The start of the Digital Technology module gave me the opportunity to explore my own thoughts about a variety of different devices that I use or am familiar with.  It also gave me the opportunity to self-assess my skills.  Prior to the self-assessment I would have considered myself comfortable with technology because I am familiar with office based programs such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel.  I would also have considered myself to be comfortable with other technological items including mobile phones and home assistant products for example Amazon Alexa and Google Home.  Reflecting after the self-assessment throughout introduction workshop to the module I notice that my knowledge is not so proficient as I would like to think and given further consideration, I understand that there are many aspects of technology that I am not familiar with or that I do not use to their full potential.

 

In the workshop we spoke about the variety of devices that can be used to in an educational setting, including laptops, tablets and games consoles.  One thing I found interesting was the discussion surrounding the game MineCraft, played on a games console.  Prior to the workshop I had not thought of an X-box as an educational tool, however Lecturer Graham Brett discussed the idea that a child who perhaps stated that they “could not write a story” could be encouraged to build it on MineCraft and then write about what they had designed.  It certainly gave me some ideas for helping my own children use this as a learning tool.  It also allowed me to consider that other devices can be useful when learners are looking to find information or create a project for example not only is the Amazon Alexa a home assistant, a music player and interfaces with other smart devices, another of its skills is to provide information about the International Space Station and it has the ability to inform of pass times for viewing the station from Earth or advise who is currently on board and what tests are being undertaken at any given time.

 

In a previous module I was tasked, as part of a group, with using i-Movie on an i-pad that would convey an important message to a group of young people.  Though I am not fully versed in the use of the application I found it very user friendly and I was pleased with the outcome.  The result was much more captivating than just telling children to be safe online and the benefits of the application were instantly obvious. This is another example of how digital technology can be used to enhance the learning experience for a young person and to assist the educator in creating engaging learning materials.

 

The concept of digital technology being a tool that can be used to enhance the educators experience is interesting.  Matt Jarvis suggests that teachers lack a sense of ownership of technology and view it as another demand of the job rather than a tool to help them (Jarvis, 2015).   I understand this viewpoint as initially when undertaking the i-movie task, I was apprehensive that I was not proficient with Apple i-Pad devices.  Another example of where I have would not have fully integrated technology would be had I used the Amazon Alexa device to plan a lesson around the Space Station.

These feelings of uncertainty are something that the Scottish Government intends to address and the document ‘Enhancing Learning and Teaching Through the Use of Digital Technology – A Digital Learning Strategy for Scotland’ (Education Scotland, 2016) lays out a strategy for addressing the uncertainty and it also considers the benefits digital technology can bring to the educator, young people and to Scotland as a whole in the future.

 

The strategy regonsises that educators lack confidence in fully integrating technology into the classroom and sets out a plan to support educators allowing Local Authority’s to develop strategies to do this.  An online resource in Scotland called “Glow” is an online tool that allows teachers to access a plethora of information and the Scottish Government expects all educators to have access to this resource. From the perspective of the children and young people, the strategy considers the benefits of digital technology being integrated lessons across the curriculum to enhance the learning experience and bring out the best in the young people.  The strategy supports the idea that innovative use of digital technology can offer learners improved equity of opportunities and that when used correctly it can enhance learning and close the poverty attainment gap ((Education Scotland, 2016).

 

Given this was my first foray into the module I am looking forward to further academic reading on the subject but mostly I am looking forward to new ideas and exploring the benefits that integrating technology into my practice will result in.

 

References:

Scottish Government. (2016) A Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy for Scotland.  Edinburgh: Scottish Government (Online) Available at http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0050/0050  [Accessed: 09 January 2018]

Jarvis, M.  (2015) Brilliant Ideas for Using ICT in the Classroom Oxon: Routledge