The integration of technology in the classroom has become essential in the advancement of schools. As all the network information have advance the way that resources are provided and how information is collected, technology has made it much easier for students to find information at a higher rate of speed and share knowledge amongst peers in different parts of the world. Our society has changed in such a way over the last couple of decades in ways where technology is everywhere that we look. Today many students in schools have daily access to technological devices such as cellphones, tablets, and laptop devices. Realizing that this is the case and what is naturally happening around the world, “the use of technological devices in the classroom are explored to create meaningful learning experiences for students of all ages” (Drexel University School of Education).
The integration of technology in education has been extremely beneficial because it has provided a new source for extending education beyond actual school grounds. In the past, when students were absent and unable to make it to school, they would have to either wait for their return to work to get their assignments that their missing, or have an adult go into the school to get the work that they needed. This option was always available to students but the issue is that in missing school, they have missed out on the ability to get classroom instruction. Now you have virtual schooling options that students are able to take advantage of while not physically being in school by providing “a broader classroom climate”. Classrooms now have the advantage of using the technologies that are being placed in the classrooms.
When people mention or hear about technology in schools, they automatically assume that it is a huge financial burden. Technology is expensive to purchase and at times can also be a cost to maintain in working conditions. When it comes to the purchase of technology, many schools have adapted technological devices for the classrooms that can be shared. The smart boards have been one of the most popular pieces of technological equipment in the classroom. Teachers have been able to use the device to demonstrate work and be creative with instruction. Having this equipment during whole class instruction, teachers are able to “foster student engagement for auditory and visual learners”. In most recent years, games and creative apps have become popular in the classrooms and increase student engagement.
The realization that many students have many different styles and especially those who have artistic creative minds, it made important to find new ways to create engagement. I have found that while working at the middle school level, students were a big fan of one particular game. That game name is Kahoot and it was very popular amongst all the kids; even the ones that were barely engaged in the classroom. Kahoot is a game that is designed “to review information after a lesson or unit”. Students were able to play this from their desk and at the time were using classroom set tablets.
Another important benefit of technology integration, is online communication. Technology has made it easy for teachers, students, administrators, and parents to communicate online. If there are any important school billboard information that needs to be passed, or grades have been updated, the online technology provides quicker efficient access. Certain online programs now are able to automatically grade the assignments and import immediately to the online server. Like most technology, there are also some cons to using it. The biggest con would be possible network issues that can cause for the technology to not be available. When this happens, it can cause everyone to be out of service with their devices and in some cases, it can take quite some time to resolve. Technology is important in school integration and I believe as time goes by, it will only improve the classroom even more.
Drexel University School of Education. https://drexel.edu/soe/resources/student-teaching/advice/how-to-use-technology-in-the-classroom/