Student Centered Technology

The advantages of using student centered technology in the classroom to differentiate

instruction are that they increase communication and collaboration among students all over
the world. In the past, students did their class work independently and were not allowed to
receive input from the students sitting near them. The teacher would explain the assignment
on the board and then they were given work to perform at their desk alone. They were usually
limited to what was taught at their school unless they had the advantage of traveling the world
with their parents. With the use of technology in the classroom, students can now travel the
world with their classmates. Students can now come up with ideas and solutions that benefit all
of the students and find more than one way to solve a problem.
I believe that the impact on student achievement when technology is used to
differentiate instruction is that today, instead of the student waiting for the teacher to write
lessons on the chalkboard and then attempting to write it down before the teacher erases it, or
collecting local newspapers, magazine articles, or heavy encyclopedias; now they have
immediate access online to newspapers, journals, magazines, encyclopedias, practice tests,
teaching games, crossword puzzles, book reviews before they buy the book, and the ability to
communicate with other students in classrooms across the world. They dont have to deal with
the student next to them who understands the lesson faster than them, because now they can
work at their own pace and practice it until they feel comfortable before moving to the next
step. Students no longer learn only about their community and state, but they are now
becoming global citizens and are able to compete nationally.
To ensure that students meet the learning objectives for using technology in the class,
teachers must use many forms of assessments to evaluate student performance, such as:
Authentic Assessments- they present learning experiences that demonstrate real-life
connections between students lessons and the world in which they live; Project-based
Assessments-a model for teaching and learning that focuses on creating learning
opportunities for students by engaging them in real-world projects where they have an
active role in completing meaningful tasks, constructing their own knowledge, solving
problems, or creating realistic projects; Portfolio Assessments-they evaluate student
assignments or projects over a period of time; Checklists-a predetermined list of performance
criteria used in project-based and portfolio assessment; Rating Scales-a more complex form of a
checklist that lists a numerical value, or rating, for each criterion; and A Rubric -a detailed
assessment tool that makes it easy for teachers to assess the quality of an item, such as a
student project.(P.364 Teachers Discovering Computers, Integrating Technology in a Connected World,
Seventh Edition, Shelly/Gunter/Gunter - Cengage Learning.)
I believe that the importance of student centered technology in the classroom is making
sure that the technology is age appropriate and that it enhances the learning process and
motivates the student to want to learn more. Many teachers have noticed that students are
motivated by and enjoy the process of creating their own interactive digital media
presentations and they enjoy conducting research and writing when their writing projects
involve the creation of digital media presentations. I believe that the lesson should be
challenging and not below their level of intelligence. It should not be too challenging to the
point that they just stop trying. The student should not just see the technology as a learning
game, but as a tool to push them to seek more knowledge after they win the first game.
I believe there could be a few disadvantages of using student centered technology in the
classroom to differentiate instruction if the teacher does not:
1. Break the projects into a well-defined task so the student can use their computer time wisely.
2. Discuss with the student how much time their project should involve.
3. Have the student write a visual plan before going to the computer.
4. Assign searching as homework to save researching time on computer at school.
5. Train some students to assist other students who need help.
6. Assign group projects so that all students participate.
7. Use e-books, smart boards and phones, tablets, iPods, etc.,
8. Help the student use the color pads on the computer (yellow-help needed).
9. Have the student seek information from their classmates before asking teacher.
10. Post a list of the procedures and guidelines for using technology in the classroom.
If these suggestions are not used, the use of technology in the class can be a disruption.
The disadvantages of using technology to differentiate instruction in the classroom have
been stated in the 2012 Volume 10, Issue 4 of The Electronic Journal of e-learning , were that
some of the students became too distracted at times. The maturity level of the child was a
concern also, and having meaningful activities.
I believe that a teacher can only use technology to differentiate instruction because,
todays students, often called digital natives or the Net Generation, grow up with technology.
Most of them have never known life without the Internet. They have spent their entire lives
using computers, cell phones, and other digital media and have integrated technology into
almost everything they do. On my job, I see babies as young as one year old, playing on IPads
while sitting in a stroller. I myself have experienced the trauma of seeing a teenager who had
their cell phone taken away from them for a week, and they did not know how they were going
to survive without it. I think trying not to use technology in the class could be devastating to
the student and the teacher today of 21
st
Century Students.



















REFERENCES:
1. Teachers Discovering Computers, Integrating Technology in a Connected World,
Seventh Edition, Shelly/Gunter/Gunter - Cengage Learning. Chap.5-Technology,
Digital Media, & Curriculum Integration. Chap.7-Evaluating Educational Technology &
Integration Strategies.

2. Learner-Centered Technology Integration Volume 28 Number 2 Journal of Digital
Learning in Teacher Education | 55 Copyright 201112, ISTE (International Society for
Technology in Education).

3. Digital Devices in Classroom, The Electronic Journal of e-Learning, Volume 10 Issue 4
2012, Academic Publishing International, LTD, ISSN 1479-4403.



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