THE ROLE OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY IN TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY

ENRICHED CLASSROOM

By

ANGELI CAMILLE M. ALDAY

2P2

December 16, 2019

 Through the years, the educational system has been dynamic and progressing to adapt to

the new environment that the current time brings. It aims to cater all the needs of the learners and

acknowledge their differences socially, culturally, and psychologically. With that in mind,

educational psychology plays a big role in changing learning environments to make it more

inclusive and understand learning processes for academic and social success (Woolfolk, 2018).

However as we enter the new age of innovation, technology has a central role in every aspect of

our existence (Frezzo, 2017) – a role that changes our ways of learning, living, and socializing.

We are more involved on activities that are rooted from technology and slowly recognizing it as a

necessity instead of a surplus. Students, teachers, and etc. engage in technology for knowledge and

make it a part of their routine. Information is easily available and technology is becoming a tool

for schools. However, the surge of technological advancements is a phenomenon we could never

slowdown that makes other disciplines unable to catch up. With such, the current educational

system needs collaboration of different disciplines to make it efficient and progressive for the

today’s environment and educational psychology is one of those disciplines responsible for making

education effective for the 21st century learners.

As said, technology will continuously prosper and take control of everything we do and be

a part of every aspect of our lives. According to David and Kim (2018), we are now in the “4th

Industrial Revolution” as coined by Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World

Economic Forum, wherein people shift between digital and offline domains in managing their

lives. Our productivity, work, education, and etc. rely more on technology to make living easy and

accessible. Our opportunities begin to differ from past generations and technology becomes a

factor in our interests, activities, privileges, and such. The 4th Industrial Revolution will affect the

educational system at a rapid pace as different generations begin to collaborate and engage with
each other resulting to the need of improving the curriculum to cater the students living in the

digital age with the challenge of teaching educators to make use technology of today and also

acknowledging the implications of technology in learning and behavior. Technology and education

must merge to transform the classroom into a collaborative environment and erase the gap between

the student and the educator; the traditional and new. Moreover, we are shifting to an educational

system wherein students must construct knowledge instead of memorizing items for the sake of

assessments (Frezzo, 2017). Technology can be used as a tool for instruction, for example, making

students watch a movie or a video and construct a well-written paper or use websites that allows

students to work with together amidst of being far from each other. These different ways of altering

the system are the objectives of educational psychologists in making sure that classroom

influenced by different technologies are in collaboration with each other and promotes a healthy

learning environment with efficient learning.

Furthermore, learning in the 21st century is described as “new science of learning” (Sawyer,

2014) where learning is not just bounded by general knowledge but also critical thinking and

construction of ideas. Our educational system today promotes deeper learning and understanding

on things to be applied to real life situations. Reflection, collaboration, and building on prior

knowledge are also emphasized in this pedagogy. The new science of learning are based from

multidisciplinary research which includes computer science, educational psychology,

anthropology and etc. Educational Psychology, in this view of learning, aims to make education

inclusive and relevant while also promoting efficient learning and securing healthy learning

environments. Likewise, the article of Frezzo (2017) said that technology in the classroom can

influence the academia by providing experiences that leads to deep learning. Technology can

influence classroom in simulating real life situations for learning for example, having a robot called
LUCAS, a CPR machine that helps students in learning CPR. This tool could help students to

apply their knowledge with immediate feedback and concrete examples thus leads to deep

learning. It exemplifies that tools involving technology enhance learning processes and applies the

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) Model of Vygotsky wherein scaffolding is used for

instruction. In addition to that, computers are said to more likely increase achievement and support

engagement, active-participation, feedback, and etc. (Woolfolk, 2018). Moreover, Educational

Psychology gives importance to proper facilitation of learning and collaboration with instructors

to provide different plans in making sure that education remains progressive. Students have

different needs and goals; some have learning disabilities while some doesn’t. Educational

Psychology aims to provide for these students and still give them their right of proper education

to help them in understanding and constructing knowledge. Technology that emphasized on

student learning of people with disabilities are called “Assistive Technology”. According to the

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997, assistive technology is "any

item, piece of equipment, or product system . . . that is used to increase, maintain, or improve

functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities" (Lewis, 1998). These technological

advancements are offered to students with struggles in regards to their education thus proves that

technology is truly a tool for inclusivity and accessibility which Educational Psychologists value.

Similarly, Canada developed a National Education Technology Plan that tackles the role of

technology in honing students in their fields while also promoting equity of learning with

importance to accessibility and inclusivity and the needs of the students not only academically but

also emotionally, socially, and culturally. In lieu to this, educational psychologist helps in tailoring

education to the needs of students and their different backgrounds; applying technology in a

classroom setting helps making the lessons relevant and timely for students living in the 21st
century. However, the use of technology is a double edge sword. It has its negative outcomes for

students and educators. In the article of Porter (2013), the usage of technology in classrooms could

be a form a distraction for students. In the said article, 90% of the educators believe that technology

lessen the attention span of students and 76% believe that students are too urgent in finding quick

answers which results to loss of concentration and patience. Another negative notion about

technology in the classroom is the immediate access of information. Students rely too much on

information found online and forget to assess whether the information is credible or not. He said

that easy access of information doesn’t hone students’ critical thinking and make them less

interested to subject matters. Nevertheless, technology in education is a movement that we must

accept and educational psychology helps making technology useful for students and for the benefit

of everyone.

Therefore, the role of the Educational Psychology in a technology enriched classroom is to

facilitate learning through the use of technology as a tool for instruction, to promote inclusivity

and accessibility by using technology to help in accessing information easily or provide assistive

technology for students with learning disabilities, and lastly, implementing a curriculum that is

relevant to our current environment that focuses on the use of technology in empowering the youth

and equal education for all.

Technology for 21st century learners helps in discovering skills and information that are

not found in the four corners of the classroom. It promotes the idea that education is not all about

the things you have learned in class but in everything that you do even in mundane tasks. Online

articles, social media, and etc. are useful in opening topics that are not found in the school

curriculum but relevant to society which initiates awareness, reflection, and action. Also, through

the use of technology, freedom to engage in your interests and learn more through simulations in
classrooms and to really assess your purpose and interest with the subject. Educational psychology

will have a huge role in shaping the future of the educational system and the attitudes of learners.

If the possibility of educational psychologists accomplishing their tasks and their purpose of

making learning accessible and inclusive, it will promote social progress in a world where

inequality exists. The role of educational psychologists in providing equal education for all will be

a huge step in erasing social injustices in our world and technology will help in making that step.

Moreover, the advancement of technology in education and the roles of educational

psychologist in the rapid surge of technology is still unknown but they can still make certain

guidelines in making technology safe for classrooms. Implementing subjects that focuses on the

ethical use of technology can be added to the curriculum. Professionals should also facilitate the

use of technology in classrooms and make sure that students are doing tasks properly and doesn’t

take advantage of the activity. Also, educators must not always rely on technology in instructing

students, they must still practice traditional ways of teaching and make use of technology if

necessary. We must also acknowledge not all students afford or have privileges in accessing

technology at all times, we must make sure that they are still given equal access to proper education

and help them catch up with other students. Our main goal is to learn freely and deeply; technology

and educational psychology will merge as one to make education better.

 References

David, J. M., & Kim, S. H. (2018). The Fourth Industrial Revolution: Opportunities and Challenges.
Retrieved from http://www.sciedu.ca/journal/index.php/ijfr/article/view/13194/8136.

Frezzo, D. (2017). The role of technology in the education of the future. Retrieved from
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/05/science-of-learning/.

Porter, A. (2013, January 28). The problem with technology in schools. Retrieved from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/the-problem-with-technology-in-
schools/2013/01/28/cf13dc6c-6963-11e2-ada3-d86a4806d5ee_blog.html.

Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education: 2017 National Education Technology Plan
Update. (2019, September 25). Retrieved from https://lincs.ed.gov/professional-
development/resource-collections/profile-902.

Sawyer, R. K. (2014). The Cambridge handbook of the learning sciences. New York, NY:
Cambridge University Press.
Woolfolk, A. (2018). Educational Psychology. Upper Saddle River: PEARSON.