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If one were to walk through the
hallways of a contemporary elementary or high school, his or she would be
likely to see teachers using SMART Boards, students sitting in front of
computers, or perhaps teachers instructing their students to pull out their cell
phones. It is impressive how quickly
technology has moved in to our classrooms.
Teachers are continuously attending professional development sessions
regarding the newest programs or tools because of the rapid advancements made
to educational technology. However,
though the latest gadgets and devices seem “cool,” some may ask themselves, what is the point? Why should we fill our classrooms with fancy
computers and interactive projectors when the days of textbooks and bluebooks
worked out in the days of old? To answer
this question, one must first accept that today’s world is much different from
the world of yesterday, and as a result, the students are also much
different. Then it will become clear
that technology has significantly improved the educational experience of our
present-day students.
A study was conducted in 1996 (Kashy
et al., 1998) to attempt to answer the question of the effectiveness of
classroom technology. The authors
analyzed how various programs affected test scores and students’ GPA. They concluded that “in an active learning
environment, technology has helped to implement several well demonstrated
components of effective education: immediate feedback, correction of mistakes,
and help in learning difficult material.”
It also suggested that those who used technology have lower dropout
rates. Similarly, another article
(Bransford et al., 2000) states “technology can play a major role in providing
opportunities for formative assessment that do not overwhelm the teachers due
to time constraints” (p. 150). I have
not been a teacher long, but I have already realized the importance of
feedback. The quicker it is, the more
effective it is, as students will learn from their mistakes. Honestly, I have 120 students, and by the
time their tests are graded they have forgotten the questions. However, online programs instantly provide
students with the correct answers, and even explain why, so they can instantly
learn from their mistakes. I feel this
part of education is often overlooked: in order for students to learn, they
must realize why they were wrong.
Technology is not only beneficial
for the teachers in assessing students, but it also offers opportunities to
prepare students for the future. John
Bransford, Xiaodong Lin, and Dan Schwartz (2000) state that “technology can
also allow students and teachers to explore ‘virtual spaces’ that connect them
with other learners and environments” (p. 153).
We live in a virtual world where businesses are run by the click of a
mouse. It becomes the teacher’s
responsibility to prepare their students for such an atmosphere. Many interactions in society are conducted
virtually, which makes technology essential to a teacher’s curriculum. By integrating various programs into lesson
plans, and exposing students to various tools, they will be able to adapt and
excel in a world full of instant communication.
Otherwise, our youth will fall behind the expectations of their
employers once they enter the world of employment.
Similarly, technology helps students
learn another trait that is extremely valuable in the workforce: problem solving. Terri Bucci and her colleagues (Bucci et al.,
2003) state that one of the goals of technology integration is to “connect
instruction/learning to real-life situations so that students learn and appreciate
how different subjects are used together to solve an authentic
problem” (p. 33). Technology allows
students to experience situations that textbooks or worksheets cannot
provide. For example, when I was in
school, I learned about cell formation and how they split. I learned about the DNA “ladder” and how it
functioned. But now students can observe
a video of cells splitting, or even more, they can interact with a DNA strand
virtually and actually pull it apart to analyze each component. It allows students to interact with their
surroundings in a controlled atmosphere.
It isn’t even necessary to dissect a real frog anymore; students can do
this using interactive technology.
Through interactive software and virtual simulations, our students are
acquiring an even more in-depth understanding of how society, nature, and life
function.
Is all technology useful? In my experience, I have found that many
programs are actually quite ineffective in an educational setting. However, if used correctly in the classroom,
our technological tools can greatly enrich the learning experience of contemporary
students. We are able to have out-of-this-world experiences (literally with some programs) without leaving
our seats. Students’ curiosities and exposures
have never been better than they are in modern-day classrooms. As technology advances, so will our students’
opportunities. Thus, as teachers, we
must be the ones to introduce them to these tools so that they can explore the
many possibilities the future has in store for them.
References:
Bransford,
J., Lin, X., & Schwartz, D. (2000). Technology, learning, and Schools:
Comments on
articles by Tom Carroll
& Gerald Bracey. Contemporary Issues
in Technology and
Teacher
Education, 1(1), 145-182.
Bucci,
T. T., Copenhaver, L. J., Lehman, B., & O’Brien, T. (2003). Technology
integration:
Connections to educational theories. Contemporary
Issues in Technology
and
Teacher Education, 3(1), 26-42.
Kashy, E., Thoennessen, M. T., Davis, N., & Wolfe,
S. (1998). Using networked tools to
promote
student success in large classrooms. Journal of Engineering Education,
385-390.
