Lucy Manalo

2015 Spring II 515

Case Study

THE ETHICS AND IMPLICATIONS OF USING

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM

When I was in school (back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth), we all sat in
properly aligned rows facing the teacher. We came to school with our uniforms pressed
and our saddle shoes buffed to a crisp shine. The only technology we were privy to was
the tv being rolled in on a cart. OH! TV! We knew it was going to be a fun day when
that cart was rolled in.
Fast forward over 20+ years and now most students come to school with some
sort of electronic device. There is a mindset (among some students) that if there is not
tech involved in the lesson, well, the class is rather boring. Most high school students
have the attention span of about 10 minutes. Good luck with that.
Mrs. Manalo, do we HAVE to read a book? My response, YES, this IS high
school. Im such a bad teacher, I WANT you to learn! So how do I keep my kids
engaged? Well, I use a combination of different teaching styles. One of them is using
technology in the classroom.
I remember being told once, you need to change what you do every so often so
the kids arent bored. Dont do the same thing all period. Make sure they get up, move
around, listen, and are engaged in some fashion. (Im still new; Im still trying to figure
this out!)
Im one of the lucky teachers. My classroom is about 4 times the size of a
traditional classroom. of it is filled with shiny MAC computers. (Yes, its classroom
heaven.) I also have access to chromebooks, a projector, a document camera and Ive
used them all. But there are drawbacks and benefits to tech in the classroom.

First and foremost, you have to get all stakeholders involved to agree and believe
that technology use in the classroom is even a valid method of teaching and/or learning.
According to Harvard Magazine, being digitally fluent is a 21st century skill. 1 So whats
the problem? Teachers need to be educated on how to use the technology appropriately
and how it can be incorporated into lessons. Ive seen firsthand, teachers who still use
paper gradebooks and refuse to enter data into Aeries (an online gradebook which
parents can view) until a few days before report cards are due. Let alone, use any tech in
their classrooms other than a whiteboard or an overhead projector. How is this teaching
our kids to be 21st century learners?
It comes down to training. If we want our teachers to have buy-in, we need to
train them on HOW to use tech in the classroom. Its not enough to just tell them to use
it and provide the tools. Training is key. Additionally, we have to educate the parents on
its value in the classroom. According to EdTech Review only 50% of parents saw tech
as extremely important.2 However, these same parents have students in school in which
over 78% of them have cell phones.3 We need to educate all of the stakeholders involved
on the importance and relevance of technology in the classroom.
What about the students in particular? Most schools nowadays have at least one
computer lab on campus. At our school, every parent and student must sign off on the
internet use policy. However, do all students abide by this rule? Not necessarily,
because they havent been taught computer ethics. On educationworld.com, they talk
about the 10 commandments of computer ethics.4 We need to educate our students
about internet safety. Do students know and understand what is and what isnt okay to
put online? Is it acceptable to SnapChat a teacher in the middle of class? What about
cyber-bullying? Sexting? Digital citizenship lessons should be incorporated into any
classroom that has computers. One resource is digitalcitizenship.net which reviews 9
elements regarding safety on the internet.5

"Computing in the Classroom - Harvard Magazine." 2015. 7 Jun. 2015

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http://harvardmagazine.com/2015/03/computing-in-the-classroom
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2

"[Infographic] What Teachers and Parents Feel About ..." 2014. 7 Jun. 2015
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http://edtechreview.in/data-statistics/557-what-teachers-parents-feel-about-technology-in-classroom-info
graphic
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3

"Schools call on cellphones as teaching tools | Fox News." 2014. 7 Jun. 2015
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http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2014/09/10/schools-call-on-cellphones-as-teaching-tools/
>
4

"Tools for Teaching Cyber Ethics - Education World." 2004. 7 Jun. 2015
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http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech055.shtml
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5

"Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship." 2007. 8 Jun. 2015

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http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/Nine_Elements.html
>

Cell phones in class seem to be a strong argument on either side of the coin. Ive
seen a clash between teachers and students as to whether cell phones should be allowed
in the classroom. Why not use cell phones? For one, if a student gets his phone lost or
stolen6, the school isnt liable. One could argue that it is a distraction. Ive seen this
firsthand in my own class. I dont mind if students listen to music when they are
working, but more often than not, they are viewing social media sites and/or texting.
This leads to me taking phones away and taking up valuable class time.
But can phones be used for good? YES! But only first after students are
TRAINED and given explicit instruction on how and when phones are to be used in the
classroom. Ive had to go over cell phone use with my seniors. When they are away
from the computers, and working in groups, they are allowed to use their phones to look
up information on the internet for research on projects. In photography class, students
are able to use their phones to take photos to illustrate the elements of art and the
principles of design in their images. As long as students understand and are given clear
expectations, phones become tools for learning.
Additionally, there are many apps available online for learning in the classroom.
Socrative is a good app to use as an exit ticket for students on their way out. Students
can also access Edmodo on their phones to view assignments, when they dont have
access to computers. Students can also take videos of themselves to practice for
presentations before their big day.
So, how does technology help students in the classroom? Here is a great example
of how it can help from techforlearning.com Authoring multimedia content requires
students to:
employ
creativity and innovation
as they develop, implement, and
communicate ideas and demonstrate originality and inventiveness;
critical thinking and problem solving
as they frame, analyze, and
synthesize information to solve problems and answer questions;
communication and collaboration
as they articulate thoughts and ideas
clearly and effectively and share responsibility for collaborative work.7
All of the items mentioned above are related to the 4cs of common core:
creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking. In my opinion,
6

"Cell Phones in the Classroom Pros and Cons | HRF." 2014. 7 Jun. 2015
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http://healthresearchfunding.org/cell-phones-classroom-pros-cons/
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7

"Create a 21st century classroom | Tech4Learning." 2011. 8 Jun. 2015

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http://www.tech4learning.com/21st_century_classroom_elementary
>

technology seems to be much more engaging to my students than 1.5 hours of lecture.
Not that technology should replace regular teaching, but rather it should redefine it.8 If
used in a constructive way, technology can get kids excited to learn and ready for the
next challenge that lies ahead.
The ability of students to use phones, or any other technology in the classroom
can only lead to further academic growth. If everyone involved is properly trained,
learning (not distractions) can take place. Expectations need to be laid down before use
begins. Additionally, technology can lead to increased communication and
collaboration amongst students. Therefore, they do better in class, which leads to
increased motivation and self esteem.9 Lastly, using technology allows students to use
21st century skills necessary for success in college and career. Isnt that what they need
in order to be successful in the real world?

"SAMR Model Explained for Teachers ~ Educational ..." 2013. 8 Jun. 2015
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http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/06/samr-model-explained-for-teachers.html
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9

"Archived: Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students." 2011. 7 Jun. 2015

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https://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html
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