Academic writing 3.

Barriers to the effective use of technology in education.

As technology stands so prevalent within society the need to integrate its use into teaching and learning has become integral to the growth of education. The use of technology must be carefully implemented into education as an aid that can enhance the students experience and not to substitute for the teacher’s role. Brush et al. (2000) note “the difficulty teachers experience adjusting to their new roles as guides and helping students become self directed”. As students will be using the technology provided to complete tasks or to carry out research among other activities, the teacher’s interaction within these elements of the lesson may alter. Although the teachers role will change slightly their input and guidance is paramount to the students learning experience.

Barriers may arise within a student’s knowledge of the technology being used and equally in the teacher’s ability to successfully implement the technology into the teaching practice. By introducing the use of technology as a requirement to complete a task, it will be integral that students have gained a competent level of I.T skills prior to this requirement. Teachers may also require regular training using the applications needed to deliver the curriculum effectively. As Hasselbring et al. (1991 p.1) suggest “It is clear that if we want technology to have an impact on learning, we must make an effort to put its power directly into the hands of teachers and train them in how to use it”.    

Therefore it is clear that one of the main barriers within the use of technology in education is the lack of experience and confidence needed to implement these tools.

Reference list

Brush, T. and Saye, J. (2000) Design, implementation and evaluation of student-centred learning: a case study Educational Technology Research and Development Vol. 48(2) 79-100.

Hasselbring ‘et al.’ (1991) Improving Education through Technology Preventing school failure Vol. 35(3) 33-37.  

*Petty, G (2009) Teaching Today A Practical Guide 4th ed, Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes Limited

*Reece, L, and Walker, S (2003) Teaching, Training and Learning a practical guide 5th ed, Sunderland: Business Education Publishers Limited