I’m genuinely asking because I can’t picture school without technology. As far as I can recall my school experience always had technology. Maybe not kindergarten or grade 1, but I specifically remember that by at least grade 2 we would have one hour of computer time every week. In the mind of a child this was like extra recess. The computers all had various preset games on them and whether we recognized it or not we were learning from those games. Sure, I could practice my times tables with paper and pencil, but I felt a lot more engaged playing Number Munchers and moving the weird bodiless frog around the screen.

Side note: To answer the question nobody asked, yes I did just find out you can play the game online and so I played a few rounds to get a good screenshot of it.

I also remember when our school got smart boards. Rarely did anyone volunteer to go up and write on the whiteboards or chalkboards, but for the smart boards everyone had their hands raised higher than ever for the chance to come up and use them. These were new exciting tools that every kid wanted to experience. As such we were more focused and our brains were ready to learn, but that was around 20 years ago. I can only assume the cool factor has worn off. I’d venture a guess that the intrigue by these new tools that hit my generation isn’t quite having the same effect on the current generation. I don’t think I’d be as impressed by big giant touchscreen in class anymore seeing as most kids parents have a portable one in their pockets. And would the educational video games be as enticing now that kids can borrow their parents devices and play an unlimited number of games?

I’d argue that back in my day (I’ve never used that phrase seriously before and I don’t like how it feels) technology was enhancing learning. We were learning the same curriculum we would’ve had without it, but it was so much more engaging. Add in the fact that we were learning how to use technology and it’s almost like they had a two for the price of one deal. Nowadays I think I’d have to side with the opinion that it doesn’t enhance learning.

Photo taken by Zach Frailey on Flickr

That’s not to say it’s it doesn’t have it’s place in a classroom, or that it can’t possibly provide the same enhanced learning I felt technology gave me. The study done in Effects of an immersive virtual reality-based classroom on students’ learning performance in science lessons proves it’s possible . They provided students with such a unique experience that got them more engaged with the content they were learning. This is where technology in the classroom really shines. But I assume lessons this labor intensive and costly are a rare occurrence in modern teaching.

Then you have the huge downside of technology being a distraction. Even when I was a kid, in about grade 5 onwards you could guarantee that if we were given access to computers or laptops there would be kids using them for anything but school work. It was all too easy for kids to get distracted. Whether they were showing their friends funny videos, checking their Facebook, or just flipping the screen to frustrate the next person to use it. It’s mentioned in No A 4 U that through the authors research and the research of Wood et al., (2012) college students using Facebook during lectures or while studying performed worse than those who did not. Although I don’t know if anybody would really doubt that even without the research.

At the end of the day I think it really comes down to the teacher. If the teacher understands the technology their trying to utilize then it can be successful, maybe for some students it even enhances learning like I felt it did for me. As technology keeps advancing so will the tools that can be used in the classroom. While I might not see technology as a benefit in the classroom right now I hope to see my opinion change. Who knows maybe somebody’s developing Number Munchers Two as we speak.