DRIVING QUESTION 2:
Risks to self and others in the digital environment. How has digital technology impacted us as teachers and our work environment?
Description
It is clear that digital technology has become a leading feature within education. Digital technology has influenced the way communication is set between educators, the range of resources accessible and assisting student learning. Throughout the duration of my university studies and professional placements, I frequently applied digital elements for both learning and communication. Foremost, I believed that upholding sufficient technological skills would benefit my teaching practices. Nevertheless, through further consideration of risks associated to the digital environment I realised that possessing technological awareness is disparate from knowing how to use it appropriately and ethically as a future educator.
Feelings
On previous account, I felt confident in embedding digital technology into my future lesson planning due to awareness and accessibility as I believed I could create connection to my students through their interests, experiences and everyday use of technology. Reflecting on this, concerns associated to distraction, privacy matters, inequity to access, and professional boundaries made me evaluate the repercussions of my choices. I came to a conclusion that as a pre-service educator, our decisions about technology does not only affect our professional practice but the safety, wellbeing and learning environment for students.
Evaluation
It is renowned that technology demonstrates high benefits to learning, such as efficiency, engagement levels and access to broader information. Arguably, greater access to technology does not necessarily equate to purposeful learning. As professionals, we have to evaluate the sincerity of implementing digital tools within learning, and the consequences that may arise. This is evident in the increasing expectation for students to bring their own technological devices to school. Anderson (2016) discusses a school’s decision to restrict laptops because of concerns that they were distracting students. Thus, challenging my assumption that integrating forms of technology into the classroom setting, automatically elevates student learning. Although, technological devices are resourceful by extending on knowledge, it can also promote additional teaching pressures such as inattentiveness.
Analysis
Following on, Haupt’s (2022) discussion of ‘Stolen Focus’ broadened my perspective by highlighting how technology companies continually profit off users’ through new developments. From a personal viewpoint, this indicated to me that student distraction cannot be solely justified through “poor self-control” but those responsible of these productions. As a practising educator, it is my responsibility to create appropriate boundaries between student and technology. I recognise that strategies are to be developed to ensure that students can monitor their screen-time independently. Alternatively, technology can also promote concerns of equity and privacy. McElroy (2021) explores the notion that the digital divide experienced by students in disadvantaged communities, demonstrates that access to devices and reliable internet cannot always be assumed. I gathered that the continual advocation for digital work in classrooms can promote inequity. Moreover, Kriegar-Lamina (2019) draws attention to privacy and surveillance within connected technologies. On judgement, this made me reflect how digital platforms selected for education can secure confidential information related to students and impact them on a wider scale.
Conclusion/Action Plan
Gibbs’ (1988) reflective cycle (University of Edinburgh, 2024), drove me to reflect on my initial thoughts on the benefits of technology within education. Through critical analysis I now comprehend that effective digital teaching requires informed decision-making, instead of technical skills solely. It is essential as a pre-service educator that I re-evaluate my technological choices in the learning environment as it impacts both myself and students. The implementation of technology should be purposeful, whilst setting clear expectations and accounting for student access. By instilling approved educational platforms, upholding professional boundaries and maintaining awareness of privacy matters the learning environment will remain safe and ethical.
References
Anderson, S (2016). Top school bands laptops because they are 'distracting students. Mamamia. https://www.mamamia.com.au/sydney-grammar-bans-computers/
Haupt, A. (2022). 'Stolen Focus' warns against the profit-motivated distractions of technology. The Washington Post. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2621873807?accountid=8194&pq-origsite=primo&sourcetype=Newspapers
Krieger, Lamina, J. (2019). The spy at home (ITA Dossier No.44en). Institute of Technology Assessment, Austrian Academy of Sciences. https://epub.oeaw.ac.at/0xc1aa5572_0x003ae397.pdf
McElroy, T. (2021). Addressing the digital divide in education: Technology and internet access for students in underserved communities. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2021/12/03/addressing-the-digital-divide-in-education-technology-and-internet-access-for-students-in-underserved-communities/?streamIndex=0
University of Edinburgh. (2024). Gibbs' reflective cycle. Reflection Toolkit. https://reflection.ed.ac.uk/reflectors-toolkit/reflecting-on-experience/gibbs-reflective-cycle
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Comments
Stop:
When constructing your re-write some additional points that could strengthen your reflection include; elaborating on the impact specifically on teachers in general, students are well discussed, however, more depth about the impacts on teachers would strengthen this argument. You’ve covered how technology in schools is becoming prominent, this could be expanded into how teachers can be positively and negatively get effected by this.
Keep:
Distinct features of your reflection include; addressing both the overall positives and negatives of technology within educational spaces, a strong sophisticated writing style with appropriate use of correct grammar and punctuation and strong arguments with relevant references.
Start
Some considerations for your re-write could include; Including an APA7 style reference list to support your in-text citations and taking some concepts further in-depth like how teachers can determine the risks of digital tools and what specific online dangers and risks can impact students in a learning environment.