CHANGING PEDAGOGY: THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS
CHANGING PEDAGOGY: THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS

Summary/Abstract: The paper aims at shaping the context for a better understanding of the impact that technology has on the educational process and how it changes the more traditional pedagogical approach. Our research looks into the advantages and challenges of using technology in the classrooms and dedicated online platforms as part of a wider educational support program, as well as into their perceived impact on the direct beneficiaries – 7th-8th and 11th-12th grade students and their teachers from 60 schools in two counties in Romania. The paper first focuses on setting the framework and introducing the theoretical context related to the use of technology in classrooms by using best-practice examples, as well as presenting adjacent activities which have the potential to enhance its positive impact. The paper focuses on analyzing the perceived impact of the activities along two main lines of analysis: students’ motivation for learning, particularly in the context of national examinations for 8th and 12th grades, and students’ and teachers’ opinions on the use of technology in the educational process. Finally, drawing from the discussed cases, our paper attempts at drawing some generalizations on the role of technology in the classroom and of online platforms in enhancing both students’ motivation for learning and the overall educational outcomes. Lastly, recommendations will follow the analysis, and the conclusions will summarize the results and attempt to draw predictions on how technology will further redefine the classroom and contribute to creating the new learning environment, on student-teacher interactions and on the future of pedagogy.

• Details
• Contents