A immensely informative presentation was done on Productivity Suits and Productivity Tools. A productivity suit is a set of applications that includes apps like a word processor, a presentation, and an app to make spreadsheets- these three apps are typically the mainstays of any productivity suite. I was actively using the Google and Microsoft suit, but it was like second nature without giving much though to the theoretical aspect of it. While Google suit is my favorite, these productivity suits along with their tools has have endless implications (negative and positive) on both students and teachers, some of which will be discussed below.

Productivity suits enables real time collaboration for both students and teachers thus increasing productivity. One can work in real-time collectively without physically being in the same space using google docs. It is student-centered, as well as it fosters group work and shared understanding among learners. It also facilitates creativity and allows individuals to learn and work at their own pace. Feedbacks are a crucial to support students in understanding how to improve their performance and for teachers to improve their teaching practice. Productivity suit facilitates creativity along with instant and continuous feedback from teachers. The mobile version of the productivity suits like Microsoft Office Mobile and Google Docs for mobile devices allowed users to create, edit, and collaborate on documents directly from their smartphones or tablets. This provides a convenient and flexible way for teachers and students to stay productive while on the go.

While I could have listed several other positive implications, I must acknowledge that there are some cons to using productive suits as well. While it is student centered and fosters creativity, it also create disparity in learning opportunities due to lack of access. The reality is, not all students have access to devices. Collaborating in real-time remotely limits face to face interaction and diminishes social skills among individuals. This was most evident post-COVID where it truly felt like a burden having to go to meetings in person and everyone felt like a stranger even though we interreacted weekly online. In addition to that, completing tasks in productive suits can be distracting as notifications, games and social media are one click away. This also have had significant impacts on individuals’ writing skills with the help of predictive text and autocorrect in both google doc and microsoft office. Lastly, both teachers and students can become overwhelmed with trying to operate the applications of each productive suit. As these applications evolve over time, one has to be abreast with the changes in addition to ALL other daily professional task which can become overwhelming.

My evolving philosophy of education is that all students are unique. They all have their own experiences and socio-cultural background that influences their learning styles. I aim to provide an environment that provides enrichment and growth in a holistic way that all students deserve. I believe my role as a teacher is to facilitate, to offer guidance, to promote individuality and creativity through different modes of teaching. Thus providing a safe environment for my students to share their opinions and ask questions. However, the knowledge and learning theories that underpins my philosophy is a combination of all three.

Initially, I utilized a Constructivist Approach where I truly believed learning is the responsibility of the learner. I, the facilitator, will guide students to build on their prior knowledge through inquiry and engagement. As mentioned in class, this way the process of learning takes into consideration the students individuality, uniqueness and own understanding. I however had to deviate from a constructivist approach to a cognitive approach while teaching at a school where the majority of the school’s population were reading way below their grade level. Sadly, the focus was to complete the curriculum despite the students’ learning challenges. So since our focus is narrowed by empirical data, the product rather than the process, the Constructivist approach was not producing the product in a timely manner. A. William (2015) highlighted that the nature of knowledge is constantly changing, unlike decades before, skilled-based jobs require both academic and skill-based requirements. As this technological era evolves, teachers’ instructions too, must align with this era but each faces his/her own unique situation.

Lastly, while Skinner’s theory on Stimuli- Response to Behavior theory has its cons, it has had a positive impact on my students behavior over the years especially my male dominated classes. I use a positive and negative reward system that is unique to each of my classes. For example, a reward as simple as receiving a star on a chart each time required behavior is displayed, and the reverse when the student displayed unacceptable behavior. What was even more interesting was learning that Skinner’s non-traditional learning approach gave birth to the Adaptive approach that is now being encouraged. Both approaches focus on the individuality of each learner, which was the aim of Skinner’s Teaching Machine. Now we have individual assessment and teaching tools that allow students to learn at their own pace and level. This Adaptive approach I too used as a teacher and I am currently utilizing it as a student.

    I am of the millennial generation where technology is integrated in all aspect of life and even more so, my job. I was a Secondary School Mathematics Teacher in my home country and I have always chosen to utilized what I thought was the most basic forms of technology. I have used the RenWeb One Software for uploading grades, comments, attendance and so much more. I have also used google classroom, zoom, WhatsApp, emails, Kahoot and other platforms to interact with either administrators, students and, or parents. This was what educational technology meant to me, any tool or software that enables one to complete tasks in an efficient way as an educator or student.

An education Journalist, A. Shimalla (2024) wrote an article on what education technology is today, and the uses of such. She stated that “Educational technology, or ed tech, encompasses a wide variety of applications, software, hardware and infrastructure components — from online quizzes and learning management systems to individual laptops for students and the access points that enable Wi-Fi connectivity”. She mentioned that the usages of projectors and long based assessment are no longer primary tools used in the classrooms.

Despite my interactions with the above aforementioned interfaces, I do regard myself as a digital immigrant. Technology is continuously evolving, and I often feel as if I just cannot keep up. It just does not comes naturally as it does for others, but, being introduced to the concept of soft and hard technology, my understanding of educational technology has changed positively. The focus is not merely on the tool or device, but what it is being used for and how it is being used to achieve a purpose. It was an humbling experience, that a stick, pencil, ruler and abacus could be considered a tools of educational technology. I am looking forward to learn and grow on a personal level by applying I have garnered in this course.