Why should we have technology in our schools? What can technology do for our school systems? Why should teachers be trained in the different technologies?
In his book “The Flickering Mind,” Todd Oppenheimer suggests that technology should not be included in schools. In a review of Oppenhiemer’s book, Blaisdell (2003) summarizes Oppenhiemer’s conclusion: “Putting computers in classrooms has been almost entirely wasteful, and the rush to keep schools up-to-date with the latest technology has been largely pointless” (Blaisdell, 2003). Oppenheimer’s book, according to a blurb following the review title, says that, “ . . . Technology - from TV to the laptop - delivers less than hoped for by schools.” (Blaisdell, 2003).
In Oppenheimer’s opinion technology
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is not being used appropriately; it is much too difficult and “error prone” to be put into our schools and work. There are also so many improvements or enhancements happening at such a quick rate that the schools, financially, are over-whelmed and cannot keep up. Oppenheimer has, however, found schools successful in technology. In these schools, though, he “largely credits the enthusiasm and devotion of individual teachers” to their success. Hank Becker agrees that the teachers have a large part in the outcomes of the use of technology in the classroom.
According to an article in From Now On: The Educational Technology Journal,
“ . . . Hank Becker’s research shows that the preferred teaching strategies and styles of teachers usually determine or shape their patterns of technology usage. Those he calls “traditional” teachers are far less apt to allow students to use new technologies than “constructivist” teachers even when they have 5 or more networked computers in their classrooms.” (McKenzie, 2001,).
The author goes on to say that the training for teachers in technology has not been useful and, at times, make teachers shy away from technology even more. Technology training usually focuses on computer skills, rather than how technology can benefit teachers or can be used in classrooms (McKenzie, 2001) Another concern not only focuses in on teaching technology to teachers, but the teachers themselves. There will probably always be teachers that are very comfortable with their knowledge and how they run their classrooms, with or without technology. In order for these teachers to use more technology, they will need to be convinced that using technology is beneficial to both the students and themselves. “One hundred additional hours of learning computer software is not likely to transform traditional teachers into constructivist teachers” (McKenzie,
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2001). Other researchers, including Martha Stone Wiske, co-director of the ETC at Harvard, says that One way schools can use technology effectively is to support the kinds of changes that many school reformers have been urging for the last decade. Generally, Wiske says, these reforms reflect constructivist theories of learning, which urge schools to distinguish between instruction that emphasizes the transmission of information and instruction that is designed to support students’ efforts to “construct” their own understanding. (Harrington-Lueker, 1997, para 13). The school superintendent of Mendocino, California Ken Matheson thinks much of the same. Mathison has worked hard to first, change teaching, and second, technology use. He states that, “It’s our curriculum that drives the way we use technology.” The students in Mendocino work on activities dealing with real-life situations. (Harrington-Lueker, 1997) The authors of Increasing Student Learning Through Multimedia Projects said that “effective teachers employ various teaching methods to achieve a balanced instructional program that is also personalized and reflects the needs and interests of individual students” (Simkins, Cole, Tavalin, and Means, 2002, p.9). A large part of teaching is getting the material to students so that they will learn and remember what is being taught. It is best to find a way to get students involved and excited. “Technology merely provides the tools to be used for authentic learning” (Schrum, n.d.). Technology provides many benefits to the success of students. It keeps students motivated, even those students that would not normally be interested in the subject being taught. Students that use the technology to create projects of their own spend more time and put much more work into it then if technology was not involved (Simkins, Cole, Tavalin, and Means, 2002,). There are several other benefits for the students as well.
“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
ways. Technology has the potential to build on whatever skills a student possesses. When students’ own interests drive the learning process, we find that they work longer and harder, they are more engaged in their learning, they are asking questions at whatever level they happen to be. (Schrum, para. 14). The more students know about a subject, the more they are interested so a great way to get and keep the students’ attention is to use real world information and experiences. In real world, multimedia projects, “Students will learn and practice skills, gather and present information, and solve problems.” (Simkins, et al., 2002, p. 33–4) Having students use information and technology that they use and will use makes projects more appealing to them which is a great motivator itself. They see a reason for the project and that it is something that they really do need to know.(Simkins, et al, 2002) Students can understand the concepts of subjects better if they become more involved and “experience” the subject first hand, rather than listening to lectures and taking paper/pencil tests. A great way to get the students more involved is to have them create their own multi-media project. One teacher discovered that giving a multi-media project developed a greater understanding of the material being taught. Students gained an understanding of the material instead of just memorizing facts. (Simkins et al, 2002) After the multimedia project, she gave the same assessment again, and now her students were able to think beyond the facts and reason with the material. She was able to see that the multimedia project was responsible for moving her students past the simple recall level to a deeper understanding of the topic. (Simkins et al., 2002, p. 91)
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 spread across the world to become a major factor in day to day life. It is used for work, researching, and entertainment. Technology has already started to replace certain educational objects in schools, but its possibilities are still being held back. People worry about the possible consequences of their children being exposed to technology. However, the benefits easily outweigh the consequences when each of them can be resolved. An increase in technology in schools will improve the lives of the students and the choices they make for their future.
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 forms the most vital element of life in the world today. Every aspect of our lives is dominated by technology and its importance in our lives is indispensable. One of the outstanding facts about technology use in schools is its controversial nature. There is no common agreement by stakeholders in technology and educations sectors about the use of technology in schools. There are two different factions, one supporting use of technology as a positive aspect, while the other faction disagrees, citing the detrimental effects of technology in students. However, the use of technology in classrooms catering for children continues to increase, as education develops more interesting ways of enhan...
It makes them work better because it gives them more capabilities to get more information on subjects they are working on and tools to use for those subjects. Also it helps the students who can’t be at school for any reason, catch up in class, and work on the work that they missed before getting back to school. It also allows the teachers to communicate with their students and answer any questions that they have with their work. It allows the students the availability of online classes and those classes could not be available at their school but it could help them with what they are trying to be when they grow up. Technology isn’t just for high school, the elementary schools are beginning to use technology in their classrooms. This helps the younger children start learning in the earlier ages because the teachers are using the technology in games, videos, and songs. At a young age, it 's difficult for children to focus on learning just on paper but if you make it fun for them it helps them learn it better because they want to do it over and over and technology gives that to them. “By learning to use technology in the classroom at a young age, children, are developing the skills and knowledge that is essential in today’s world.” (Kurzweil) Learning at a young age helps the kids be brighter in class when they grow up because when you learn something that is fun
Shelly, G. B., Gunter, G., & Gunter, R. (2010). Teachers discovering computers: Integrating technology and
Technology is a major focus when discussing the ways to improve schools in the future. Because students are now becoming extremely educated when it comes to technology, school districts are now making it mandatory for teachers to be knowledgeable when it comes to technology, no mat...
Henry Jay Becker, an education professor at the University of California has been evaluating how schools and teachers use computers for classroom instruction for over 20 years. He believes that computers should be integrated into classrooms for students to use so they can have more skills. The constructivist philosophy that Becker supports stresses student interest and teachers see themselves more as facilitators rather than sources of knowledge for students. Teachers with more computer knowledge are more likely to use several different software types in the classroom. In his research, Becker has found out that students who use the computer daily in the classroom have better word processing skills than those who do not. They also are more likely to use a computer when not in school.
Rakes, G., Fields, V., & Cox, K. (2006, Summer). ERIC - The Influence of Teachers' Technology Use on Instructional Practices, Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 2006. ERIC - The Influence of Teachers' Technology Use on Instructional Practices, Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 2006. Retrieved December 2, 2013, from http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ768721
Technology has changed many aspects of our lives, so why should we expect less of the classroom atmosphere? Technology in the classroom has changed the way students learn and the way teachers teach. Technology today is integrated into the classroom as a teaching tool rather than being taught as a course. There are many ways that technology is used in today’s classroom such as the World Wide Web, Power Point, and Excel (Starr, 2011). Teachers will continue to be the most important aspect of a child’s education because they teach and technology does not. The use of technology in the classroom can bring advantages to a child’s education but can also bring disadvantages (Cleaver, 2011).
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).
Mundy, M., Kupczynski, L. and Kee, R. 2012, “Teacher's Perceptions of Technology Use in the Schools”, SAGE Open, pp. 1-8, viewed 15 Jan 2014, retrieved from Sage Online Article.
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.
Continued advancements in educational technology have fundamentally changed the way teacher education programs are being offered. Teacher educators today have unlimited opportunities to more broadly utilize and apply powerful technological tools, to equip teacher candidates with the skills, knowledge, motivation and support needed to incorporate the power of technology into their classrooms and instruction. Indeed, the influence of technology in teacher education programs is so great that, it is said, it has changed the “way teachers teach, and learn to teach” (Elliott, 2009, p. 433).
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.