Personal Philosophy
In today's society, technology has a constant presence in everything we do; it is in our cars, houses, workplaces, financial and health institutions, entertainment, communication, and social systems, and as innovations occur, so will our interdependence upon it (Parkay et al. 2014). As educators, we are responsible for including technology in our classrooms to help mold students into successful global citizens with the skills needed to thrive in a fast-growing technological society. We need to develop content on different platforms so students who cannot or choose not to be physically present in classrooms can participate in lesson activities while learning new material; we also need to use some of the latest technology tools, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help automatize routine tasks and help create individualized activities that focus on different learning styles. Curriculum goals need to use relevant and current information that provides students with meaningful learning experiences (Twining et al., 2020). Activities and projects must give students opportunities to analyze data, curate resources, think critically, problem-solve, and collaborate with peers to find effective solutions to real-life issues (Doherty & Stephens, 2021).
Successful integration of technology in a curriculum depends on a well-constructed action plan. Developing a solid curriculum that reflects state standards, provides age-appropriate activities, and has the support of the school board members, administrators, teachers, and parents (Calderón & Tannehill, 2020) is the first step in bringing technology to a school. Once the curriculum is developed, the next step is to put in place a strong IT infrastructure system that provides reliable internet connections, enough devices for students and teachers to use when needed, and a variety of educational software applications that provide quality activities to students. Adnan et al. (2020) said, “The quality of children’s education depends on the quality of their teacher” (p. 3), so having the objectives and the infrastructure ready for implementation but not providing enough training and support to the teachers who are going to implement it in the classroom will have a negative effect. Teachers need to receive training and hands-on opportunities to use the hardware and software they will be using, have an established support and mentorship system to help with all the questions and issues along the way, and have a resource platform that allows input from everyone who has successfully implemented technology in their classroom. Once all the parts of the plan are in place and working successfully, using technology to expose students to new cultures and diverse ways to see the world, collaborate with peers, and critically think about problems should be a part of the daily routine of every classroom.
When God created humans, He made us in his image, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness" (International Version, 2011, Gen. 11:26-28); he gave us the intelligence and the ability to create tools to improve our living conditions and to better ourselves. Technology development is a perfect example of one of those tools we have used to improve our lives. We have found ways to extend our life expectations, cure diseases affecting our physical and mental well-being, keep in touch with others across long distances, learn about anything that piques our interest, and make daily tasks easier to accomplish. Technology has found a way into every aspect of our lives, and whether we like it or not, this is a tool that future generations will depend on to continue improving life and work conditions.
We are unique creations of God, each one with strengths and weaknesses that were created to glorify God and spread his message “I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills" (New International Version, 2011, Exod. 31:3). Among us, there are those with the ability to teach, lead, and guide others to discover their true potential; teachers have been assigned that mentorship responsibility, so they must strive to become great communicators who can adapt their message to reach listeners from diverse backgrounds that have different needs and personal experiences.
God gave his children the ability to create tools so we could improve our lives and live better, but he also reminded us of the responsibility to use these tools in positive ways to glorify his name. As teachers and role models, we need to teach our students to use technology ethically to keep improving themselves and not to harm others. We need to teach students that when they communicate with others from behind a screen, cyberbullying is not acceptable and that anonymity does not give them the right to post harmful, negative, or false comments and information about others. “‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” If you bite and devour each other, watch out, or you will be destroyed by each other” (New International Version, 2011, Gal. 5:14-15). We must also teach them how to use the information they find online in ways where the original content is interpreted and cited, if direct quotes are needed, or transformed into words that show their understanding of the material. “‘Do not defraud or rob your neighbor’” (New International Version, 2011, Lev. 19:13).
As a foreign language teacher, technology is a great tool to use in the classroom because it allows me to give my students a variety of resources that can be used to learn and practice the material. We are a 1:1 technology school, so students have their own Chromebooks and a reliable connection to the internet and its resources, which allows me to use technology to personalize learning. I create assessments that can be completed in different technology platforms, with different applications that can accommodate all types of learners, and my lesson activities have a visual, auditory, verbal, kinesthetic, and social component that allows students to take advantage of their strengths when learning and showing comprehension of new material. As part of my professional development plan, I have continued my education by taking college classes related to instructional technology, and I also use social media and technology sites to keep up with innovations that can be used inside and outside the classroom to make my life and my students’ lives better and more productive.
Technology is a part of our future, and all educational institutions have an obligation to prepare their student to be able to use different applications and platforms to complete work. The future workforce will use technology to collect, analyze, interpret, create, and produce artifacts and solutions to problems, so we must change how we teach our students and ask them to show comprehension of the material. According to the 2023 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report (Pelletier et al., 2023), new technological developments will change how educators teach and share information with their students. From adaptive learning environments that allow students to attend classes and access material at their convenience, from any place where there is an internet connection, to the use of artificial intelligence to make routine activities autonomous and help develop new creative resources, technology has become a part of our daily routine and will continue to affect the way people live, communicate, and interact with others.
Successful integration of technology in a curriculum depends on a well-constructed action plan. Developing a solid curriculum that reflects state standards, provides age-appropriate activities, and has the support of the school board members, administrators, teachers, and parents (Calderón & Tannehill, 2020) is the first step in bringing technology to a school. Once the curriculum is developed, the next step is to put in place a strong IT infrastructure system that provides reliable internet connections, enough devices for students and teachers to use when needed, and a variety of educational software applications that provide quality activities to students. Adnan et al. (2020) said, “The quality of children’s education depends on the quality of their teacher” (p. 3), so having the objectives and the infrastructure ready for implementation but not providing enough training and support to the teachers who are going to implement it in the classroom will have a negative effect. Teachers need to receive training and hands-on opportunities to use the hardware and software they will be using, have an established support and mentorship system to help with all the questions and issues along the way, and have a resource platform that allows input from everyone who has successfully implemented technology in their classroom. Once all the parts of the plan are in place and working successfully, using technology to expose students to new cultures and diverse ways to see the world, collaborate with peers, and critically think about problems should be a part of the daily routine of every classroom.
When God created humans, He made us in his image, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness" (International Version, 2011, Gen. 11:26-28); he gave us the intelligence and the ability to create tools to improve our living conditions and to better ourselves. Technology development is a perfect example of one of those tools we have used to improve our lives. We have found ways to extend our life expectations, cure diseases affecting our physical and mental well-being, keep in touch with others across long distances, learn about anything that piques our interest, and make daily tasks easier to accomplish. Technology has found a way into every aspect of our lives, and whether we like it or not, this is a tool that future generations will depend on to continue improving life and work conditions.
We are unique creations of God, each one with strengths and weaknesses that were created to glorify God and spread his message “I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills" (New International Version, 2011, Exod. 31:3). Among us, there are those with the ability to teach, lead, and guide others to discover their true potential; teachers have been assigned that mentorship responsibility, so they must strive to become great communicators who can adapt their message to reach listeners from diverse backgrounds that have different needs and personal experiences.
God gave his children the ability to create tools so we could improve our lives and live better, but he also reminded us of the responsibility to use these tools in positive ways to glorify his name. As teachers and role models, we need to teach our students to use technology ethically to keep improving themselves and not to harm others. We need to teach students that when they communicate with others from behind a screen, cyberbullying is not acceptable and that anonymity does not give them the right to post harmful, negative, or false comments and information about others. “‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” If you bite and devour each other, watch out, or you will be destroyed by each other” (New International Version, 2011, Gal. 5:14-15). We must also teach them how to use the information they find online in ways where the original content is interpreted and cited, if direct quotes are needed, or transformed into words that show their understanding of the material. “‘Do not defraud or rob your neighbor’” (New International Version, 2011, Lev. 19:13).
As a foreign language teacher, technology is a great tool to use in the classroom because it allows me to give my students a variety of resources that can be used to learn and practice the material. We are a 1:1 technology school, so students have their own Chromebooks and a reliable connection to the internet and its resources, which allows me to use technology to personalize learning. I create assessments that can be completed in different technology platforms, with different applications that can accommodate all types of learners, and my lesson activities have a visual, auditory, verbal, kinesthetic, and social component that allows students to take advantage of their strengths when learning and showing comprehension of new material. As part of my professional development plan, I have continued my education by taking college classes related to instructional technology, and I also use social media and technology sites to keep up with innovations that can be used inside and outside the classroom to make my life and my students’ lives better and more productive.
Technology is a part of our future, and all educational institutions have an obligation to prepare their student to be able to use different applications and platforms to complete work. The future workforce will use technology to collect, analyze, interpret, create, and produce artifacts and solutions to problems, so we must change how we teach our students and ask them to show comprehension of the material. According to the 2023 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report (Pelletier et al., 2023), new technological developments will change how educators teach and share information with their students. From adaptive learning environments that allow students to attend classes and access material at their convenience, from any place where there is an internet connection, to the use of artificial intelligence to make routine activities autonomous and help develop new creative resources, technology has become a part of our daily routine and will continue to affect the way people live, communicate, and interact with others.
References
Adnan, W. I., Wahid, N. A., Majid, N. A., Jaafar, F. W., & Ismail, N. A. (2020). Technology integration in implementing a curriculum: Teachers’ beliefs and willingness to change. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1529(5), 052081. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1529/5/052081
Doherty, O., & Stephens, S. (2021). The skill needs of the manufacturing industry: Can higher education keep up? Education + Training, 63(4), 632–646. https://doi.org/10.1108/et-05-2020-0134
Calderón, A., & Tannehill, D. (2020). Enacting a new curriculum models-based framework supported by digital technology within a learning community. European Physical Education Review, 27(3), 473–492. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336x20962126
New International Version (NIV) - version information - biblegateway.com. (2011). https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-nternational-Version-NIV-Bible/
Parkay, F. W., Anctil, E. J., & Hass, G. (2014). Curriculum leadership: Readings for developing quality educational programs (10th ed). Prentice Hall.
Pelletier, K., Robert, J., Muscanell, N., McCormack, M., Reeves, J., Arbino, N., Grajek, S., Birdwell, T., Liu, D., Mandernach, J., Moore, A., Porcaro, A., Rutledge, R., & Zimmern, J. (2023). 2023 Educause Horizon Report, teaching, and Learning edition. 2023 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report® Teaching and Learning Edition. https://library.educause.edu/-/media/files/library/2023/4/2023hrteachinglearning.pdf?la=en&hash=195420BF5A2F09991379CBE68858
Twining, P., Butler, D., Fisser, P., Leahy, M., Shelton, C., Forget-Dubois, N., & Lacasse, M. (2020). Developing a quality curriculum in a technological era. Educational Technology Research and Development, 69(4), 2285–2308. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-020-09857-3
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