'Technology For The Sake Of Learning' - A planning approach for integrating new technologies in tertiary learning environments.

Geraldine Torrisi-Steele, Lecturer, School of Information Technology, Griffith University Gold Coast Campus, PMB 50 Gold Coast Mail Centre, Queensland 9726. g.torrisi@mailbox.gu.edu.au

Keywords

Constructivist approaches, new technologies, planning approaches

Abstract

New technologies posses no inherent property that guarantees their implementation in educational contexts will, without fail, result in improving the quality of the teaching and learning environment.  New technologies may be used inappropriately or in ways that replicate traditional teacher centred approaches and thus may contribute little to improving the quality of the learning environment.  The hype surrounding the emergence of new technologies together with institutional pressures and learner demands to implement technology oftentimes obscure the fact that "it is not the technology that is important, [rather] it is how it is used by the teacher to create new experiences for the learner" (Bennet, Priest & Macpherson, 1999, p.207). 

This paper suggests that the potential of new technologies to support innovation towards more student-centred approaches in the learning environment will only be realised if the use of new technologies is prescribed within the context of the whole curriculum. Against this background an approach for planning for technology use in the teaching and learning environment is presented.

.