Cathleen Hernandez April 9, 2016

Shoffner, M. (2013) Editorial: Approaching technology in English education from a

different perspective. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education,
13(2). Retrieved from http://www.citejournal.org/vol13/iss2/languagearts/article1.cfm

The purpose of this article is to highlight the common perspectives on using technology
within a secondary English classroom and to offer the idea that a change in perspective
needs to occur in preservice teachers who tend to feel that technology has limited
influence in ELA learning situations. The author, Melanie Shoffner, who is a Purdue
University tenured associate professor and editor, discusses the usual reacting to
technology versus adapting through and with instructional technology, which is the
central idea that is developed in the article. With the current collective understanding of
the education system as incompetent and failing, along with what occurs in our classes,
teachers are struggling with their varying beliefs that technology either hinders or aids
critical thinking, with ELA teachers generally claiming the former.
The author presented her views on educational technology in an ELA classroom based
on her background of growing up during the technological shift. As well, the author
discussed the views of preservice teachers on the use of technology to aid in the
teaching of ELA concepts. Shoffners intent was to allow the reader to see the possibility
and the necessity in a shift of perspective from a view of technology as an addition to
an ELA classroom into a natural component within an ELA curriculum, despite the
general belief that learning can take place without said technologies. Shoffner reiterates
that pedagogical principles are still as necessary for learning with educational
technologies as without, though those instructional technologies can enhance
engagement through the varied affordances of each one. Subsequently, the author
asserts that she herself doesnt consider herself to be a technology person, however,
her view is that simply ignoring technology in the ELA classroom would be too
simplistic for the complex world we inhabit today. Shoffner offers the concepts of
Implementation, Integration, and Invitation to guide new teachers to a renewed view
on instructional technology that can be used in ELA classrooms. By actually
implementing technology in model lessons for new teachers, they will be able to
recognize that technology is easily weaved into lessons and it can become a natural
action as they develop their teaching abilities. Simultaneously, preservice teachers must
integrate and utilize the technologies they want to use on a regular basis to aid their
personal understanding of them, strengthening their presence as technology users.
Lastly, reiterating the idea that one must believe in something wholly in order to see the
progress, new teachers need to invite the new, ever-changing ideas of ELA
technologies into their everyday thinking and lesson planning.

I believe that the information presented in the article can certainly change the way ELA
educators view educational technology within their classrooms, including myself. This
article is likely to reach a wide range of educators due to its development into the
methods of integration for various technologies into an ELA classroom. Equally, the
author does offer a few approaches to become more involved and informed on the
incorporation of educational technology into a secondary ELA setting. The use of
technology in an ELA classroom has certainly gone through a transference over the
past 10-20 years, though, based on personal experience and observation of other ELA
teachers, it is not a substantial change, relative to other subjects, such as math or
science. For instance, within my 6th grade ELA classroom, I have struggled to find
meaningful apps or other activities that provide the critical thinking level that my kids are
craving. Most of the technologies that I have tried are too low level (compared to
actually writing on paper) or they are not connected enough to the skills that my kids are
practicing. I am constantly trying to keep an open mind to technology, as I know it can
help my kids in new ways, though, the time and practice have been issues. I will
continue to explore ways to integrate and truly keep a focus on progress. Many ELA
teachers are likely to benefit from the swing in perspective towards understanding rather
than ignoring completely. We all should remember that, as time goes on and technology
continues to progress rapidly, it is fast becoming a more and more influential piece
within education.