The Benefits of Classroom Computers
With the rapid growth of technology in America’s society today, the use of computers in school classrooms has increased tremendously—an action that certainly has become beneficial to students, educators, and parents. The use of computers has positively skyrocketed over the past ten years. Not only are computers utilized daily in large companies across the world, but the everyday use in classrooms has also become prevalent. Using modern technology to assist school instructors with his or her daily lessons should definitely be regarded as a positive, acceptable method of instruction and not definitely does not prohibit students from understanding or critical thinking.
The discipline, commitment, and responsibility standards that are required for an exceptional learning experience in school systems today are very consistent with those necessary fifty years ago. For example, the tools an educator were provided then were utilized to the best of his or her ability, which can easily be comparable with the circumstances of today’s uprising culture of computers.
The world’s technology advancements are quickly developing, thus, unquestionably, contributing to the extraordinary benefits obtained by students, parents, and educators. Students are provided an enhanced understanding of diverse subjects due to presentations, use of the Internet, and various programs, assisting them with projects, homework, tests, or merely general interest. Classroom computer use is certainly beneficial to parents as well. If a student does not have computer access at home to complete a project or essay, it could easily be completed on the classroom’s computer. This avoids any conflicts that may arise from families that do not have access to a personal computer. Teachers are able to easily compose a multimedia presentation to, not only help teach the class, but also to assist the pupils while taking notes and ensuring their understanding of the topic.
The “learning is fun” motto which has been declared for centuries is still true today. Although particular subjects are not so interesting, there is always a way for the educator to make the topic appealing. The Internet websites, interactive games, video clips, presentations, and animated cartoons are coupled with facts and taught daily. This is the chief technique in which many teachers educate their students. The standard lecture is somewhat considered outdated, while this “new” manner of teaching has become the modern tendency. During a debate on PBS, Damon Moore stated the following: “The computer is a perfect tutor.
Over the past few decades technology has advanced quite a bit. The use of calculators, computers, and other techniques in many fields has increased significantly. In a large scale, technology is replacing the method of instruction in the field of education. Many people believe that adopting technology in learning process can increase productivity. However, David Gelernter, who is a professor at Yale University as well as a leading figure in the field of technology, suggests to limit the use of technology in the classroom in his article “Unplugged: The Myth of Computers in the Classroom” which was published in the New Republic magazine in 1994. In this article he offers well illustrated analysis which makes the readers to regulate the use of technology in the classroom. He thinks that the technology comes in a way of building strong foundation of basic skills. He insists that computers should be used to aid the learning process, not to replace cognitive thinking.
David Gelernter author of the essay, “Unplugged: The Myth of Computers in the Classroom,” used some rhetorical appeals but not many in his essay, whilst trying to logically persuade his audience that computers could be utilized in the classroom, but under certain stipulations. Gelernter has great credibility for speaking on education and technology, as he is a professor of computer science at Yale University, so he more than anyone should know the outcomes of using a computer as a tool while teaching. However, when it comes to technology a lot of older generations usually are pretty biased when discussing technologies advancements, Gelernter still had some very good points! Using computers while teaching our young children can be useful but with strict moderations; when, where, and why, because if not heavily monitored, computers could be extremely detrimental to the learning experience and processes for many students.
“Technology has provided the opportunity to create an entirely new learning environment; it has significantly increased the range and sophistication of possible classroom activities” (Hawkins 1997). The vast majority of youths today, grow up with computers and encounter some form of digital learning (Kolikant, 2009). The idea that has had the most impact is that the technology today will be outpaced by the next generation. Most of the technology seen today will never be used by an infant when he reaches school age.
Technology is growing every day. We use technology for everything we do, sometimes without even thinking about it. In our world, these advancements are used for communicating, entertainment, and education as well as others. Since technology is so ingrained into our lives, how much we use and depend on it is often not thought about. Our education system is on the front end of using new technology in classrooms. More and more class room and teachers are weaving it into their lesson plans and making it more available for students to use in the classroom. Technology is changing the way students are educated in America and across the world. In this paper I will discuss several ways that this can be seen and improved.
“Before you become too entranced with gorgeous gadgets and mesmerizing video displays, let me remind you that information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom, and wisdom is not foresight. Each grows out of the other. And we need them all” (Re-inventing 1995). These words spoken by the distinguished author, Arthur C. Clarke, bring to light where exactly the technological situation in education is and the direction it is going. The discussion and debate of introducing and improving classrooms with technology has been a relatively heated topic as of late. Many have even claimed that if schools are to survive it is imperative for us to stand back and carefully rethink our notions of intelligence, learning, instruction, and evaluate the situation in light of the new age of communication. In discussing the use of technology in education a distinction needs to be made between itself and ‘tech ed’. The common definition of technology education is that it is an action based program for all students to use resources to design, produce, use, and assess the impacts of products and services that extend human potential to improve and control the natural and human made development (Patterson 1999). While these skills and practices are integrated into using technology in education it does not fully explain or utilize what is needed to provide affective technology in the classroom. A mission of this program is to help students apply technology to effectively make decisions and contribute to a rapidly changing technological society. But more than that, the purpose is to give students the best possible education for their generation with the suppli...
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.
Within technology comes the gateway to almost everything that is out in the internet, it opens a whole new world to the students and the teachers that use them. The outcome of the uses, if they happen to be good or bad, come from the restrictions and the management of usage of said technology inside a classroom. Educators see firsthand how the used in their daily lives influence how a student learns. Thanks to technology not only has students and teachers changed the ways they learn and teach, learning itself has changed as well. It is not only crucial to have the technological tools needed in a classroom, but also an educator that can mend and mold the technology to their rightful use. The use of technology in a classroom not only expands the tools and gadgets, not to mention adds much needed knowledge that will help students later on in life, but also brings a whole new and better way to teach and learn.
In preparing 21st-century students for life beyond the classroom, educators must reevaluate what and how they teach and tailor this to the individual needs of the student. Educators must bring technology into learning to engage, motivate, and inspire their students become achievers (Spires, Lee, Turner, & Johnson, 2008). Indeed this is happening now, a lot more technology is utilized with classroom instruction, and teachers are being encouraged to use instructional technology in their lessons (Ayas, 2006; Yucel, Acun, Tarman, & Mete, 2010).
Education always tries to be as efficient as possible, and so the combination with technology, was inevitable. From the blackboard to the whiteboard and from the overhead projector to the computer projector, there has always been gradual up-scaling of technology in the classroom. Information technologies are keeping suit, and are being adopted into schools with open arms. Some schools, especially colleges, even go so far as to require computers (McCune pg. 3). Well over half of the schools in the United States today have been upgraded to include
Every effort is being made in implementing technology in the classroom. The traditional way of teaching should be that of the pass. Technology has evolved in such a way that a new learning environment should be implemented or at least attempted to encourage students develop the necessary skills to be more confident in their learning environment. By creating a more active learning environment that students are allowed to collaborate with peers only enhances their critical thinking skills. “The participation required when children are grouped around a computer, as opposed to working in isolation at individual computers, can have a positiv...
When trying to describe the meaning of education, one might think of the relationship between a teacher and a student. The essence of this relationship is stregthned by the teachers' ability to adapt to the students needs. With many advancements of society and technology, today's teachers are better equipped with tools so powerful that the standards of yesterday are being challenged more frequently. Among these great tools exists the computer and the Internet.
Some say that technology is a distraction and hinders the students from fully learning and developing important skills that they claim only the interactions with the teacher can provide. Teachers have said that technology is a powerful tool that allows them to introduce and demonstrate learning activities in a completely new way. It has been studied and proven that most kids are more motivated and interested in the concepts they are supposed to learn when the teaching tool of technology is used. A fifth grade teacher stated, “Technology is the ultimate carrot for students. It's somet...
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.
The beginning of the technological era made people realize that the traditional ways of learning can be improved. Integrating the new technology in the teaching process aimed to accomplish different goals: develop communication skills and social skills, develop creativity and stimulate academic curiosity, critical thinking and systematic thinking, efficient management of the assimilated material etc. required in today’s society. At first they classical chalk boards were being replaced, then slowly but surely multimedia materials were introduced in the class. Educational radio and television programs were becoming more common and so were movies. Even though the multimedia was becoming more common in classroom the opinion of the people was that they were “hostile to what has been called book-learning or its handmaiden, school learning,” (Postman, 422). As the technolog...
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.