Technology Outside The Classroom Essay

Postsecondary educators are frequently faced with the dilemma of how to extend time on topic in critical areas where the time in the classroom is limited. Traditionally outside class work was assigned to fill the void. There was no opportunity for the educator to dynamically interact with students outside the classroom except time intensive group discussions or tutoring. While the method was adequate, it had limited scope and was not the richest of learning environments. The advent of the modern Internet and rapid proliferation of technology from the mid 1990s onward offered increasingly more opportunities for technology application to learning. Today, use of online technology offers opportunities to enrich learning beyond the classroom. The question to be decided is the effect of technology application outside the classroom, and are there significant gains in student achievement to warrant the costs of adding technology to enhance learning.

Purpose

The purpose of this experimental research is to determine if technology applications outside the classroom can noticeably affect student achievement levels not only in the subject matter but in the core skills of critical thinking, independent inquiry, and communication and collaboration. An ancillary benefit

Mayes, Morrison, Mellar, Bullen, and Oliver (2009) compiled a volume of works relating to public policy of technology-enhanced learning as well as research and concepts concerning effectiveness of technology-enhanced learning. Nicole and Draper (2009) brought home the point that one of the largest impediments to institutional adaptation of technology-enhanced learning is the institutional culture, and the general lack of educator expertise in adapting to new teaching methodologies enabled by application of