Digital Technologies – 9/1/18

Taking part in the digital technology module is a great opportunity for me to build upon and enrich the ICT skills I have already developed, in both a professional and personal setting. Looking at the many ways in which digital technology can help enhance both learning and teaching is extremely valuable because as time moves forward technology advances as well. Technology is now used in many different forms throughout classrooms including, smart boards.

Having not been able to attend the first class due to personal reasons, I viewed the PowerPoint at home and looked over the materials provided. Looking through the module handbook and the assessment criteria, I was able to gain a better understanding of what will be expected of me throughout the module. After doing this, I went on to review the introduction PowerPoint and reflected on some of the points made on the slides. To me, digital technology is a device that allows people to gain access to larger variety of knowledge. According to Education Scotland (2015), digital technology is a term used to describe those digital application, services and resources which are used to: find, analyse, create, communication and use information in a digital context.

I then went on to read through the National Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy (2016) and I was able to pick out the main points throughout the article. Overall, the main outcome Education Scotland(2016) is working towards is to raise attainment levels through children gaining the highest level of literacy and numeracy skills to allow them to become successful. They are also trying to achieve equity so that each child has an equal opportunity to succeed. Education Scotland (2016) believe that digital technology can help enrich both teaching and learning, which in turn can lead to better educational outcomes including the two I have previously discussed.

The main beneficiaries of this strategy are the learners aged 3-18 who will be able to acquire ICT skills that are an essential part of life and when they start work, especially as nearly everything today is digital. The teachers as well will benefit, as they require training in order to learn the sufficient level of skills needed to then teach to the children.

My own digital skills are an area that could be developed, especially as digital technology is now playing such as important part of everyday teaching in the classroom. My skills are competent enough that I am able to use technology for writing essays and doing research. I also use devices for reading, such as a kindle. I am hoping to become more aware of other technologies and devices and understand how to use them properly and implement them into my teaching. As a parent, I get to see the vast range of digital technology used at my daughter’s school and how she as a learner uses this technology, which has been very insightful.

Being a student teacher today, having digital technology skills in my opinion is one of the most important set of skills to have. With technology playing such an important part in everyday life, these need to be taught to learners in order for them to succeed.

References

Scottish Government (2016) A Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy for Scotland. Edinburgh: Scottish Government [Online] Available at:http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0050/00505855.pdf[Accessed: 14 January 2018]

 

 

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