Can Technology Encourage Effective Learning?

TechnologyI recently read this article which I think may be of some interest to the educators here at Tyndale. Now I am not faculty and I am not going to pretend I am – I have however worked in youth ministry for over 15 years and I think I have a good idea where the students are at.

The article is called “Technology Spices Up Learning for Net Generation� which caught my eye – yes because of the word technology. We in the ITS department love technology – but not (always) for technology sake. Here is a quick snip from our department mission statement.

“ITS …provides information technology tools and services to encourage and enable effective learning…â€?

We desire to use technology to encourage and enable effective learning. This article discusses different ways we can use technology to better meets the needs of the “Net Generation�

Read the article then come back here to my blog and post a comment–

Do you think technology can make a difference in effective learning?
What technologies do you think we need to embrace at Tyndale?

September 25, 2006 · Filed under Education, Technology

3 Comments »

  1. Tom Said,

    September 25, 2006 @ 9:55 am

    Whether it is 2006 or 1885, everyone learns differently. Some learn easily when reading, some by touch and some by looking. By the time we reach 18-20 years of age we all need to be able to read/write/spell/type/add/subtract/ multiply/divide etc. to get through life. Is technology the answer for the next generation? I do not think so.

    Technology is not always the answer to fixing a business process so why would it always be the answer for education? I believe that it is more the case that technology enhances the education experience and perhaps give the educator the ability to reach two different style learners at the same time. But…is the technology readily available allowing the educator to use it 100% of the time? The obvious answer is no. This would require electronic curriculum for every item taught for every day. When we schools have that kind of resource? If you can predict that please let me know.

  2. Albert Said,

    September 25, 2006 @ 10:57 pm

    I really like the idea of podcasts and I learn alot through that specific use of technology. You know I was just thinking about this upcoming Friday to test the scenario:
    - Suppose chapel is filled to capacity and there is an overflow of people such that even the single overflow room is also filled. In order for the others to hear what’s happening…
    - Is it possible to hook up the TUCS computer (the one Phil and Toby use for basketball games) to stream the live conference to other classrooms (which now have speakers equipped?)
    - How about hooking up a webcam and somehow showing refreshing pictures or live video of what’s happening in chapel to the other classrooms as well?

  3. Andy Said,

    September 26, 2006 @ 8:48 am

    Tom: in 1885 there was instructional technology – whether they called it that or not – chalk and a blackboard was the technology used – now this generation uses the Internet – are we still using the blackboard?

    Albert: Podcasts are great! we have already started to use podcasting in chapel and for basketball games – they have been working on live streaming over the web as well which means any classroom with a computer on the web could become an overflow room. We do have one room setup with a live audio/video as well – no podcasting there :)

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