Stock Image: Natalya, B. (2019).
With the rise of technological developments and the emergence of a technology-dependent generation, educators are encouraged to incorporate technology and digital media in their educational practices (Henriksen et al., 2016). The rationale for the implementation of new technologies in the classroom is to foster creativity in learners (Henriksen et al., 2016). According to Boden (2004), creativity is the process or ability to come up with novel ideas that are intelligible and valuable. The need for creative thinking has been significantly important in this day and age where children and adults are becoming more reliant on technology and computers in their daily lives. For students to survive in such technology-rich contexts, educators must teach students about the current trends and emerging technologies in society, as well as foster creativity by incorporating contemporary technologies into their learning (Mishra & Henriksen, 2013). By incorporating technology in the classroom, students will be exposed to a variety of possibilities to think divergently and creatively which is a vital skill set today (Hoelting et al., 2016).
In our second EDUC3620 tutorial, we were given the opportunity to experiment with a variety of digital technologies to examine their effectiveness in fostering creativity in students in a classroom setting. One of the technologies that I explored was Sphero Indi ('Indi'), an offline-programmed robot which operates on a range of coloured tiles provided in the kit. In referring to the video below, which demonstrates how Indi operates, I believe that Indi would be a valuable tool for fostering creativity.
Video: Demonstration on how Indi operates. By Evelyn Chan.
Indi could be used to teach mathematical concepts, such as directions, angles, and geometrical shapes. By incorporating Indi in educational practices, it allows students to creatively apply their acquired knowledge into practice and activate their critical thinking skills.
Another emerging technology that would be relevant to a technology-dependent generation is Microbit. Microbit is a pocket-sized computer which offers students the opportunity to build their basic programming and computer-coding skills. Given that the rise of digital technology is becoming ever more rapid, it is important that teachers build-up their student's understanding of computers and coding. By exposing Microbit to students from a young age, it will assist them to form their interests and challenge any stereotypes they may have about technology and the digital media.
Video: Demonstration of a successfully coded and programmed Microbit. By Evelyn Chan.
Reference List
Boden, M. (2004). The creative mind: Myths and mechanisms (2nd ed). Routledge.
Henriksen, D., Hoelting, M., & the Deep-Play Research Group. (2016b). Rethinking creativity and technology in the 21st century: Creativity in a Youtube world. TechTrends, 2(60), 102-106.
Henriksen, D., Mishra, P., & Fisser, P. (2016a). Infusing creativity and technology in 21st century education: A systemic view for change. Educational Technology & Society, 19(3), 27-37.
Mishra, P., & Henriksen, D. (2013). A new approach to defining and measure creativity: Rethinking technology & creativity in the 21st Century. TechTrends, 57(5) 10.
Natalya, B. (2019). [Stock image]. iStock. https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/application-of-smartphone-with-business-graph-and-analytics-data-on-isometric-gm1193278024-339355089?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=iptcurl
Comments