Classroom Technologies

Word processors are one of the earliest forms of software introduced into classrooms and have been a persistent tool in education settings. They have been said to increase productivity by allowing students to save time on menial tasks that don't improve learning. For example, with word processors mistakes can be easily deleted and retyped as well as sections of text moved, for simple editing. They allow students to do more, with the addition of colour, fonts, tables and images to make texts more attractive which offers students a sense of satisfaction with their work. Spreadsheet software allow for more efficient work with numbers which is beneficial to teachers and students. The same can be said for powerpoint which allows for the sharing of knowledge in an organised and engaging format, depending on the creativity of the user. A lot of these processing tools are now web based (i.e. Google Docs) and allow other students to add information in order to support collaboration, b...

In one of my earliest blog I expressed an interest in 3D printers as an education tool, but hadn't thought too deeply about the scope of its affordances. The 3D printer can print out three-dimensional objects by depositing fused materials, commonly polylactic acid (PLA), under the control of a computer. The object created can be of almost any configuration or geometry and its design is based on digital model data or some other electronic data source.  The affordances of 3D printing rely on the three components that make up the technology; (i) the c omputer aided design (CAD) software which allow for the specification of the design and then communication of this to the second component, (ii) the 3D printer which layers material according to the design to create the third component (iii) the physical product that results. The affordances discussed below are a result of the first two components acting together to create the third component....

Augmented Reality (AR) is an emerging technology that has the potential to pave the way for future education in ways that we are yet to even see (Poh, 2017). The technology superimposes a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world, providing a composite view with continuous and implicit user control of the point of view and interactivity. According to Azuma (1997), AR has three characteristics: combining the real and virtual worlds, having real-time interaction with the user, and is being registered in a 3D space.    Versions of AR technology are already available in the form of software applications like Sky Map, for instance. For schools that have already integrated tablets into their education system, AR can be readily adopted by purchasing such software for these devices. However, it is expected that more specific AR hardware devices will become available in the future. Current AR technology is limited to use on smartphones and tab...

I'm fairly comfortable with classifying myself as being a "digital native" (Prensky, 2001). I was born in 1994 and for as long as I can remember I've been exposed to and very much reliant on technology, both in my day-to-day life as well as in my schooling. Since a young age, I've used computers and the internet, played video games, watched TV and now Netflix, listened to music on portable CD players and then digital music players, now mostly in Spotify as an application on my iPhone and laptop. I've been an active audience to the progress of technology and am able to recall the transition of handing in my assignments to teachers on a floppy disk, then a CD-Rom, then a USB and now uploading them to some form of online storage system. I'm excited to be a witness to this marching progression, in which devices are becoming smaller and more compact, to the point where some have now literally disappeared into a cloud.   I am able to cope with this constant...

Digital literacy is the set of skills required to firstly, use digital hardware and software to locate information, and then critically interpret and apply this information. The development of digital literacy is a life-long process as technology continually evolves and then so too must the skills to utilise these technologies. Doug Belshaw, in his Tedx talk (2012), argues that there is no single definition of digital literacy, however, that it should instead be referred to as the plural, digital literacies, as the concept is heavily dependent on context. Digital literacy is relevant to classroom learning as it is the responsibility of the education system to prepare students for their life as citizens and members of the workforce in a world that is becoming increasingly dependent on technology.  Students are becoming increasingly exposed to a variety of technologies in their life outside of school and are already proficient in the...

In the 21st century, there is a push for schools to develop the digital literacy skills of students through the incorporation of technologies into the classroom. Information and communication  technologies (ICTs) have already been present in the majority of classrooms in Australia for some time, and so the benefits as well as challenges associated with technology-assisted learning have come to light.  The Framework for 21st Century Learning (P21, 2016) outlines skills and support systems required by students for success in the workforce and as citizens of a global community. Included in this framework are skills required for digital literacy; including the ability to a ccess the vast amount of information made available by modern technology, the ability to navigate the rapidly and continually changing tools as current technologies grow and shift, as well as the ability to collaborate effectively with others....