Technology is woven into the very fabric of our lives; we interact with technology resources from the moment we open our eyes in the morning until we lull ourselves to sleep at the end of a busy day. This stimulating environment is challenging for traditional educational models to compete with.  Students expect the multimodal input of information; they desire instant feedback and useful communication tools.  Integrating technology into education is not only desirable but essential if we are to maintain the interests of our students.  Students need to learn core concepts and 21st-century skills to be able to compete globally. A paradigm shift in education is occurring, and the trend is toward the utilization of technology resources such as the P21 model of learning based on incorporating 21st-century skills into our educational system. (Roblyer, 2016 p.18)    In his letter to Congress the education secretary Arne Duncan writes “To apply the advanced technologies used in our daily personal and professional lives to our entire education system to improve student learning, accelerate and scale up the adoption of effective practices and use data and information for continuous improvement.” (2010, p. v).  Globally, countries are adopting technology at rapid rates, improving accessibility to education and learning.  If we are to compete in this expanding market, we need to ensure that our students are equipped with the skills they need to keep up in this digital age.

Technology is integrated into healthcare and healthcare education.  Patients rely on technological advances in medicine used to evaluate, diagnose and treat diseases and conditions. Clinicians rely on communication systems to transmit information in an efficient and effective manner to be able to provide high quality, cost-effective care.  Students rely on technology tools and processes to learn, practice and demonstrate knowledge and skills.  

Maintaining health care standards, and educating students to be adequately prepared for the workforce, requires we utilize technologies that enable safe practice, reduce student workload with the use of tools that improve accessibility, efficiency and access to information.  Students not only need to keep abreast of the latest medical advances, evidence-based practices, but They must also be able to make critical decisions in stressful situations and utilize advanced technical medical equipment to treat patients. They must demonstrate complex problem-solving, to troubleshoot technical issues while under difficult circumstances.

What Issues Technology Integration Addresses

I teach respiratory care students at a local community college, where integrating technology is essential for practicing core skills before patient contact. Gone are the days of “practicing on patients”, society demands safer conditions for patients and simulation is proven to be a superior teaching tool that safeguards patients from the pitfalls of under trained medical personnel. (Cook, 2011)  Integrating technology into health education has been shown to motivate and engage students in learning, the use of multimedia allows learners to observe real-world situations which can demonstrate high-level skills that they can then practice on simulators.  Social cognitive theorists such as Bandura believe seeing others successfully model behaviors increases student's self-efficacy to learn behaviors. (Roblyer, 2016 p. 48) Utilizing technology supports their learning needs and provides students with a safe and appropriate practice medium to learn and demonstrate skills helping prepare them for their future careers. The use of multimedia and simulation technology for learning, practicing and refining skills is based on Objectivist information processing theories to provide learners with attention-getting, repetitive, individual practice as described by Atkinson and Shiffrin.  And Systems approaches to instructional design in which consistent presentation of new information, practice and assessment compose learning. (Roblyer, 2016 p.40)  The college's Internet and Blackboard an online learning system with online discussion boards and collaboration tools and integration into the school's email expose students to technology tools, promote cooperation and fostering digital literacy and citizenship.  All online activities are governed by the school's appropriate technology use policy. The use of these tools supports Constructivist learning models of activities, where students are encouraged to research, create and present their ideas and work. They search the internet for videos, evidence-based research on current practices and locate professional organizations guidelines for practice. These activities gleaned from theorists such as Bruner, who states that we learn and remember concepts better when we learn them through exploration and Dewy, who believes social interaction among students on problems and issues of direct interest to them promote learning.

As an educational technologist, I understand that technology in itself is not the answer, it is the practical application of available technologies to enhance learning that should be my focus. As Roblyer eloquently states "no technology is a panacea for education, just because it is possible does not mean it is desirable, feasible or inevitable." (p. 9)

I started this journey out as a community college adjunct faculty who was limited by a lack of formal technology training.  By completing this course, I hope to be better informed about technology choices that are available to enhance my teaching strategies and understand how to apply them effectively to my teaching and learning.

References

Cook, D. A., Hatala, R., Brydges, R., Zendejas, B., Szostek, J. H., Wang, A. T.,

Erwin, P. J., ... Hamstra, S. J. (January 01, 2011). Technology-enhanced    

     simulation for health professions education: a systematic review and

     meta-analysis. Jama, 306(9) 978-88. doi:10.1001/jama.2011.1234.

Roblyer, M. D. (2016). Integrating educational technology into teaching.

United States. (2010). Transforming American education: Learning

     powered by technology. Washington D.C: U.S. Dept. of

     Education, Office of Educational Technology. Retrieved from

      http://permanent.access.gpo.gov.libproxy.boisestate.edu/gpo3612/      

      netp2010.pdf.