Technology in the Classroom

The world is a very different place now than it was 50 years from now, especially when we take a look at technology. Even in my lifetime technology has changed. I remember being told I couldn’t go on the computer because my parents were expecting a phone call or having a cell phone wasn’t a thing. If you were lucky enough to have a cell phone it only made phone calls and you could send a limited amount of texts usually sent by using T-9. In the classroom we had 1 or 2 computers that could be used but were only used as a reward for getting your assignments done or to do limited research for a project. I also remember having a computer lab in the school and it was a very exciting time to get to go to this room and use the computers. 

 

Things look very different in today’s world when it comes to technology in general but specifically in the classroom. When you walk into a classroom usually one of the first things you see is either a white board with a projector or a smart board at the front of the classroom. Watching videos as part of a lesson is something students almost expect. When the internet goes down in a school everyone panics as they can’t do attendance, teachers can’t access their lesson plans, students can use mathletics or Razkids. It is a freaky situation that you don’t even want to think about as most teachers rely on technology when it comes to teaching. 

When it comes to technology it can be helpful but it can also be a hindrance. With all this fancy technology comes the struggle of knowing how to properly use it and get the most out of it. Sometimes our students know more than we do with the technology and are able to help us with our struggles, other times we need to ask a coworker to assist us with our technology which also takes time out of their day where they might be planning or teaching their students. It is helpful that our students have grown up with technology and are confident in using it but when does that actually take away from them learning useful skills? I have had conversations with teachers who teach older grades about how technology is used in their classrooms and it is used for everything from research, writing papers to communicating with each other. Are the skills we teach them in younger grades like handwriting, using books for research and communicating in person with each other being lost or at least not being strengthened?