When we look at the world around us, we can’t help but to notice that technology has been integrated into every aspect of our lives. We have refrigerators that can send us a real-time photo of what is in the fridge, we have cars that will drive and navigate on their own, we can talk to people near and far with video capabilities, we can stream any show or movie into our home without ever leaving the couch, and we can automate our homes using smart plugs and assorted other technology. Technology has the ability to help make things easier and sometimes safer for everyone. Technology has definitely made its way into our classrooms, and while there are benefits there are also some negatives. Students are faced with technology in every aspect of their lives away from school, and it is important to integrate technology into the classroom in moderation.
Technology has become an integral part of education for teachers, parents, and students. “The most obvious fact of educational technology is the computer-particularly in its service-providing role as a gateway to the Internet and World Wide Web, which enables everyone to access information from distant sources” (Henson, 2015, p. 74). Technology increases communication between the school and parents because it is simple and something that the majority of people use on a daily basis. Technology provides a way for administrators to communicate with staff, teachers to communicate with parents, research the latest education trends, and utilize it as a planning tool to make things easier. Students use technology in their everyday lives whether it be to conduct research, work on assignments, or communicate with their peers and teachers. They also spend a lot of time looking at Instagram and TikTok as well as playing video games using an online platform. Having technology available to teachers, staff, and students allows for collaboration even when they cannot be in the same room.
As educational trends change, teachers and administrators must also change in order to retain a connection with parents and students. Communication between the school and the parents plays a very important part in our success as a school but also for developing our campus culture. When parents are informed, they are better able to help their children be better prepared. Parent involvement is important, and in order for them to take an active part in school activities they need to know what is happening on campus. “For almost two centuries American parents were purposefully kept from “interfering” with decisions related to curriculum instruction, but this tendency to keep parents at arm’s length began to change in the late twentieth century, when the effective schools research discovered that involving parents in academic matters can produce remarkable levels of student achievement” (Henson, 2015, p. 269). Teachers can also implement technology to help with reinforcement of lessons, reach learners that have exceptional needs, and present material in different ways. When students use apps, particularly the younger students, they feel as if they are playing and they do not focus on the learning process. Schools today have many technological resources available, but they must be used in moderation.
While technology has many benefits, there are also some drawbacks. Technology cannot prevent students from actually learning how to spell, read a map, or figure out a math problem. As teachers we see an increase in students need to have instant gratification. This stems partially from having the world at their fingertips with the use of technology. Students also are afraid to try to figure things out. They would much rather use Google to answer their math problems or help them to write a paper as opposed to putting in the work themselves and actually learning the concepts being taught. It is important for students to use technology to assist them, but it is more important that they do put it in place of actual learning.
References
Henson, K.T. (2015). Curriculum planning: integrating multiculturalism, constructivism, and education reform (Fifth). Waveland Press, Inc.
I completely believe that students need to learn to spell and solve math problems without the assistance of technology. While technology is a great resource that makes these tasks much easier, students must not rely on them completely.