We're all familiar with the newest technology

trends that are in the marketplace right now from rapid prototyping or 3D
printing to technology-enhanced devices, such as watches and clothing
that can record activity and movement.
Some of these devices are integrated seamlessly with other devices
that users utilize for tracking and feedback.
Such technologies are yet to find their way into mainstream classroom,
but more recently, technology tools are being
employed in schools that can assess student ability and performance
and facilitate student learning by creating
avenues for personalized learning.
On a smaller scale, teachers have been using several technology
tools in their classroom for years to help create effective learning
environments.
These tools serve a wide range of purposes.
Mouza and Lavigne identify four, broad classes of technologies.
They are technologies that support learning to understand and create,
technologies that support learning by collaboration,
technologies that support anytime and anyplace learning,
and technologies that support learning by gaming.
Let us first think about technologies that support
learning to understand and create.
Education research has demonstrated that when
students are engaged in actively constructing knowledge for themselves
by participating in activities that are hands-on,
related to real-world context, and given the opportunities to reflect
on this experience, they develop deeper understanding of the subject.
Technologies that help students visualize abstract concepts that
are typically difficult to understand and allow for students to build
their own models, design their own products,
and create other digital artifacts provide them with the opportunity
to learn and create as they learn.
Technology, such as graphing tools that can help students manipulate
and represent mathematical ideas, can lead to meaningful engagement
in the math classroom.
On a different level, concept maps that students
can use to understand the structure of their own thinking
can lead to better metacognitive skills.
Other things, such as diagnostic tools, can provide immediate feedback,
and modeling software allows students to draw and design 3D objects.
The ways in which these tools can be integrated into the classroom
to help students learn are endless, and these are just a few
of the examples of technologies that support
learning to understand and create.
Such tools help improve student's understanding
and lead to greater learning gain.
The next class of technologies are the ones
that support learning by collaboration.
Research and education has increasingly emphasized a situated view of knowledge
and learning as a means for helping students
understand what they learn in school applies to real-life situations.
This situative prospective moves away from the individual learner
and focuses on activity systems, which is
a complex, social organization comprising of learners, teachers,
curricula, and technologies.
This approach to learning emphasizes social interaction.
And learning scientists have long studied
the ways in which technology can bring learners together and support
the social construction of knowledge.
[INAUDIBLE],, Wikis, social networking sites, and other social media
can support collaborative learning across time and space.
We will explore collaborative, digital participation extensively
in a later part of this course.
The third class of technologies are the ones that support anytime,
anyplace learning.
One-to-one access to technology is often called ubiquitous computing
and is regarded as the first step towards transforming
teaching and learning.
As a result of this, several initiatives in schools and districts
across the country have focused on providing students with access
to laptops and other mobile devices.
The content that the students need to engage with
can be accessed using different devices and provides
a seamless experience for students.
These kinds of technologies can support any time, any place learning.
And this is particularly relevant in today's society
where we find increasing numbers of young people participating extensively
in digital spaces using a variety of devices.
Such technologies could particularly be useful for underserved populations
as well as for people who live in remote and rural areas.
Engaging in digital communities can help improve online, social interactions
and support a more personalized learning experience.
In spite of these affordances, using these tools
in formal, academic teaching and learning has been underutilized.
The fourth kind of technologies are those
that enable learning through games.
Game-based learning has greatly increased momentum in recent years.
Games are important because they embody many principles associated
with how people learn.
They are immersive environments in which players
have to frequently set goals and make decisions, work with other players,
and operate in the context of community.
The social dimension of learning is critical
because it makes possible for players to experience the ways
in which a particular discipline thinks about and solves problems.
These game-based environments has the capacity
to develop several of the 21st century skills that we touched upon earlier.
While technologies continue to enter the market and more of these tools
are adopted by schools, one key aspect of technology integration
is the professional development that needs to accompany this adoption.
While the tools themselves have powerful affordances,
it will not produce the kind of results we hope
to see if it's not implemented well.
We need to remember, research has shown that a key factor
for successful technology use to enhance students learning
is not solely in the use of the tool, but an effective teacher
implementation of these tools.