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Below is my major issue in technology paper. It focuses on a journal article which discusses flexibility in teaching and learning in the classroom through the use of technology. I hope you can follow my summary and analysis, for some reason this assignment was a real challenge for me!

Flexibility in Education

 Summary     

         The Journal of Information Systems Education published an article titled, “Enhancing IS Education with Flexible Teaching and Learning”, in the fall of 2007. This article was written by a group of college professors from throughout the world. The basic purpose of the article is to stress to educators that their students must take more responsibility for their learning, by increasing their control level and active participation levels and one of the ways to do this is by using technology.

            The article points out that the challenges that face teachers are on the increase. A few examples include: the lack of funding, more administrative obligations, and more pressure to raise assessment outcomes. However, as teachers, we still need to find new ways to keep students interested in the material we teach. One of the main ways to accomplish this is by being flexible. Flexible teaching and learning is based on four basic principles. First, teach using a range of teaching and learning strategies, for example: independent study or lectures with tutorials. The second principle is implementing alternative course designs, for example using module based systems. Thirdly, build flexibility into organizational structures and policies. An example of this is the class we are currently taking, a distance course. Finally, administrative policies need to be flexible in their procedures. Flexibility in learning allows for the most educational growth possible. It gives students opportunities to learn in their own way.

            Before implementing flexible teaching and learning in the classroom must first understand the course content and what parts of the course can be made flexible and secondly must know what their student’s individual needs are. Only after knowing this information can one effectively incorporate flexibility into their classroom. Incorporating flexibility into a course is the hardest part. Once someone is comfortable with their material and the way they teach it, they are weary to stray away from their “normal” method of teaching. The goal for those with technology experience is to be committed to increasing the use of technology not only in their classrooms but also in the colleague’s classrooms. The benefits for student growth should out weigh the hard work that teachers put into implementing the flexibility.

            To be successful in today’s world, each person has to have the desire to be a lifelong learner. You are not going to get a job where every single part of the job stays the same year after year. Flexibility in teaching encourages more student responsibility and can account for a larger range of learning styles that students have. A few ways that flexibility helps students are that it encourages self-reliance and it helps to develop life long learning skills. Both of those products will help students succeed in their future endeavors. Technology is just beginning to make an impact on the general education curriculum. With the help of leaders in the technology field, the impact of technology on student’s education will continue to increase and lend itself to more flexible methods of teaching. The methods of teaching using technology will make a huge impact on the way students learn and their interest in what they are learning, however it is important not to lose sight of the basic fundamental teaching methods. Technology will not make up for the need to have stimulating and collaborative learning activities with their peers. Those opportunities are another way students can prepare for their future, by working out scenarios and working with diverse groups of people. In today’s world, teaching and learning is most productive when it is flexible. Technology is one evolving way to make teaching and learning flexible and those with experience with technology should share that experience with those around them.

 Analysis 

            This journal was written for Information System teachers, however I believe because the article is basing its practices on the constructivist theory that it can be applied to all subject and levels of education. The reason flexible learning can be used in all classrooms is because the constructivist learning style stresses the concept of students “constructing” their knowledge and skills through a variety of experiences (LeBaron, p. 74-75). When teachers base their teaching styles on the constructivist theory of learning, their teaching will be flexible, whether they like it or not.  The flexibility can be presented in the way they present the material, the way they reinforce the material, or the way they evaluate the learning. As the authors stated, using technology is one of the best ways to make teaching and learning flexible.

            The writers of the journals are also accurate in the fact that there is more and more responsibility being placed on the teachers, so it becomes challenging to be creative with lesson planning. One thing the authors did not point out is that with the added responsibilities to teachers is that it is hard to get all teachers trained on the technology that is available to them. Schools that are dedicated to using technology in their schools can overcome this problem by dedicating the majority of professional development days to technology training and also having some opportunities for after school training. The schools can also have teachers who are experienced with technology train other teachers. It does take time and experience to put all this ideas into action, but with the effort they can work!

            Another challenge that the authors mention for schools to overcome is making administrative changes to allow for flexibility in teaching and learning. This is probably the biggest challenge for school systems because they have to achieve the AYP and NCLB yearly goals. However, if school systems create their course curriculum in a way that allows for teachers to integrate technology and create their unit plans based on the Teaching for Understanding framework, they will see positive rewards as far as students retaining information and succeeding on standardized tests (Wiske, 2005).

            In Teaching for Understanding with Technology, it states “Schools and teachers must prepare today’s students for a rapidly changing and interdependent world by teaching them how to think with their knowledge and to apply it flexibly and responsibly” (Wiske, 2005, p.15).  This quote goes right along with what this article from The Journal of Information Systems Education is presenting. Both of these sources are correct. The world is changing and we have to teach our students so that they can “think on their feet” and be flexible. If they do not get this training and experience in their young years, it will be even harder for them to learn when they are in the “real” world.  We are teaching our future…What do you want America to be like when you have retired?

  

Implication

               If we as educators can incorporate flexibility into our classroom using technology, we will make are classrooms a more fluid learning environment. We will be able to adapt lessons to the varying needs of our students and make new learning experiences that will begin to prepare our students for the future world of technology. However, technology and educational goals are constantly evolving, so educators are going to have to stay on top of technological advances as far as training is concerned. Also school policies towards technology and flexible teaching are going to have to be evaluated and re-evaluated on a regular basis, if we are to make a positive impact on our students.

 

 

   References  

Goode, Sigi, Willis, Robert A., Wolf, James R., & Harris, Albert L. (2007). Enhancing IS

            Education with Flexible Teaching and Learning. Journal of Information Systems

            Education, 18, 297-302.

            The authors are business/technology professors at universities around the world. The

            focus of the journal is to increase student responsibility in learning by using flexible

            methods in teaching and learning. The article leads readers to want to use flexible

            methods of teaching and learning in their classroom to improve their students learning

            experiences.

   

LeBaron, John F. & Collier, Catherine. (2001). Technology In Its Place. San Francisco, CA:

            Jossey-Bass.

            The authors use research and experience from wide range of professionals in the fields of

            education and technology to demonstrate how technology can be successfully and

            effectively implemented in the classroom. This book gives ideas of how to integrate      

           technology into administrative policies which is one aspect the journal article discusses.

   Wiske, Martha S., Franz, Kristi R., & Briet, Lisa. (2005). Teaching for Understanding with

            Technology. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

            The authors are experienced educators with a focus in technology. The purpose of this

            book is to help teachers implement the use of technology into the classroom, so that it

            makes a meaningful impact on student learning. It applies to the journal article because it

            leads to ideas of how to teach content with varying levels of difficulty and flexibility by

            using technology.  

I hereby declare upon my word of honor that I have neither given nor received unauthorized help on this paper.  Christine Bounds   Feb. 14^th, 2008