Technology in Education An Annotated Bibliography Zahra Al-Qahtani The use of technology in education is not something new; however, the rapid and constant change in technology creates both opportunities and challenges in education. The opportunities include the easy access to rich multimedia content, the increasing use of online learning, the widespread of mobile computing devices that can access the internet, the increasing use of social networking tools for learning and the growing interest in using educational apps for more personalized learning. Recently, many educational institutions recognize the importance of educational technology implementation into the classroom. This is because the positive effects that technology shows on students’ level of achievement, communication skills, new literacy skills, language accuracy, as well as on the academic staff teaching effectiveness. Despite the positive implication of technology in education, some educational institutions may face some challenges or obstacles, like insufficient ICT infrastructure and computing facilities, lack of sufficient technology budget and IT investment, and technical support. To conclude, the books, articles and studies I have selected, all agree on the positive effects that evolving technologies imply on both learning and teaching, regardless of the few obstacles educational institution may face in adopting these technologies.
Al-Ammary, J. (2012). Educational Technology: Away To Enhance Student Achievement At The University Of Bahrain. The Online Journal of New Horizons in Education, 3(3), 54-65. Retrieved from http://www.tojned.net/pdf/v03i03/v03i03-06.pdf This study investigates the current situation of using Education Technology at the University of Bahrain. It examines the Educational Technology adopted by the university in the teaching and learning processes, impediments facing the adoption of educational technology and the effects of Educational Technology on student achievement and academic staff teaching effectiveness. It uses both survey and experiment as methods. It finds that there are some obstacles facing both the students and instructors in adopting Education Technology, like the insufficient ICT infrastructure and computing facilities, lack of sufficient technology budget and IT investment, and technical support. Alberta. (2011). iPads: what are we learning? : Summary report of provincial data gathering day. Retrieved from http://education.alberta.ca/admin/technology/research.aspx This report investigates how emerging technology can enable learning and teaching, focusing on implementing iPad in schools. It discusses the
opportunities and challenges presented by implementing iPads into Alberta classrooms. Barone, D. & Wright, T. E. (2008). Literacy Instruction With Digital and Media Technologies. The Reading Teacher, 62(4), (pp. 1-13). This article describes new media literacies that technology includes, like new conceptions and changing views of reading and writing, particularly with the advent of the Internet. It also explains how students can extend traditional literacy experiences with comprehension of information on the Internet; effective use of search engines to locate information; assessment of Internet sources; communication using e-mail, texts, and chats; and the use of word processing programs. Hunter, J., Daly, N., (2013). iPads in teacher education: Integrating a range of language learning knowledges through a technological medium. Computers in New Zealand Schools: Learning, teaching, technology, Vol 25(1–3). (pp. 96-116). The article examines the use of four language- learning iPad apps and to which extent they can be applied in the classroom. The analysis of the apps depends on the responses of a group of pre-service teachers and recent language teaching and learning theory. It finds that these educational apps can promote language acquisition by focusing on correct language form and creative expression of meaning. Lytle, R. (2011, July 19). Study: Emerging Technology Has Positive Impact in Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/education/highschools/articles/2011/07/14/study-emerging-technology-has-positiveimpact-in-classroom A recent study highlights educators' feelings of willingness towards technological innovations. It compares students' results on AP calculus test between those who were taught in traditional classroom with those who used technology in their learning. It finds that traditional classroom doesn’t meet the need of students and that the implementation of technological innovation in the lesson plan of the teacher makes radical changes in the outcomes of learning. MacGreal, R., & Elliott, M. (2008). Technologies of Online Learning (E-learning). In Terry Anderson(Ed.), Theory and Practice of Online Learning (2nd ed., pp. 115-131). Athabasc University Press. This chapter examines most interesting technologies and their features that are used in online instruction today and those we may use in the future. It presents some emerging technologies on the Web and their educational uses. Pascoe, M. (2011). The History of CALL: The intertwining Paths of Technology and Second/ Foreign Language Teaching. International Journal of Computer-
Assisted Language learning and Teaching,1(1), 16-32, January-March. Retrieved from http://www.irma-international.org/viewtitle/51344/ The article presents a historical overview of the development of CALL from the early years of the mainframe computer to the integrative technologies of the 21st. It examines the evolution of CALL in correlation with the field of Second/ foreign language teaching which is based on the recognition and transformation of the past best practices and theories in language learning. Warschauer, M. (1996). The application of Computer Networking in the Foreign Language Education: Focusing on the Principles in Second Language Acquisition. In Telecollaboration in Foreign Language Learning Proceedings of the Hawaii Symposium(pp. 17-28). Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. This report compares the characteristics of computer-mediated communication (e.g., computer conferencing, e-mail and local area networks) with some of the principles that theorists have suggested to be essential in foreign language learning. It finds that the electronic network communications follow most of the principles proposed in language acquisition theories. Yang, J., & Leveridge, A. (2013). Learner perceptions of reliance on captions in EFL multimedia listening comprehension. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 27(6), 545-559. Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09588221.2013.776968 This study investigates the issue of captioning support by collecting EFL learners’ perceptions on captioning support, evaluating their reliance on captioning support, and subsequently comparing both in light of individual proficiency. It uses the intermediate general English proficiency test (GEPT), the caption reliance test (CRT), and semi-structured interviews for data collection. It finds that learner perceptions regarding captioning support may be misleading and inconsistent, especially in terms of those provided by intermediate or high-intermediate proficiency learners.