K-12 and Technology: An Illustration of How Constructive Applications is .
Over the past twenty years, information technology has transformed the society in which we live. It seems that, almost overnight, computers and the Internet have proliferated into every aspect of life, including how our youth is educated. "In most schools, blackboards and chalk have been replaced by interactive smart walls and pointers, while personal computers are nearly as important as a pencil and paper- (Ward). I can still remember when overhead projectors were considered "high-tech- and the chance to get to use a computer was almost non-existent in school, let alone directly in the classroom. Now students around the United States are learning through constructive applications of information technology directly in their classrooms, and in many cases, even having access to their own computers. Let's take a look at some statistics. The national average ratio of students to instructional computers in the U.S. was 4.9 to 1 in the fall of 2000, and 98 percent of public schools had access to the Internet (Reading Today). This shows that students in the U.S. have greater access to information technology then ever before, and its use in K-12 classrooms has spawned new ways in which students are taught as well as how they interact with each other in the continuous learning process.
Constructive teaching and learning through technology is the key aspect of how information technology is changing our education methods. But what is the constructivist's view on learning? Here is a comprehensive definition:.
"Instead of simply absorbing ideas spoken by teachers, or somehow trying to internalize thoughts through endless, repeated rote practice, constructivism suggests children actually invent their own ideas. They assimilate new information and modify their understanding in light of new data. In the process, their ideas gain in complexity and power, and with appropriate support, children can develop insight into their own thinking process.