The Goal for Educators is to use technology in an "active" way, but how do we move from "passive" to "active"? What is "active" and "passive" usage of technology even mean?
Technology has shaped and impacted our society in more ways than one, which includes how it has affected education. Now, technology is found in almost every classroom in the United States, whether that be computers for each student or a class set of calculators. Now, there are even classrooms that use SMART Boards, which are interactive touchscreens usually found at the front of the class. With the growth of technology, there are more resources that students can use in their learning.
However, teachers cannot just give their students the resources anymore. That would be a "passive" way to use technology in the classroom. Instead, teachers are called to use technology as a springboard to grow their students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills in an "active" way. The National Education Technology Plan states that "all students understand how to use technology as a tool to engage in creative, productive, lifelong learning rather than simply consuming passive content." In which, Benjamin Herold says that this means "students should be making things and connecting with others and exploring the world, rather than staring at screens." Teachers have to use technology in their classrooms as tools.
So what truly are some "passive" ways that technology is being used in the classroom? On the article What It Takes to Move From 'Passive' to 'Active' Tech Use in K-12 Schools, Stephanie Villegas shares that technology that is just used in a way where they do not create things or use it in a productive way means that it is passive. She says that things like digital worksheets, apps, or online quizzes are all "passive" if the students are called to do basic skills instead of creating their own content.
So then what is an "active" way to incorporate technology? In the article, Chris Craft has his students create prosthetic hands by using 3-D printers. They also made their own websites and videos, too. In any case, actively using technology is where the teachers probe their students to create and produce their own handiwork. Some other ideas of this would be making their own podcast, producing a video, coding, developing a website, writing a blog, etc.
We as teachers want to incorporate technology in an "active" way because it allows the students to grow in their own learning by doing it. Having the students to think and get engaged in what they are learning is ultimately what teachers want. We want the kids to love learning! I know I want to see my students so excited to do something and learn in my class. We as teachers also want the students learn and prepare for the real world, where technology is everywhere. Knowing how to create presentations and work different programs is so important for jobs and life outside of school. We also want then to learn how to think critically and learn how to use many different methods to get the job done.
So what are some examples of different technological methods that can be used both passively and actively? Let's look at Youtube videos, podcasts, and articles. Say you are in a classroom and you tell your students to watch a youtube video for content. That is a passive way of using technology. You can change it to be more active by having them watch a video and then respond to questions about it. The ultimate way to make this active is by having the students create their own youtube videos based on the content they are learning. For podcasts, maybe you have them listen to a podcast to learn from what it says. That is passive. Having the students create their own podcast, that is active. If you have the students just read an article, then that is passive. If you have them read the article and write their own paper on it with their own ideas, it is more active. If you have them write their very own article on something like a blog or their own website, even better! See how you can incorporate an active usage of technology more?
Overall, we as teachers need to use technology that inspires students to learn and create. We want our students to get engaged in the content and to be excited to learn on their own. We want our students to be lifelong learners and creators. We want them to be able to use technology and know how to use it for jobs in the future. We want them to be able to succeed in the life they live in the future. In the end, we need to learn to use technology in an active way.
Sources:
https://twitter.com/OfficeofEdTech/status/901465542246191104
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/06/09/what-it-takes-to-move-from-passive.html
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