Technology in Education

Karic
Professor Pendell
ENG 184: College Writing
19 April 2012
Technology in Education Technology has changed the lives of Americans in many different ways in the past years. From our homes, to our jobs, to the cars we drive, and to the schools we go to, technology has changed the way we go about doing things in our daily lives. Technology has grown so much in the past few years that we do not even realize when we are using it. One of the newest ways technology is being used is in the classroom to teach students their curriculum. Schools integrate technology into the classroom in many different ways. Teachers use technology to play educational video games, give lessons from SMART Boards, or use iPads and iPods for an exciting new option to learn. There are different views on whether or not technology should be used as much as it is in the classroom. This might be because of all the pros and cons to the use of technology in the classroom. There are many different technological devices that teachers can use in the classroom to help teach their students. Computers, SMART Boards, iPads and iPods are the newest devices used to teach students. The iPad and iPod are probably the newest devices used in the classroom. These devices provide educational applications that allow students to learn in a whole different way. According to WorldPress, “The iPad is making significant inroads in schools. Just over a month ago when Apple announced iBooks Author software and the iBooks textbook distribution method, Apple’s Phil Schiller said that 1.5 million iPads were in use in education settings, leveraging more than 20,000 education applications. While that is a small number compared to the total number of students in the US, there are a number of recent announcements that will add to those numbers.” (“Largest Deployment of iPads in Schools”) The use of iPads and iPods provide a new way of learning for students, and a new way of teaching for teachers. Students love using these devices because they get to play games while they are learning. I have never used iPads and iPods for teaching, but from my experience handling them, I think they would work well in the classroom. There are lots of applications that could be useful in teaching. For example, iBooks is an application that gives students the opportunity to get read their textbooks and other books on the iPad. According to Apple, “Students will now experience the most amazing textbooks they have ever read. They can flip through a book by sliding their finger along thumbnail images of the pages. If they do not know the definition of a word, one tap takes them to a glossary or dictionary. No longer limited to a single picture to illustrate the text, now students can flick through a gorgeous photo gallery or dive into an image with interactive captions. They can use a finger to rotate a 3D object to show a human brain from every angle, or have the answer spring to life in an interactive chapter review.” (Apple in Education) I think an application like this would be very beneficial for students. It provides easy access to all their books without having to carry around that big heavy backpack. These books are also cheaper on the iPad than they are the textbooks. It allows kids to update their version of the textbook so they do not have to buy a new textbook each year. Another example is “Algebra Touch”. This application provides algebra problems for the students and helps them solve these to problems to learn. These are not the only educational applications. There are many other applications that are created just for school settings.
SMART Boards are also a new form of technology used in the classroom to help students learn. These boards are a new way for teachers to illustrate and interact with their students. The SMART Board website states, “Join millions of students and teachers around the world who use the SMART Board interactive whiteboard to help improve learning outcomes. Combining the simplicity of a whiteboard with the power of a computer, the SMART Board interactive whiteboard lets you deliver dynamic lessons, write notes in digital ink, and save your work – all with the simple touch of a finger.” (SMART) These boards make learning more interesting and fun for both the teacher and students. SMART Boards provide a convenient way for teachers to display lessons, problems, worksheets, internet websites, and many other viewing options to help explain the lesson they are teaching to their students. I personally think that SMART Boards would benefit the teacher even more than the students. They provide easy access to display the material they want for their students. They do not have to use white boards or chalk boards and go through the work and time of writing and erasing everything they want to display for their class. Even though these SMART Boards might seem to cost a lot of money, I myself think they would be well worth it for the teachers and students. The cost of these boards might bring up an issue that could be a problem for some of the poor schools. According to Touchboards, these SMART Boards can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $7,000. (Smartboards) To me, $1,000 does not seem like a ridiculous price for the product you are getting for how much these boards seem to benefit the student and teacher. Personally, my high school is not the wealthiest school, but they found a way to purchase these SMART Boards. I believe every classroom in every school should have SMART Boards for how beneficial they are to the class. All of these technological devices like computers, iPads, iPods, and SMART Boards provide easy access to educational video games for students. Technology in the classroom has allowed for educational video games to become more popular. Since technology has taken off, there are many educational video games out that provide a style of learning for all subjects. All the different video games provide teachers with a huge variety of ways to teach their students. Smart Boards provide a convenient way for teachers to use video games in the classroom to help explain the lesson they are teaching to their students. I think teachers should take advantage of all the new technology to create lessons with video games. I think students will learn more efficiently because almost all kids love to play video games. This new ways of learning with technology should help grab the attention of students and might help their grades if they pay attention more. Using video games to help teach students is just one benefit that comes from using technology in the classroom. One of the most common stated benefits stated by teachers using technology in the classroom is that it increases motivation and self esteem. On the Technology and Education Reform an anonymous elementary school teacher said, “The kids that do not necessarily star can become the stars. [with technology]. My favorite is this boy . . . who had major problems at home. He figured out a way to make music by getting the computer to play certain letters by certain powers and it changed the musical tone of the note and he actually wrote a piece. He stayed in every recess. . . . When I asked him what he was working on, he would not tell me. Then he asked if he could put his HyperCard stack on my computer because it was hooked up to speakers. I said "sure" and at recess. . . he put it on my computer and played his music and literally stopped the room. And for months he had kids begging him at recess, every recess, to teach them how to make music. And for that particular kid it was the world because he really was not successful academically and was having lots of problems. . . . This really changed him for that school year.” (Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students) The example shows that even kids that do not excel with daily assignments can excel when using technology. Using technology motivates students and makes them want to learn. The Technology and Education reform states, “Students clearly take pride in being able to use the same computer-based tools employed by professionals. Students gain a sense of empowerment from learning to control the computer and to use it in ways they associate with the real world. Technology is valued within our culture. It is something that costs money and that bestows the power to add value. By giving students technology tools, we are implicitly giving weight to their school activities. Students are very sensitive to this message that they, and their work, are important.” (Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students) Like this story states, technology provides a new way to excel for the students that do not do well with pen and paper or on tests. It allows them to show off their skills that you would not normally see in a classroom that does not use technology. According to WordPress, “Classrooms with the use of technology have students with positive attitudes, and a greater inclination to learn, and an increase in student achievement too.” (Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students) To get a better insight on technology in the classroom, I talked to Kale Wiertzema who is a title one and computer teacher at West Central Elementary School. Mr. Wiertzema said, “I use technology everyday to teach kids. When I am computer I am constantly using my computer to teach or guide kids with the assignment they are going to do or the game they are play. My computer projects onto a SMART Board that displays it to the whole class. SMART Boards allow me to touch and point to click on things instead of using the computer.” (Wiertzema) Almost every uses technology so I asked him if he uses any kind of technology in his title one classes. He said, “I use iPads and iPods to teach some lessons. The school provided these devices to give children a fun and different way to learn. The kids love to use the iPads and iPods because they get a chance to play games while learning. These devices give them a fun way to learn that encourages kids to be excited to go to class. Nowadays, there are a lot of applications that provide me to teach some lessons with these devices.” (Wiertzema)
Even though there are many advantages to using technology, there are disadvantages as well. For instance, the Dissertation Company Reviews states, “Students must be trained on how to use the internet suitably if they actually would like to pass their academic courses.” (Special Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students) This means that students need to learn to use the technology they are given efficiently with out procrastination. These devices and computers given to students in the classroom have more than just educational games and assignments on them. They have things like internet, Facebook, Twitter, and other non-educational games that can distract students from what they are suppose to be doing on these devices. Julia Klaus writing for eHow states, “When teaching using technology, instructors must be aware of the potential hindrances technology can bring to the learning process. Some negative effects of technology in today 's classroom are that it can take away valuable learning time, it can be overused, and it can also turn educational experiences into games for students.” (Klaus) If the students or teacher is not educated with technology, then it will take away learning time while trying to figure things out. Technology should not be used to teach kids everything they are learning. Overuse of technology in the classroom could become a problem if the teacher thinks it is an easy way of teaching. (Klaus) Alex Wilhelm, who writes for the Insider explains another disadvantage of using technology in the classroom. He states, “Things such as cheating are now simpler than ever, and I don’t mean writing on your hand. Your class is allowed to use a graphing calculator for the test? Write a program on it that contains all the formulas that you need and presto, you pass the test. Or just take a picture of your homework and send it via SMS to your friend, who copies it on the bus on the way to class.” (Wilhelm) Even though there are downfalls to using technology in the classroom, I think if it is used at the right times and moderated by the teacher, it could be a very beneficial way for students to learn.
With the high value of technology in our culture, it is well on its way to being the future of education. College classes are already offered online today. Some degrees can be achieved by taking courses online. Many high school students are taking college classes online through colleges. Could high school, middle school, and possibly even elementary school classes be offered online with the help of technology in the future? I believe this could happen in the blink of an eye. If they can offer college classes online, why could they not offer elementary classes online? Could technology be the singular method of teaching in the future? In my opinion, technology is going to be the future of teaching. Just by how much it has grown in the past few years in the classroom shows what might be to come. Whether we like it or not, technology is taking over the world, including the classroom. Before we know it, we will be with out paper and pen, left with just computers and tablets.
Works Cited
“Apple in Education.” Apple.com. 2012. Web. 16 April 2012.
“Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students.” Technology and Education Reform. 14 July 2009. Web. 15 April 2012.
“Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students.” WordPress.com. 09 May 2007. Web. 15 April 2012.
Klaus, Julia. “Negative Effects of Using Technology in Today’s Classroom.” eHow. 28 March 2009. Web. 14 April 2012.
“Largest Deployment of iPads in School.” iPads in School. 02 March 2012. Web. 16 April 2012. “SMART Board Interactive Whiteboards.” Smarttech.com. 2012. Web. 16 April 2012.
“SMART Board Interactive White Boards.” Touchboards.com. 2012. Web. 16 April 2012.
“Special Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students.” Dissertation Company Reviews. 15 Oct. 2011. Web. 14 April 2012.

Cited: “Apple in Education.” Apple.com. 2012. Web. 16 April 2012. “Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students.” Technology and Education Reform. 14 July 2009. Web. 15 April 2012. “Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students.” WordPress.com. 09 May 2007. Web. 15 April 2012. Klaus, Julia. “Negative Effects of Using Technology in Today’s Classroom.” eHow. 28 March 2009. Web. 14 April 2012. “Largest Deployment of iPads in School.” iPads in School. 02 March 2012. Web. 16 April 2012. “SMART Board Interactive Whiteboards.” Smarttech.com. 2012. Web. 16 April 2012. “SMART Board Interactive White Boards.” Touchboards.com. 2012. Web. 16 April 2012. “Special Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students.” Dissertation Company Reviews. 15 Oct. 2011. Web. 14 April 2012.