Gina's Classroom

84The ‘creative memo’ in Figure 4.1 features photographic images of some of the ‘handmade’ picture books from Gina’s classroom. She writes and illustrates narratives for her students; they are significant in her knowledge of technology integration. Gina is a teacher and consultant in inner city elementary schools in a large metropolitan city in Australia. She was promoted as a consultant with a focus on pedagogy to a state education office, and it was from this position that she co-taught alongside teachers in a variety of elementary school locations. Prior to her entry to the teaching profession, Gina worked as a computer programmer in a well-known technology company. She returned to university study during this period of employment to gain the needed education qualifications to teach in schools. Gina writes computer code and is capable of fixing almost any hardware or software problem. Animation and using several laptops at once in the classroom are ‘trademarks’ of her technology use. She multitasks using an iPhone and iPad in the classroom, and she teaches students and teachers how to use several computer apps. Gina believes technology is central to learning, although she is aware that for some teachers, the mere use of the term causes an emotional reaction. She refers to various well-known international technology specialists to explain the importance of technology in school education:

Technology is a loaded term. To me it is just another tool. What matters is how it’s used for learning. As Chris Lehmann said a few years ago… technology needs to be like oxygen… ubiquitous, necessary and invisible. We need not to think about it. It just needs to be there. ¹