own devices, new types of software can automate these processes.
Automated data collection means teachers have access to live student data -- what they’re learning and how they’re learning it -- and can use it to make their teaching more responsive to students’ learning needs. The Maths Pathway Learning and Teaching Model uses diagnostic data on student abilities to help teachers individualise learning for each student. Because it’s an entire Learning and Teaching model, technology is integrated seamlessly into the classroom, while still utilising teacher professional judgement and other learning modes.
When used effectively and in a purposeful manner, technology can empower teachers to deliver high quality, modern education that suits each and every one of their students.
