Sustaining Ethical Living through Technology in Education
By Cecilia Mag-isa – Estoque, MA IDT
Lecturer, Raffles Design Institute, Dong Hua University
Ma’am Cecilia is a former teacher of one of our partner schools,
Agusan National School, where she cultivated the use of computer-based
learning in her English class. Her telecollaborative project “My
Personal Encounter with the Little Prince” earned her a citation from
Microsoft Partners in Learning’s 2nd Innovative Teachers Leadership
Awards.
Looking back, I can recall the struggles and apprehensions of some
educators in getting the precept of technology and its advantage in
teaching. It is almost five years now since I took one crucial step
forward in the realm of integrating technology in teaching in a public
school. I’ve always wanted to create an authentic and responsive
learning experience among my learners and it seems the materials and
resources I had were not enough. Something was missing --- a real touch
of the bigger picture of the world.
Believe it or not, the first time I designed a computer
project-based learning in my English class, I barely knew how to use
the Internet, except for few basic skills in computer operation. I am
sure of only one thing though – I had the vision, a vision of bringing
the world to my class where my students could freely discover for
themselves facts and survival skills such as decision making, respect
for being different, team work and collaboration among themselves and
with other learners outside their comfort zone. I desired for them to
discover the skills of learning itself where as a teacher, simply lead
them there.
It was a challenging beginning and all eyes seemed to be prying on
the result of my vision. Very few believed that it would work with
evident scarcity of resources and skills of the learners, including the
teacher. As what Robert Frost wrote, “I took the road less traveled by.”
The project, My Personal Encounter with the Little Prince, earned
international recognition after a few months of implementing it. It is
a project designed by yours truly and Adrian Asis of Xavier High
School. In spite of our school’s differences in resources and skills,
we were able to manage and prove that high quality learning is
achievable when our students successfully worked together on the
project and later with students from Europe.
This first computer supported collaborative learning project
motivated me to design more and further reach out not only to my
students but also to fellow educators both locally and internationally
through free trainings, lectures, peer-coaching and testimonies. I
believe an empowered teacher could empower his students. Hence, no
child should remain ignorant of what is learning in the 21st century.
I see technology as a powerful tool in responding to the present
learning style of the net-generation learners. Unfortunately, if
misused and abused, it would destroy the whole society. Our children
deserve to learn what is best and right for them and it is our
responsibility as educators and as parents to unlock the door of
learning. Their time will come to lead and we will only be watching
them, and right before our eyes, the fruit of our labors will unfold
right before us. As Dudley Lynch said, “…we don’t see the world the way
it is, but we see it with the way we think.” How do we want our young
learners see the world?
I owe everything to God who gave me the passion to teach and who
continuously provides everything especially the inner strength and
wisdom. I thank the people who supported the cause to advocate the
educational use of technology. Taking it for granted may not mean any
difference to you, but I tell you, it could make a difference in the
lives of many.
Sustaining a society with morally upright, deep-rooted with faith in
God, is a calling for anyone who considers his existence significant.
The kind of society that we currently have is surrounded with brilliant
science inventions and every household has one or more of its kind.
Pure chalk and board and printed books are not enough to make your
students think and see the values of learning. If integrating
technology will help, then use it to sustain the ethical living of the
society.
Technology is not everything. It is only a tool. Teach it with
caution, use it with efficiency and develop it for the good of mankind
and of environment.
The author can be reached via email cmestoque@yahoo.com.
(Published 02 March 2009, Smart Communications, Inc.)
