Based on what I have read, technology effectiveness is a highly debated and argued topic among educators. There are many myths and misconceptions that even I myself have argued about technology use. For example, I always assumed that because I was a young, new teacher and used technology that most teachers who used technology were new and young like me. According to the article Research dispels common ed-tech myths, this idea is not the case. Veteran teachers are just as likely to use technology as new, young teachers (eSchool News Staff, 2010). A 2009 survey by Grundwald associates, found that as many as 34% of teachers were infrequent technology users compared to 22% who claimed that they used technology frequently, more than a third of their class time. This number is astounding to me. The research in this article seems to argue that even among those who do use technology in the classroom, many use it for tasks such as email, word processing, or games. Very few classrooms seem to be using the technology for actual learning and teaching.
There are critics on both sides of the argument of effective use when it comes to technology. Some argue that test scores have not supported the idea that technology use increases student learning, that this technology movement is simply another bandwagon fad. For example, the New York Times article, Grading the Digital School: In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores, discussed a school in the Kyrene School District in Arizona where technology is used frequently in the classroom. One teacher in the article is using technology in a lesson on Shakespeare. Her students are writing blogs, building Facebook pages, and even creating music lists to support the information the...
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...n because of the ability they present to measure student knowledge at any moment. I did not know before using the Technopedia site that there were so many different types of student response systems. I always just imagined the basic student response system with four A, B, C, and D buttons. However, the fact that you can have student response systems that allow for elaboration to open-response questions make this technological tool even more useful and effective. With so much pressure on standardized testing, this tool allows teachers to question and rank the knowledge of each individual student. Furthermore, because of the abilities of current Smartphones, the expensiveness of student response systems goes out the window in a classroom that allows cell phone use. I truly believe that both of these technologies can truly change and positively effect education.
Where ever you live and whatever grade you teach, technology has made it into the lives of teachers and students. Whether it is an ebook, laptop, iPad, computer, or Smartboard, they all have brought teaching literacy to a new level. These tools are not going to leave our classrooms, if anything they will impact the learning at new and higher levels. There will come a day, and I think it will be soon, that every student will have access to their own technology devices at school and at home. As teachers, we need to embrace technology and try and stay ahead of our students if possible.
Technology in the classroom can significantly enhance student performance. Lessons that utilize computers and technology can be more interactive and hands-on, increasing student engagement and motivation. Schools that have implemented computers and other technology in the classroom report higher attendance and lower dropout rates than in the past (Braun 7). Teachers report that students are more challenged, engaged, and independent when using technology (U.S. Department of Education). A 1995 study funded by the U.S. Department of Education concluded that in the nine technology-rich schools studied, the use of technology resulted in educational gains for all students, regardless of age, race, parental income, or other characteristics (Means and Olson).
From personal experience technology has improved the way I learn and has made it easier to students to collaborate with each other in order to improve our learning. To conclude, technology should be used in school’s curriculum and instruction because of improved communication, innovations to come and convenience to both the students and the teachers.
Most importantly, the question that must be asked when a new technology is put into education, is if the technology is useful, and if it helps the students learn in new ways that were never possible before the technology. David Gelernter in an article for Time magazine asserts that “It’s as if the Administration
Technology is a portion of everyday life. It affects how business is conducted, teaching, learning, and receiving information. Good or bad, everyone uses technology every day. There are many items people have on them on a daily basis, one would be hard pressed to be without. If you were to examine the effect of technology on teaching and learning and acquire an understanding of why technology should be a part of every classroom curriculum, what would the conclusion be? Technology is a great benefit to the classroom, it stimulates our digital generation and allows educators to be more creative with curriculum.
Unless you have lived under a rock for the past 30 years, chances are that you own at least one personal computer or other electronic device. Everywhere you turn, you find an electronic device being used by someone. Technology has been so deeply integrated with our society; some even consider it "odd" to be without some kind of peronal electronic device. But computers aren't restricted to personal use; computers have also been laregly integrated into classrooms as well. So with the ever increasing use of technology, there begs the question: what is it all worth, is it even helpful or necessary? Does the use of computers within the school system effect students in a positive or a negative way?
“One of the things that we do know is that when students have technology available, they tend to move faster than we expected” (Schrum, n.d., para. 13). Computers also help students to try and do things that they have not been secure in doing before. All students, at any level, with any interests, can benefit from the technology. Students also seem to continue to work until there projects are the way they want them, (Simkins, et al., 2002) Being able to have students use technology that is on different levels is a great advantage to everyone. All students learn at various rates and learn best in different
Technology in the classroom can be a good thing for many students. For example, it gives students easy access to information, but it isn’t always the best thing. Technology helps raise the illiteracy rate higher as it is used in school. In 2009, about 97 percent of classrooms had at least one computer in the classroom everyday, although approximately 54 percent could bring their own computers to their class. There was internet access available for almost 93 percent of the computers in the classrooms. Otherwise, 96 percent of the computers were brought in to the students. The average ratio of students to computers was 5.3 to 1. Since 2006 the spending rate for each school in the United States has increased about 1,250 dollars. It’s rate in 2011 was almost 10,250 dollars per pupil. Although technology can help many students and teachers, due to the fact that the use of it gets abused by some students therefore it isn’t the greatest to have at our fingertips.
With bonuses teachers get can buy more technology, including chromebooks, iPads, and others. Stanford magazine said “...[this] report is based on a review of more than 70 studies and provides concrete examples of classroom environments in which technology has made a positive difference in the learning outcome of students…” Positive differences in a classroom are a big deal. With computers and technology comes responsibilities, students need to be old enough to use the technology right and need to have the teachers trust as
In schools around the world, technology is growing at an alarming rate. This brings up one question though, is technology becoming overused in schools? There are many reasons pointing to the claim that technology is being used too much, but there are many bigger reasons pointing the other direction, that it isn’t.
Do you ever think about how much technology has changed the way we work, learn, play, and even think? Technology is a major beneficiary to society; especially in the classroom where we get the opportunity to learn and grow. In recent years, schools have begun implementing tablets and other devices in the classroom to better student’s education. The use of technology in the classroom provides more of a personalized learning experience and gives students a widespread availability to engage in learning. Technology is necessary in today’s modern globe, it is basically “the pen and paper of our time and the lens through which we experience much of our world” (Warlick, 2013). Technology is not just considered the “internet”, it is so much greater than that. Overall, it enhances the quality of education and engages students deeper than ever before. With all the significant gains, why would people argue that technology hinders students more than it helps? Critics may try to repute the use of technology in the classroom but I believe what really matters “is the way we use it, the context that we use it in, and the learners who we use it for” (Chong, 2012).
Technology has many different effects on education, one of them being enhancing the students learning. Technology may enhance the students learning and may assist most students in achieving their academic standards. When technology and appropriate teaching methods are combined, technology may increase the academic achievement. Positive effects have been found in all major subject areas, from preschool to higher education, both regular and special needs students. Educational technology has been found to have a positive effect on a student’s attitude toward learning and on self-concepts. The introduction of technology into the learning environment has allowed the learning to be more student-centered, to encourage group learning, and helps to stimulate an increase in the student-teacher interaction. Technology has shown a shift from a focus on a student’s memorization to their problem solving. Through technology’s use, learning opportunities have become unrestricted by time or place, allowing lifelong learning. Student use of technology through communications can also help to enhance access to a career and continued education. Students are more likely to use a computer to get help because they can to it themselves. Technology is helping students to become independent.
Andy Carvin states “ internet access in schools isn’t worth a hill of beans if teachers aren’t prepared to take full advantage of technology” (2000). Schools spend a lot of money on computer hardware and software as well as other technologies without realizing that many of their employees are unprepared to include them in their teaching and use them to their advantages. Educators often use technology as a classroom management tool rather than an educational one, allowing computer time as a reward for good behavior (Clark & Gorski, 2001). The problem with this is that students learn to use the computer for games and such because it is their reward instead of using it on their own time for educational purposes. This is teaching them the wrong idea. Margaret Honey, director of the Center for Children and Technology in NYC said it best, “The bottom line is, you don’t just put technology into schools or into homes and expect miracles to happen. The technology is only as good as the program that surrounds it” (Meyer, 2002, p.2).
Technology properly used in the classroom has many advantages to a student’s learning. Technology can help students become more involved in their own learning process, which is not seen in the traditional classroom. It allows them to master basic skills at their own rate rather than being left behind. Teachers and students alike can connect to real life situations by using technology in the classroom; this can also help to prepare students for real world situations. Technology can be used to motivate students as well as to offer more challenging opportunities. It can also be used as a visualization tool to keep students interested in the subject that is being taught. When technology is used effectively, students have the opportunity to develop skills that they may not get without the use of technology (Cleaver, 2011). Assessing and monitoring students is easier on the teacher because of the ability to use technology in the classroom. When technology is used correctly it offers limitless resources to a classroom atmosphere.
Modern technology has made it so much easier to obtain educational information for classroom or homework assignments. It offers educational games that stimulate the brain and help children who have difficulties focusing on traditional teaching and learning procedures. College students are even taking advantage of online courses that many colleges are offering as an alternative to physically attending classes. Advances in technology and computers will continue to play an important role in education for many generations to come.