How technology is often underused and misused in a classroom.

1. Technology in the classroom:
Underused and misused

2. Theme
• Often, when new technologies are brought
into a classroom, they are either misused or
underused.
• Teachers need to shape the way students
experience new technologies to create
learning environments

3. 2 ways technologies are underused

4. • New technologies might not be used at all in a
classroom
– Especially when they are brought in without the
teacher’s involvement
– Teachers might not know how to use them at all
– Teachers might not have ideas on how to use
them with students
– Teachers often use new technologies to prep for
classes, but not in the classes themselves

5. • New technologies, when used, are often used
in the same way that old technologies are
– Ignores the actual capabilities of the new
technologies

6. New technology, same job

7. 2 Ways Technologies are Misused

8. Misuse #1: Using automated learning
software to replace teachers
• Teaching with software takes away from
important interactions between teachers and
students
– This is illustrated through the concepts of
discourse in a classroom and “weaving”

9. • The discourse between a teacher and a
student is extremely important
– Genuine feedback from teacher
– Clarification if the student is unsure
– Affirmation when the student gets something
right
– Student can also share new ideas with a teacher
• This cannot happen in an authentic way with
software

10. • Teachers can “weave” new learning into
contexts outside the classroom
– Real-life applications genuine to students’
life/setting
– Tie learning in with previous learning
– Tie learning in with other classes or experiences
• Teachers have an understanding of what students are
learning and doing in other classes and outside the
school

11. Misuse #2: Expecting technologies to
teach students just by them using it
• Most students cannot learn from technology
alone
– Access to information and learning opportunities
do not equal learning!
• Distractions to learning
• Lack of motivation to learn
• Lack of ability to self-direct learning
Just because students CAN learn online doesn’t mean
they WILL learn online!

12. How should technologies be used in a
classroom, then?

13. • One way is through a “Mediated Learning
Environment” (MLE)
• Students are the ones using the technology
• Teachers must “mediate” between students
and technology, shaping how they experience
it
– The idea is the teacher figuratively “standing
between” the technology and the student

14. Mediated Learning Environment
Students experience technology through the teacher

15. Conclusion
• Technology can be underused in classrooms
– Simply not used at all
– Used in the same way that older technologies are
used
• Technology can be misused in a classroom
– Automated software to replace teachers
– Expecting technologies to teach students
• A “mediated learning environment” is a better
approach to bringing new technologies into
the classroom

16. Sources
• The concept of “underused” and unused technologies in classrooms
comes from Larry Cuban’s book Oversold and Underused (2001).
• Research into pre-service teachers using technology to plan lessons,
but not in the actual lesson, can be found in "Planning with
technology in mind: Preparing pre-service social studies teachers to
integrate technology in the classroom" (2013) by Shand, Guggino
and Costa in the Journal of the Research Center for Educational
Technology
• The importance of discourse and weaving is discussed in “Pedagogy
in cyberspace: The dynamics of online discourse” by Xin and
Feenberg (2006) in the Journal of Distance Education
• The Mediated Learning Experience (MLE) is discussed by Kozulin
and Presseisen in “Mediated learning experience and psychological
tools: Vygotsky’s and Feurestein’s perspectives in a study of student
learning” (1995) in Educational Psychologist.

17. Picture References
• Slide 1: “Computer science lab” by Chris Chan
https://www.flickr.com/photos/crazytales562/3013056009
• Slide 6: “Rothbard teaching” by LvMI.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chalkboard_color.
jpg
• “GiardinaKARLSRUHE – Death by Powerpoint” by
Beatehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/alice_c/2264195999
• Slide 14: “Student_ipad_school -127” by Brad Flickinger
https://www.flickr.com/photos/56155476@N08/66600665
87/