Abstract
A fundamental part of today's K-12 classroom is 21st-century instruction that infuses technology skills in all subjects to prepare for the digital world. As educators continue to integrate this technology into student learning, it is important to examine the value of the human relationships that develop with the teachers in concert with the technology as they interact with their students in this environment. This integration of technology has created a shift in the role of the teacher and have led researchers to examine how high-quality relationships that are caring, supportive, and reciprocal impact pedagogical approaches, student engagement and motivation, and academic success. This chapter examines the work of several studies that focused on the interplay of technology integration and the teacher-student relationship on the social, emotional, and academic success of students.
TopIntroduction
Regardless of the amount or particular kind of technology integrated into the classroom environment, the primary goal of educators is to prepare students for 21st-century skills and maintain conducive student learning experiences (Storz & Hoffman, 2013). Tallvid (2016) maintained that it is the teachers who realize the intentions for the use of technology in the classroom and are the “key actors in the process of integrating technology into the classroom” (p. 505). In addition, the teacher-student relationship is the foundation of learning and growth (Bernstein-Yamashiro & Noam, 2013). In fact, often these relationships are what enhance the learning process and impact the student the most (Bernstein-Yamashiro & Noam, 2013). Mendler (2001) posited, “there is no doubt that achievement is most apt to occur in a friendly, predictable classroom atmosphere guided by an enthusiastic teacher who ‘connects’ with students and encourages them to create, take risks, and share ideas” (p. 2). For this reason, a review of the current literature that takes a closer look at these very important relationships that ensue during the academic career of a student is crucial.
Classrooms around the world, although propelled by the pandemic to integrate technology without adequate preparedness, focus on 21st-century skills that integrate standards from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) for which teachers are expected to empower students to succeed through teaching and learning, to inspire students to participate in the digital world, and to facilitate learning with technology to support student achievement (ISTE, 2017; Partnership for 21st Century Learning, n.d.). As educators integrate technology in the classroom to prepare students for 21st-century skills and the 21st-century workplace, it is critical to understand that the vital relationships that develop in the classroom, especially amid a pandemic, continue to be the foundation of the learning process. However, to better understand how to foster meaningful learning experiences by engaging students, it is especially important to consider the means by which this can be achieved as we take a closer look at what the current literature suggested about the teacher-student relationship and technology integration in the classroom.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Schemas: The organized knowledge or experience a student brings into the classroom, often accompanied by feelings that depend in part on the social factors (cultural, ethnic, socioeconomic, age, education, interests, values, and so on) a person is exposed to and the ways in which they perceive, understand, and think about the world around them.
Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK): A framework for effective technology integration in the classroom that stresses the importance of understanding the content and pedagogical knowledge first and then bringing in the correct form of technology to support the learning.
Affective Domain: The area of learning that influences emotions and the motivation for learning deemed by Benjamin Bloom as critical to the learning process.
Psychological Needs: The need for individuals to have experiences that allow them to feel autonomous, competent in their abilities, and related to others that are necessary for healthy development.
Metacognition: When a student reflects on their own learning with the assistance of a more knowledgeable other by analyzing and trying strategies, understanding how others are thinking, and being more aware of themselves as learners.
Scaffolding: Helping students do what they cannot yet do alone with the help of a more knowledgeable peer or teacher until they are able to complete the task on their own.
Self-Regulation: Accomplishing any goal requires exerting and managing motivational, cognitive, and emotional effort.
Information and Communication Technology: Equipment and resources related to any form of technology and computers.
Self-Efficacy: One’s own capacity to use personal skills to effectively perform a task despite obstacles that may arise.
21st Century Skills: Skills relating to communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking necessary for learning and working that prepares a student to compete in a 21 st century world.