We learned in this week’s presentation that the world of coding is a growing skill in our digital world. The video that our presenters shared argued that coding is almost as important as reading and writing. Coding is a powerful skill that empowers students to challenge themselves, promotes resilience when tasks are difficult, and encourages them to improve their digital literacy. However, not all schools or even divisions provide students the opportunity to develop these skills. Therefore, it is important to understand how students benefit from these experiences, as well as outline some of the obstacles that may be preventing the inclusion of coding within the school day.

Educators bring coding into their classrooms because of the complex learning opportunities that these programs provide. When learning to write code, students learn how to break down complex problems that can break down overwhelming tasks into manageable steps. These are skills that students can continue to develop in their own lives, further preparing them for life outside of school. Additionally, students are developing computer skills that will help them when they enter the workforce. Many industries today require workers to be tech-savvy. Using coding, teachers can help their students to become more versatile, while also helping them become more employable. 

While the benefits may be clear, not all students may take away from the experience in the same way. Students prefer to learn in different ways. While coding presents a different and interesting way of learning. Some students may not be able to make a connection between coding and their interests. This can make for a hard sell for students if it is not optional. With that being said, I still believe that the strong computer skills gained through a coding class would be beneficial for all students.

I have never considered myself to be very strong with technology. I learn the functions and programs that I use daily very well. However, I have never taken a strong interest to computer science or computer programming. If I were to include coding into a course that I currently teach or if I were asked to teach a computer science class, I would be relying heavily on research and peers for support. It would be a very intimidating task at this point in my career.  I am by no means saying I would never have an interest in taking on the challenge, but there would need to be some strong professional development plans in place before I did so.

Educators are continually seeking to implement tools and strategies that can improve student success. Technology has changed the world of education in many ways. However, assistive technology such as speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and visual aids have helped students of all abilities be able to learn in a way that works best for them. These tools not only help to make learning more accessible and engaging, but also help to break down some of the barriers that exist within our education systems. However, with all great things there are celebrations and limitations.

Personal Celebrations of Assistive Technology

Throughout my short career I have had many students utilize assistive technology within my classroom. The use of a computer for assignments, research, and notes tends to be the most common accomodation that is made by school leadership teams. When I think of assistive technology, a specific student comes to mind. This student was diagnosed with mild dyslexia, and a possible aphasia diagnosis that was not completed. I worked with this student utilizing speech-to-text, as well as text-to-speech on their computer, daily. We worked together when it came to assignments, so that the student could still be independent much of the time, as they did not want me to have to sit with them for the entire class. One of the changes we made based on this student’s suggestion was the use of different fonts on the assignments I created. The student worked with me to download a specific font onto my work computer that could be used in word for printed material and assignments. They claimed it helped them to read what I was providing. Since the common fonts were not working, I was willing to give anything a try. Between the newly downloaded font, text-to-speech, and speech-to-text, the student was able to successfully complete their grade twelve year with respectable marks and minimal assistance.

Challenges with Assistive Technology

While assistive technology provides so many benefits to education there are also challenges that come along with it. The first challenge is that there is a learning curve with students who have not used the technology before. This is especially true for students who may not have worked much with computers in their earlier years. A second challenge is that technology is not always reliable. The batteries on the division provided computers are not always the best, meaning that students need to keep their computers charged or be near an outlet for the majority of the day while using their computer. A third concern is how the students are utilizing their computers. Many of the assistive tech computers can be used by the students to access online games. It is important to teach students about proper usage and encourage them to only use the technology for its intended use. Finally, the use of assistive technology can sometimes draw attention of the students learning needs. It is important for educators to foster a learning environment that normalizes and celebrates diversity. Whenever possible the same modifications can be made for all students to utilize if they choose.

Prior generations placed a heavy emphasis on reading, memorization, and being able to repeat information. I can vividly remember studying notes from class and memorizing them word-for-word to be able to repeat them on a written test. Towards the end of the year we would be given a standardized test that was marked using a scantron. These were often highly stressful times, as it was someone other than your teacher who would be marking your exam. No hope for half marks even if you did your work correct and wound up with the wrong answer on your calculator. These types of assessment took away from teacher feedback. However, these forms of assessment became the focus of large technology companies that were looking to make the lives of educators easier, while also filling their pockets. I believe students learn best when they can track their mistakes and visualize the changes that need to be made. Some online assessment tools have begun to make positive changes in this direction.

Similar assessment options to the scantron still exist today. Nevertheless, there is much more versatility and user creativity. Teachers can create multiple choice tests using Google Forms. This program provides instant feedback to students on whether their answers were correct or incorrect. Using math as an example, the program does not make providing specific feedback through the application very easy. Teachers would still need to determine their students thought process while answering the question or have them complete written work on a piece of paper to be able to provide them with specific feedback. However, for other applications, Google Forms provides learners the opportunity to complete the form using long or short answers. Students are then able to type their answers linked to a specific question. Teachers are notified once students have completed the form and they can provide a numerical score beside each answer. This gives students the opportunity to complete short answer assignments using a computer and organizes all the responses in a common place for teachers to view. Additionally, this form of assessment is also commonly used in distance learning delivery. Students can access the assessment from their phone or computer and share their answers with their teacher in an efficient manner.

The introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has welcomed new opportunities for assessment within education. Utilizing programs such as Chat GPT or Magic School teachers can create rubrics for their assignments using guiding phrases and a few clicks. Teachers can then copy the AI rubric to the productivity suite of their choice and make further edits or adjustments to their liking. Utilizing rubrics help teachers to create consistency in their marking, guide students throughout their assignments by stating what needs to be included to achieve full marks while also serving as a conversation piece if teachers are challenged on their marking schemes.

In conclusion, assessment technology options are becoming vaster as time passes. Teachers need to evaluate the options that are available to them and ensure that they are keeping feedback and student learning at the forefront. Teachers should strive to use assessment technologies that focus on feedback, reflective practices, and the student’s ability to apply what they have learned. Students should never receive a grade without reasoning.

I currently teach in a face-to-face setting. However, the Covid-19 pandemic provided me the opportunity to expand my horizons in terms of online/distance delivery. I have become very confident using Google’s productivity suite. The school division I currently work in had not yet made the switch to Edsby at this time, meaning Google Classroom made the most sense to organize and present material to students. It provided a space to connect with students, organize hand-in assignments, and even distribute group work. Google Docs allowed students the opportunity to work together on an assignment in real time. It was also very efficient once students had completed the assignment, giving them a space to hand in their work directly through Google Classroom.

I believe that the format of distance learning has changed drastically over the last little while. When I was in high school, it was often students reading an online version of the textbook and answering questions on a printed document that would then be scanned and returned to the distance learning teacher. Today, online learning provides three major advantages according to Jingshu Gu: teachers and students can interact in real time using conferencing apps, the material often includes many forms of media that make learning interesting, and personalized learning guidance can be provided. Although, online learning opens more doors for students, especially when it comes to classes that are not offered within their schools, online learning is not for everyone. I have witnessed many students fail online classes and their number one reason for not passing the class is the lack of relations with their classmates, as well as their teacher. There is something about learning from someone in the same room as you that I do not think online learning will ever be able to match.

In conclusion, many of the classes that I currently teach face-to-face would be an easy conversion to an online format. I enjoy using technology within my classroom, providing students the opportunity to complete their work using productivity suites as well as the internet for guided research. I believe that teaching students how to comb through information and compare information from different websites is very important, as they grow into young adults. However, there are some classes such as Physical Education that are best left to in-person learning. I cannot imagine a world where students are never exposed to working together as a team face-to-face, learning how to deal with conflict that often arises during group activities, and strategizing with other people.

If someone were to ask for a current definition of technology, the average mind would immediately default to current advancements. However, to truly value current technology it is important to first learn where current developments originated. In the world of educational technology, a current example would be the introduction of smart boards. It is easy to forget that at one time classrooms were equipped with overhead projectors, and before that handwritten notes on a blackboard. Tony Bates does a great job of a examining a timeline of prior educational technologies in their article: A short history of educational technology. A personal takeaway from this article was the introduction of PLATO to the world of education. This online education tool brought instant messaging, online testing, forums, and message boards to the world of learning. It is hard to believe that this program was first developed in the 1970’s, it seemed to be well before its time. Fast forward to today’s technology, it is easy to see how PLATO continually advances such as including programs like google classroom. Further allowing education to extend beyond the classroom.

In another article Neil Postman shares the idea that technology becomes dangerous when people take it for granted. Working with youth daily, it is easy to see how current technology such as televisions, streaming services, cellphones, computers, and smart watches have quickly become part of their everyday life. The youth of today have come to rely on their technology for entertainment, as well as learning. One worry I have regarding this reliance is how youth struggle to function without contacting friends or watching their favorite show daily, it has become their routine. The same could be said about how technology is used within education. Educators have become reliant on using technology for research, writing, sharing videos, and projecting lessons. Neil Postman concludes with a statement that stuck with me, “the greater the technology that is introduced, the greater the price.” In other words, while technology is meant to make our lives easier, it can also make some aspects of life more difficult.

While advancements in educational technology are amazing, it is also important that we are weighing the pros and cons of what we, as educators, are bringing into the classroom. Do we worry that one day handwritten notes and printing become a thing of the past or that books are only available digitally? Regardless of your standpoint in the use of educational technology, it is important to understand the reasoning for using them and the positive and/or negative impacts they bring with them.