Ch#3: Role of Instructional & Communication

Technology in Learning
Instructional technology has absolutely revolutionized the entire education system. Until recently,

the teachers used to be the sole interpreter of knowledge to the learners and the textbooks the sole

resource. Instructional technology has affected the conventional roles and it has opened up the new

areas of teacher functions such as management of resources and management of learning. Today,

teachers have a range of media to assist and supplement the instructional work. Teachers can even

specify the learning intentions, select the topic, identify the stimulus situation, determine media,

manage teaching and finally conduct evaluation and modify the instructions in the light of

evaluation results. Educational process can’t proceed systematically without the help of

Instructional communication technology. Every aspect of educational system is fully enlightened

with it.

1. Provided a scientific base

Instructional technology has provided a scientific base to the educational theory and practice. It

has transformed a passive classroom to an active and interactive classroom, with audio-visuals,

charts and models, smart classrooms and e-learning room which has drastically motivated and

increased the attention level of the students.

2. Modernized the teaching-learning climate

The introduction of educational technology has modernized the teaching-learning climate of the

educational institutions. The learners to be exposed to professionally designed programs on video

or computers.
3. Assistance in teaching and learning process

Instructional communication technology has helped and supplemented the teachers in their

instructional programs through the structured lessons for remedial, enrichment or drill purposes.

The learners get training for self-instruction and teachers are relieved of the burden of routine

repetition for exercise and revision purposes.

4. Well-integrated structured materials

Through a systematic organization of content and instructional materials, instructional technology

has provided well-integrated structured materials for teachers thus saving a lot of their time which

in turn may be utilized for creative work and quality improvement.

5. Professional growth and development

The training and use of instructional technology contribute towards the professional growth and

development of teachers and students. It equips them in the use of scientific methods for solving

educational and administrative problems. It adds to the teaching competence of teachers and

inculcates a scientific outlook and scientific temper in teachers and students.

6. Effective teaching-learning process

Instructional technology has improved the teaching-learning process and made it more effective

and process oriented. Television, Radio, V.C.R, Computers and LCD projectors etc. have enriched

and facilitated effective transmission of knowledge.

7. Attractive ways of teaching

Instructional technology has not only maintained the standards of education but also improved the

ways of teaching by giving it Teaching Aids and Programmed Instructional Material.

8. Feedback

Mechanism of feedback devices for modification of teaching-learning behavior have produced

effective teachers in the teacher-training institutes.

9. Prepared learning material and practices

Students who appear for higher or competitive examinations have been benefitted by educational

programs on T.V, Radio and Internet.

10. Updated information

Instructional technology has opened up new fields of educational researches in the field of

examination process, evaluation and classroom-teaching.

11. Individual Differences

Instructional technology has provided practices and strategies that help teachers to teach according

to individual differences of learners.

12. Scientific attitude

Instructional technology has provided scientific foundation to education through the theories of

learning and intelligence.

13. Interactive Collaboration

The 2014 Gates Foundation report, Teachers Know Best: What Educators Want from Digital

Instructional Tools, indicates that teachers want tools “supporting student collaboration and

providing interactive experiences”. These types of tools are fun and engaging, and they support

21st century skills like collaboration, communication, and creativity.

14. Active Learning

Tech tools can be great for active learning in the classroom. Whether your preference is for Inquiry

Based Learning, Constructivist Learning, Experiential Learning, or one of the various other labels

for or sub-categories of Active Learning, there are applications and resources available to enable

this teaching construct in your classroom.

15. Social Learning

Bandura’s Social Learning Theory posits that “people learn from one another, via observation,

imitation, and modelling”. Of course, the type of socialization that occurs via “social” computer

tools is certainly different than face-to-face social interaction, but it still offers opportunities for

social learning. Moreover, when it comes to blended and online learning, trying to bring social

elements into the picture can truly help to fill one of the gaps that digital learning can have when

contrasted with face-to-face learning.

16. Ensure Engagement with Digital Content

As digital learning content becomes increasingly commonplace, one challenge we teachers are

faced with is how to make sure that students are engaging with content they are consuming. Unlike

the traditional textbook, digital content generally lends itself to much easier distraction.
17. Personalized learning

No two students are ever the same. Everything from the pace of learning to the difficulties

encountered are completely unique. It just doesn’t make sense to teach them all the same way.

This is where personalized learning comes in as: Virtual Reality, Creative Assignments,

Gamification, Social media.

Learner-Centered Instruction

1. A teaching method that focuses on students engaging in hard work, reflecting on their learning

process, and learning independently or collaboratively.

2. Being a learner-centered teacher means focusing attention squarely on the learning process:

what the student is learning, how the student is learning, the conditions under which the student is

learning whether the student is retaining and applying the learning, and how current learning

positions the student for future learning. The distinction between teacher-centered and student-

centered is made as a way of indicating that the spotlight has shifted from the teacher to the student.

In learner-centered instruction the action focuses on what the students are doing not what the

teacher is doing. This approach that now features students, accepts, cultivates and builds on the

ultimate responsibility students have for their own learning.

3. Any formal or non-formal education that accounts for a learner’s cognitive and metacognitive

factors, motivational and affective factors, developmental and social factors, and individual

differences.

4. The idea of learner-centered instruction implies taking into account the learner’s experiences,

talents, personalities, social backgrounds, and needs. It also refers to using current knowledge
about learning as a way to help learners become lifelong learners able to cope with the rapid

changing world of their time.

Student-Centered Instruction

“In our multicultural society, culturally responsive teaching reflects democracy at its highest level.

It means doing whatever it takes to ensure that every child is achieving and ever moving toward

realizing her or his potential.” Joyce Taylor-Gibson

WHAT

Student-centered instruction differs from the traditional teacher-centered instruction. Learning is

cooperative, collaborative, and community-oriented. Students are encouraged to direct their own

learning and to work with other students on research projects and assignments that are both

culturally and socially relevant to them. Students become self-confident, self-directed, and

proactive.

WHY

Learning is a socially mediated process (Goldstein, 1999; Vygotsky, 1978). Children develop

cognitively by interacting with both adults and more knowledgeable peers. These interactions

allow students to hypothesize, experiment with new ideas, and receive feedback (Darling-

Hammond, 1997).

HOW

1. Promote student engagement

  Have students generate lists of topics they wish to study and/or research

 Allow stud ents to select their own reading material

2. Share responsibility of instruction

 Initiate cooperative learning groups (Padron, Waxman, & Rivera, 2002)

 Have students lead discussion groups or reteach concepts

3. Create inquiry based/discovery oriented curriculum

 Create classroom projects that involve the community

4. Encourage a community of learners

 Form book clubs or literature circles (Daniels, 2002) for reading discussions

Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI)

Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI), diverse and rapidly expanding spectrum of computer

technologies that assist the teaching and learning process. CAI is also known as computer-assisted

instruction.

Examples of CAI applications include guided drill and practice exercises, computer visualization

of complex objects, and computer-facilitated communication between students and teachers. The

number of computers in American schools has risen from one for every 125 students in 1981 to

one for every nine students in 1996. While the United States leads the world in the number of

computers per school student, Western European and Japanese schools are also highly

computerized.

Types of CAI

Information that helps teach or encourages interaction can be presented on computers in the form

of text or in multimedia formats, which include photographs, videos, animation, speech, and music.
The guided drill is a computer program that poses questions to students, returns feedback, and

selects additional questions based on the students’ responses. Recent guided drill systems

incorporate the principles of education in addition to subject matter knowledge into the computer

program.

Computers also can help students visualize objects that are difficult or impossible to view. For

example, computers can be used to display human anatomy, molecular structures, or complex

geometrical objects. Exploration and manipulation of simulated environments can be

accomplished with CAI-ranging from virtual laboratory experiments that may be too difficult,

expensive, or dangerous to perform in a school environment to complex virtual worlds like those

used in airplane flight simulators.

CAI tools, such as word processors, spreadsheets, and databases, collect, organize, analyze, and

transmit information. They also facilitate communication among students, between students and

instructors, and beyond the classroom to distant students, instructors, and experts. CAI systems

can be categorized based on who controls the progression of the lesson. Early systems were linear

presentations of information and guided drill, and control was directed by the author of the

software. In modern systems, and especially with visualization systems and simulated

environments, control often rests with the student or with the instructor. This permits information

to be reviewed or examined out of sequence. Related material also may be explored. In some group

instructional activities, the lesson can progress according to the dynamics of the group.

Advantages and Disadvantages

CAI can dramatically increase a student’s access to information. The program can adapt to the

abilities and preferences of the individual student and increase the amount of personalized
instruction a student receives. Many students benefit from the immediate responsiveness of

computer interactions and appreciate the self-paced and private learning environment. Moreover,

computer-learning experiences often engage the interest of students, motivating them to learn and

increasing independence and personal responsibility for education. Although it is difficult to assess

the effectiveness of any educational system, numerous studies have reported that CAI is successful

in raising examination scores, improving student attitudes, and lowering the amount of time

required to master certain material. While study results vary greatly, there is substantial evidence

that CAI can enhance learning at all educational levels. In some applications, especially those

involving abstract reasoning and problem-solving processes, CAI has not been very effective.

Critics claim that poorly designed CAI systems can dehumanize or regiment the educational

experience and thereby diminish student interest and motivation. Other disadvantages of CAI stem

from the difficulty and expense of implementing and maintaining the necessary computer systems.

Some student failures can be traced to inadequate teacher training in CAI systems. Student training

in the computer technology may be required as well, and this process can distract from the core

educational process. Although much effort has been directed at developing CAI systems that are

easy to use and incorporate expert knowledge of teaching and learning, such systems are still far

from achieving their full potential.

Electronic & SMART Boards

Definition

An interactive smart board, also known as an electronic whiteboard, is a classroom tool that allows

images from a computer screen to be displayed onto a classroom board using a digital projector.
The teacher or a student can “interact” with the images directly on the screen using a tool or even

a finger.

With the computer connected to the internet or a local network, teachers can access information

around the world. They can do a quick search and find a lesson they used previously. Suddenly, a

wealth of resources is at the teacher’s fingertips.

For teachers and students, the interactive white board is a powerful benefit to the classroom. It

opens up the students to collaboration and closer interaction to the lessons. Multimedia content

can be shared and used in lectures, keeping students engaged.

Interactive White Boards in the Classroom

According to a recent article from Yale University, interactive lessons presented on a smart board

or white board increased student engagement. The technology encourages active learning in

students. Students asked more questions and took more notes, enabling more effective group

activities like brainstorming and problem-solving.

The capacity of education technology to resolve the issues occurring in the traditional classroom

education enabled it to pave a path to real-time and scientific teaching and learning methods by

integrating, improving, and including appropriate technological resources such as smart technology,

computer-based training, m-learning, and LMS in education. The Interactive electronic whiteboard

is one of the Edtech innovations capable of replacing the conventional blackboard and chalk

teaching method and the outdated overhead projector equipment in order to properly enhance the

social-emotional and physical development of students. However, certain advantages and

disadvantages of smart boards in the classroom manifest the technology to various benefits and
 drawbacks, which are easy to notice. The easily noticeable pros and cons of using digital writing

board in classroom restrict as well as expand the ability of teachers to teach and students to learn

better.

Advantages of Smart Board in classroom

Many researches have demonstrated the advantages of using smart board in classroom. One of the

benefits of implementing smart technology is the creation of blended and personalized learning

environment, which enhances the mental and physical development of students. Moreover, the tech

empowers the teachers with the latest smart and virtual teaching method tools to strengthen the

theoretical and practical academic foundation that supports interactive, engaging, and fun learning

atmosphere in the classroom.

 Improves student-teacher collaboration and interaction

 Encourages teachers to teach in real-time with audios and videos lessons, visual multimedia &

PPT presentations, 2D & 3D virtual space, etc.

 Paperless advantages

 Enhances Real-time blended teaching and learning methods

 Creates Web and Internet-based teaching and learning platform for teacher and students

respectively

 Improves distance learning

 Contributes to the mental, physical, and social-emotional development of students

 Seamlessly integrates with other technology-enhanced learning (TEL) applications such as LMS

to share study materials, course curriculum, assignments, reading resources, and many more

 Furnishes E-learning

 Encompasses Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education

 Gives students fully engaged and hands-on learning experience

 Facilitates mobile integration facility

Disadvantages of Smart Board in classroom

One of the main disadvantages of using a smart board in classroom is its cost of affordability. Unlike

a blackboard and chalk, which cost very cheap, an electronic smart whiteboard price varies

extravagantly from a few hundreds of dollars to thousands.

 Smartboards are expensive

 High maintenance and complex to handle

 Very delicate and not simple for every staff member to handle

 Risk of breakage and high repair costs

 Software difficulties and problems