In the classroom, teachers play a pivotal role as mediators between students and technology. They select suitable tools and integrate them into lesson plans to enrich learning experiences. Offering guidance and support, they assist students in navigating technical challenges while modeling responsible digital citizenship. Teachers foster collaboration, assess learning outcomes using digital tools, and monitor technology use to maintain focus on educational objectives. Continuously having to refine their approaches, they leverage technology to cultivate active engagement, critical thinking, and collaboration, ultimately optimizing the teaching and learning process.

The educators and professionals below were asked the following questions:

What is your view on the usage of technology in classrooms and how does it harm/help the learning process?

Do you have any personal experiences that can support your view?

What differences do you believe are notable about the ways students are learning now versus the ways students were learning in previous generations?

What do you believe is the best course of action concerning the use of technology in education?

Mr. Scott Laleman

Carl Hooker

Learn More About Carl Hooker Here...

Mr. Scott Laleman

Director of the Technology Department at Medina Valley ISD

What is your view on the usage of technology in classrooms and how does it harm/help the learning process?

"I've been a strong advocate of technology in the classroom since I first started teaching 28 years ago. Technology not only allows students to access information faster, it opens up the ability for students to reach out to experts in a field, see and hear what is going on in different parts of the world in real time, and produce their own content for an authentic, worldwide audience."

Do you have any personal experiences that can support your view?

"In my nearly 30 years in education, I've watched technology and access to the Internet completely transform the way we receive information. It has also transformed education, although to a lesser degree. Many teachers still have students produce the same types of products that they did when I started teaching - written reports (sometimes still even turned in on paper!), poster boards, drawings, etc. Producing content has gotten easier and easier over the past 15 years, and I think should be the focus of how students demonstrate their learning."

What differences do you believe are notable about the ways students are learning now versus the ways students were learning in previous generations?

"Students are able to fact check in real time, and the need to memorize facts that can easily be looked up on a phone or computer allows for teachers to spend less time on those facts and more time on teaching critical thinking skills, which are more important than ever in today's society."

What do you believe is the best course of action concerning the use of technology in education?

"I think teachers need to embrace AI and figure out how to teach students how to effectively use it instead of being scared of it and trying to ban it's use in the classroom."

Carl Hooker

Educational Consultant and Speaker

What is your view on the usage of technology in classrooms and how does it harm/help the learning process?

"When used properly, it can be a powerful tool for personalizing student learning, bringing equity to underserved populations and increase student engagement. However, used only as an electronic textbook or digital worksheet is a waste."

Do you have any personal experiences that can support your view?

"I’ve spent the last 20 year integrating technology into the classroom. As Director of Innovation at Eanes ISD, we launched the first 1 to 1 iPad initiative in the state of Texas. I’ve written 8 books on the subject and interview experts in the field regularly via my podcasts."

What differences do you believe are notable about the ways students are learning now versus the ways students were learning in previous generations?

"Today’s students expects an on demand experience. They don’t want to sit and get information, they want to seek it out but it has to be interesting and personable. This isn’t too different from the past, however, now with the internet, AI, and social media, there are many more pathways to this on demand type learning."

What do you believe is the best course of action concerning the use of technology in education?

"It should be scaffolded starting at kindergarten. Students should be modeled best practices throughout elementary school (both by teachers and parents) and then slowly given more responsibility (like smart phones and social media) throughout middle school and high school. Giving students access to these tools too early could hurt their development and lead to bad habits at an early age. Utilizing the tools for learning rather than recreation helps model best use."

Carl Hooker is an advocate for educational technology and his involvement in his community to improve the integration of technology within the education system is exemplary.

An excerpt from his website...

"Mr. Hooker has been a part of a strong educational shift with technology integration since becoming an educator. From his start as a teacher to his current district technology leadership, he’s always had one common belief – the kids need to drive their own learning. He realizes the challenges in our current public educational institutions and meets them head on. His unique blend of educational background, technical expertise, and humor make him a successful driving force for this change. As a speaker, he brings this background as well as a wealth of practical tools and ideas that teachers can use in their classroom tomorrow."

Learn More About Carl Hooker Here...

iPad Palooza

Hooked on Innovation

Mrs. Leann Kidd

Technology Services Director

What is your view on the usage of technology in classrooms and how does it harm/help the learning process?

"With everything that comes across a student's view- there is good and bad. I think that technology is preparing students for their futures. Jobs circle around technology and with AI in the landscape there are jobs that do not even exist. Students need to know how to engage with technology, know the basic skills of managing the tech, and know how to get around tools. There is of course a very fun side to technology which requires each person behind a keyboard to be a good digital citizen. With anonymity at a student's finger tips and spam/phishing in the world, it is concerning that students have access to something so vast while learning how to manage the skills to do effectively."

Do you have any personal experiences that can support your view?

"Jobs that didn't exist when I was younger... something as simple as a self check out at the grocery store. Or measuring produce at the check out line instead of getting a ticket in the produce aisle. Cell phones and the connectivity capabilities- my friend was a pen pal where we wrote letters with stamps! There are also already tech advances in cars and transportation that didn't exist 10 even 20 years ago. Tech changes everything."

What differences do you believe are notable about the ways students are learning now versus the ways students were learning in previous generations?

"I think this generation is so much smarter and has SO MANY possibilities. As a former classroom teachers I was amazed at the skills I was teaching 3rd graders. Some of the things they were expected to learn I didn't learn until much later. Students in the classroom today have more expectations to give them potential to be prepared for a job they may create that doesn't exist yet."

What do you believe is the best course of action concerning the use of technology in education?

"Teaching students tech safety. Ensuring they know how to use it for more consumption. Giving them the skills to use creatively and realize the protentional at their fingertips."

Michael Trevino

Instructional Technology Coordinator at Edgewood ISD

What is your view on the usage of technology in classrooms and how does it harm/help the learning process?

"The use of technology in the classroom over all should aid in the learning process, not provide more difficulty for the students or teachers. It should enhance pedagogy, prioritize student-centered learning, and promote equitable and ethical use while building skills in content. "

Do you have any personal experiences that can support your view?

"When I first started in instructional technology, the district had purchased a book that came with software. Teachers taught out of the book assigned work problems from the book and students turned in this work, then teachers graded it. Halfway through the year I discovered they were not using the software component that allowed for auto assigning and grading but also video tutoring if the students ran into trouble with a certain type of problems. This cuts out time for the students and teachers grading and reviewing work and allows more time for teachers to build more engaging lessons around the work that needs to be done."

What differences do you believe are notable about the ways students are learning now versus the ways students were learning in previous generations?

"I was a student who learned in two generations. One where I had to look things up in books in a library. The second, when I got into high school/college, was one where I had all the answers provided for me, I just had to know what questions to ask and how to parse through the answers. With the explosion of AI it is now becoming even more important for students to not only know what questions to ask but, to be able to provide context for your questions, and be able to lead AI into what they want to know. I heard in a podcast on AI recently that the coding language of the future is English. Knowing how to prompt AI to give you the answers you are searching for is going to become a key job skill. "

What do you believe is the best course of action concerning the use of technology in education?

"It has to be embraced; we do a disservice to the next generation if we are not teaching them the skills, they will need to work in a future where these technologies exist, pedagogy has to evolve with the world that students are learning in."

Melanie Strawbridge

Academic Technology Coordinator

What is your view on the usage of technology in classrooms and how does it harm/help the learning process?

"Technology can be a great tool to enhance learning. The key is not to use tech as THE cool thing but to make learning efficient, engaging, and relevant."

Do you have any personal experiences that can support your view?

"I've been a classroom teacher in 1st -4th grades for 10 years, then a Vice/Associate Principal, and now work for Academic Technology. I've seen amazing lessons that were low tech and high tech. I also now support STEM lab teachers, and have seen value when tech supports the learning targets. I've also seen teachers who got caught up in the tech side and lost focus of the why...the learning target."

What differences do you believe are notable about the ways students are learning now versus the ways students were learning in previous generations?

"There is now (thankfully) a focus on teaching students how to think critically and problem solve, and there was previously a focus on memorization of facts."

What do you believe is the best course of action concerning the use of technology in education?

"We owe students an education that is relevant for the time they're in, while making every effort to prepare students for a world we don't know yet. Things have changed so much in the past couple of decades...we have to prepare thinkers and problem solvers to navigate challenges we can't yet imagine."

Mr. Brad Cloud

Instructional Technology Director

What is your view on the usage of technology in classrooms and how does it harm/help the learning process?

"I believe that technology usage in the classroom is a great benefit for educators and students. I believe thoughtful use of tech integrated into the curriculum will inevitably increase student engagement and productivity."

Do you have any personal experiences that can support your view?

"I have worked in the area of instructional technology since 2011. In that time I have worked with hundreds of teachers as they sought to integrate technology. Most of these teachers were excited to utilize the technology and they have shared very positive feedback regarding their experiences."

What differences do you believe are notable about the ways students are learning now versus the ways students were learning in previous generations?

"Today's educational tools offer unparalleled versatility and facilitate a seamless learning experience, significantly reducing barriers that students face in digital education. The resources at our disposal now not only enhance productivity but also provide considerable advantages in learning effectiveness. These technological advancements have transformed traditional learning paradigms, ushering in a new era of educational opportunities that are accessible and efficient."

What do you believe is the best course of action concerning the use of technology in education?

"I believe that technology integration is essential to a modern education. I do feel that students need to be prepared to use technology though. This comes through digital citizenship and cybersecurity curriculum. You might find this LinkedIn post interesting. It speaks to an educational group that has chosen to embrace AI in education rather than ban it."

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/imad-nassoura_as-a-leader-at-an-international-baccalaureate-activity-7182338913519190016-PIZr/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android

Lynn Dixon-Gonzales

Instructional Technology

What is your view on the usage of technology in classrooms and how does it harm/help the learning process?

"Technology integration, when used appropriately, will engage students and enhance learning. It is critical that students not only learn content, but also learn how to use technology effectively for future college, career and military readiness."

Do you have any personal experiences that can support your view?

"For effective writing, I would have students listen to their compositions, then paste them into https://www.paperrater.com/ for feedback and links to sites to help them become better writers. RLA teachers reported an improvement in writing and also found students more willing to take charge of their own learning."

What do you believe is the best course of action concerning the use of technology in education?

"By integrating technology teachers can cater to more learning styles and are better able to differentiate instruction. This is much more difficult with books and paper, especially for students receiving special ed., dyslexia and ESL services. "

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