Technology and Participation

897 Words2 Pages

Common forms of technology found in today’s classrooms have impacted the way students participate in class. Many forms of technology are available to teachers; some more common tools include interactive white boards, laptop computers, and personal response systems. Interactive white boards are perhaps the most common technological tool in school districts today, and support for them continues to grow. In higher levels of education laptop computers are prevalent among students, while personal response systems, also known as clickers, are modestly mixed throughout all levels of education. Current research seems to indicate that these common classroom technologies have a positive impact on student participation.

In referring to interactive whiteboards, the term interactive has long been associated with the aspect of interaction between the teacher and the board, rather than the participation potential for students (Northcote, Mindenhall and Marshall, 2010). “The research suggests that the use of IWBs has the potential for enhancing interactivity

in learning contexts, especially considering their motivational impact on students and

their capacity to involve students in using and viewing a range of media” (p. 507). Many teachers and students hold the common view that interactive whiteboards increase engagement, motivation, and participation. Students are eager to be selected to use the interactive white board and offer answers to the teacher during lessons (Quashie, 2009). Interactive whiteboards add new levels of interaction into otherwise ordinary lessons. The technology allows teachers to create truly interactive lessons which increase student learning and retention (Criswell, 2008). Research clearly indicates a positive pattern ...

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