Empowering Teachers with Technology: Final Thoughts.

I believe Romano’s guidelines/concepts are realistic because they are guidelines that can be implemented. For example, in chapter 7 Romano outlines a curriculum with technology interwoven within it that would satisfy the most critical teachers who are scared of loosing their jobs because of technology taking over. It is the technology enhanced curriculum rather than the technology taking over the teacher’s job curriculum. Romano’s scenario with the technology enhanced curriculum is a perfect example of how technology can increase learning for students and even to the point of demanding higher grades from them. Wow, this is exactly the type of technology enhancement we need for our schools both K-12 and above.

I believe that teachers can begin to make changes in their classrooms by using some of the technology Romano has suggested without the whole school having to adopt a specific program. Teachers can begin by using DVD’s in their classrooms that show actual historical footage which would go along with whatever subject they are teaching. They can use short pieces of movies to illustrate some subject matter they are trying to teach. The can stop the movie and explain things to their class and then start it back up again. I use this type of technology in my psychology classes to show some concept in psychology that movies have portrayed very well.

I am not sure that Romano’s suggestion of a whole school technologically enhancing the curriculum will work any time soon. There are just too many individuals still at the administrative level who say it has been done this way all these years why should we change it. We need to change it because it “ain’t” working.

http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Research/NECC_Research_Paper_Archives/NECC_2004/Park-Sung-Hee-NECC04.pdf

The above is a research project where three teachers were studied as they implemented a technology-enhanced problem-based learning approach. All three teachers were social studies instructors.