Technology In the Classroom: Present and Future

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The introduction of technology into the classroom is a movement that every district will or already has implemented. Getting the technology into the classroom is only the first step. Determining how the technology can be used in the classroom to help improve student achievement is yet another problem. Few school districts support teachers past the point of getting technology into the classroom. This paper will focus briefly on how technology is being used in the classroom and what the future holds for technology use in the classroom.

How technology is now used in the classroom is up to the teacher. There is usually little to no guidance given to teacher by administers on how to merge technology into the classroom. Due to this, many teachers will only implement technology up to their comfort level. Those teachers who feel comfortable integrating technology into the classroom will do so, and those that do not will integrate a minimal amount. Even those teachers who do manage to integrate a great deal of technology into their classrooms still do not use it to its greatest benefit. (Windschitle 2002)

Those teachers that now integrate technology are using techniques that are 10 years behind the current technology. Although a great deal of research has been done on using technology in the classroom over this time period, technology is changing just a rapidly. The web (Web 1.0) that was studied for the past 10 years and the current web (Web 2.0) are extremely different. Most of today's teacher use Web 1.0 technology in their classrooms. In this case, they use the web as another resource for students. They hold it on the same level as a text-book or even a transparency. The content that is provided through Web 1.0 is all con...

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.... Students who are usually shy, reserved, and uncertain of themselves can now become engaged in the content provided during class. Also, extending the class outside of the normal 45 minutes in a way that allows students to communicate with one another about content makes them more engaged. Discussion boards allow for more thought out answers to questions and more in-depth thinking about content. (Jewell 2005)

The future of technology in the classroom should be today. Many teachers and schools lack the knowledge to implement the Web 2.0 ideas that students already use today. Research must be done to determine the best ways to teach teachers on how to integrate this technology into the classroom. The future classroom must feature Web 2.0 ideas that help encourage 21st century skills such as collaboration, discussion, community, and peer review through publishing.

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