I remember when I began my academic year in the 6th grade. A five foot- five inches boy who had glasses and just had his braces removed. It was the first time the Smart Board was introduced. The Smart Board, a six feet by six feet plastic board acts just like a chalkboard but can be used as an interactive tool for students. In my days before high school, it was introduced to me as a means of studying geography by having students use a pointer that came with the board to point to the corresponding country or region that was prompted. It was then I knew that the days of the traditional classroom where young scholars would just simply learn from a lecture on a chalkboard were over. This archaic method is seen today as appalling as the equally archaic method of corporal punishment in school. What is vastly becoming the cultural and social norm is the use of technology in education, particularly in the K-12 environments. This controversial issue can be viewed in two ways: how effective technology is at helping further education and what are the negative implications of using a vast amount of technology in the classroom. To get a deeper understanding of why technology in education is and can be a positive idea, we must first analyze what technology does right.
Many scholars and educators (as well as myself) see the more enticing facets of using technology in education. A major benefit is that it engages students. According to Time Magazine editor Michael Scherer, technology engages students and uses virtually no paper, thus adding a positive environmental aspect along with engagement (Scherer 38). Another example would be middle school children using a graphing tool to map out a geometric reflection on a grid by using virtual Utah State University’s National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (Blair 10).
Another major advantage to using technology in classes (and to this I can even attest to) is that it makes learning easier and more interactive. For myself, going back to the Smart Board it was a lot more fun to learn geography by pointing out countries on a simulated globe application on the board. Another fine example is the fifth graders at McKeel Elementary Academy in Lakeland, Florida. They collaborate to create a Web Safety Wiki (Web site utilizing only user-generated content) to educate other youths about Web safety (Blair 11).
Though a game changer, technology comes at a price… literally. Prices for personal computers and even hand-held devices such as Apple iPads and tablets are great. Buying them en masse for a class of 30 or more students multiplied by how ever many classes then multiplied by however many grade levels a school has can become quite expensive. And that is just for towns, cities are more complicated than that. Another scholar, Marcia Clemmitt, explained that New York City alone spent $500 million dollars upgrading Internet access to public schools. Though I am not a politician, perhaps a way to alleviate this would be for cities to take money from other budgets and fund this cause rather than raise revenue at the cost of taxpayers.
The most important point of view in relation to taxpayers in this matter is the educators themselves. The typical educator’s age is estimated to be between forty and forty-five years of age (“School” 1). This means that most educators are a part of Generation Y. Thus, having grown up with a traditional classroom setting, it is assumed they would fight this “alien” idea of using advanced technology in their teachings. However, research has proved this to be false. In fact, most teachers find that they would rather have more access to better technology but cannot always do so (Kenney 71). The “generational problem” lies not with the teachers themselves but parents of the students. In Scherer’s article, he describes a situation that is similar to the latter. Although the teacher in the story wanted technology, a girl’s father fought the change on the basis of not being able help her daughter with her homework (Scherer 38). This exposes a major error in support of technology because it is agreeable that some technology has a steep learning curve if you were not born with using it and takes some human interaction out of the equation. However, in today’s day and age 51% of five to eight year olds use computers at least several times a week (Clemmitt 1005). Not only are the students in the classroom already used to technology, it’s how they learn best. Humans (especially children) are creatures of habit. Because technology’s use in the modern age we live will not diminish anytime soon, every student needs to be proficient in the use of technology because it will only advance and change.
Technology shouldn’t be viewed as a chore, or an academic anchor. Instead technology should be seen as a gateway to creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration (Blair 10). Educators that are a part of Generation Y need to fully understand technology, so that they may in turn teach the students to be proficient in its use, thus giving it a chance to do what it does best: teach. I have been in school since the age of 4. My education has been stimulated by both a traditional classroom setting and as I became older, a more technology-based classroom. Educators advocating both a traditional setting and a technological one have taught me. Seeing both facets of the educational spectrum, educators should begin to integrate technology in their lessons and teachings by using games, videos, websites and other sorts of multi-media. Change is inevitable in life. One can either embrace it or resist it. This is one change that teachers across the nation should embrace. The next generation thanks you.
Annotated Bibliography
Blair, Nancye. “Technology Integration for the 21st Century Learner.” Principal January/February 2012: 8-11. http://www.naesp.org/principal-januaryfebruary-2012-technology/technology-integration-new-21st-century-learner. Web. 10 Apr. 2015.
This source discusses the benefits of technology in education in today’s society. The author focues heavily on what technology aims to create; that is, the four C’s: critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration. The author also provides a vast collection of examples of how technology is implemented in teachings today at the elementary level. The author, Nancye Blair herself, is an educational technology specialist at McKeel Elementary Acedemy in Lakeland, Florida.
Clemmitt, Marcia. “Digital Education.” CQ Researcher Vol. 21 (2011): 1. CQ Researcher. Web. 23 Feb. 2015.
The article “Digital Education” by Marcia Clemmitt discusses how digital technology is becoming increasingly common in the classroom at grades K-12. Clemmitt states “experts say schools must prepare young people not only to use digital technology but also to understand how to program it, how it shapes culture and behavior and how it can be harnessed to perform tasks once considered the sole realm of humans”. This gives the idea that overall she and “experts”, are pro-technology. Technology in education has become increasingly popular. For example, the text states: “Digital learning has been getting a boost in localities across the nation this year. For example, Idaho became the first state to require high-school students to complete two or more online courses to receive a diploma. And a mere two years after spending $500 million to upgrade Internet access in its public schools, New York City announced it will spend the same”. Clemmitt goes on to report that technology via software programs can be utilized to teach subjects such as arithmetic and can be adjusted to any skill level. Despite the controversy and debate about the true effectiveness of technological-based education and more importantly the cost, Clemmitt’s report suggests that the shift towards technology in education will happen, and even uses expert Curt Bonk to emphasize the pros of such an event happening.
Johnson, Laurence F., et al. “Key Emerging Technologies for Elementary and Secondary Education.” Education Digest Vol. 76 Issue 1 (2010): 36-40. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Feb. 2015.
“Key Emerging Technologies for Elementary and Secondary Education” published in the 2010 edition of Education Digest is useful in that it discusses five key trends that are “drivers for technological adoptions for the period 2010 through 2015.” The authors, Laurence F. Johnson, Alan Levine, Rachel S. Smith, and Keene Haywood begin with the first key trend that explains how technology empowers students and was once an “isolating influence”, but now allows for exploration and interaction. The second trend elaborates on the “digital divide”-that is, those who have access to technology and are proficient with it will succeed. Those who do not will fail. The third trend explains on how the need for creativity and innovation is increasing in schools. Fourth trend is the trend of online learning, or alternate ways to receive education and how the interest in that subject has increased. Finally, the fifth trend is the change of the “learning environment” from a physical space to so much more. This change is facilitated by technology via encouragement to communicate and collaborate virtually. The article is straight forward in the sense that it supports technology in education. The authors go on to analyze key challenges and even six technologies to look out for in the upcoming years which includes cloud computing and storage.
Kenney, Lauren. “Elementary Education, There’s an App for That: Communication Technology in the Elementary School Classroom.” www.elon.edu. Elon University, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2015.
“Elementary Education, There’s an App for That: Communication Technology in the Elementary School Classroom” by Lauren Kenney is a case study targeted at schools near the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. Her and her teams research discovered a positive correlation between technology in the classroom and increase student motivation and participation. The text begins by stating its introduction and giving a few supporting facts about the study such as the fact that the study found concluded that ‘One of the most common activities that youth perform online is schoolwork’. They looked at four research questions: “What forms of technology are used in elementary school classrooms?”, “What is the level of the effectiveness of the technology that is used?”, “What are the obstacles of communications technologies?” Has it made teaching/learning more efficient or more difficult? and “Where do teachers see the future of technology in classrooms going?”. Their findings concluded that most classrooms use a SMART board, which is a type of board that acts a blackboard and computer allowing teachers to give dynamic lessons. Another technology in use is the Classroom Performance System clickers, which I have personally used even in college. For the second question, the text states: “The majority of responses mentioned the benefits of using communications technologies in the classroom, and all of the respondents agreed that it helps to actively engage their students.” The third question found that it sometimes hindered teachers in their ability to teach due to malfunctions or frozen programs. Finally, the fourth question’s support states: “All of the respondents wished they had more technology available to them for their respective classrooms”. The study concluded that teachers wished they had more technology to support their lessons and teaching styles. Also, all of those interviewed “ saw the future of technology in classrooms to be individual and personal technology for every student”.
Santosh, Bhaskar. “Impact of Technology in Elementary Classrooms.” edtechreview.in. EdTech Review, 23 Sep. 2013. Web. 24 Feb. 2015.
Santosh Bhaskar K, a blogger and researcher at ETR India’s article “Impact of Technology in Elementary Classrooms” supports its claims with statistics- that claim being introducing technology to youth at a young age particularly in school. Bhaskar explains that technology in education is an attractive option due to the effectiveness of how technology engages students. Statistics that could support this claim (according to an infographic published by Everyday Family) are as follows: 54% of 21st century kids start using mobile devices when they are 5 to 8 years old, 30% of the apps on parents’ mobile are downloaded specially for their children’s usage, 77% of the parents accept that usage of tablet increases children’s learning & creativity, 72% of iTunes top selling apps are designed for pre-schoolers and elementary students. It is easier for students to learn through fun, engaging games and apps rather than lectures. It allows them to learn from anywhere, without depending on a blackboard or textbooks. It also reinvents the way educators and students interact. For example, Schoolfy, an educational social networking platform that enables teachers to add their students, parents and other colleagues, saves their time by providing them with many tools which include setting homework, sending documents, creating calendars and students’ assessments. These kinds of advancements advocate a positive push for technology in education.
Scherer, Michael. “The Paperless Classroom is Coming.” Time Magazine. Vol. 184 (2014): 36-38. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.
The article, “The Paperless Classroom is Coming” by Michael Scherer goes into detail about a teacher named Matthew Gudenius. Matthew is a “computer-whiz” who runs his class like a tech company; that is, he is an advocate of education through technology. Scherer goes on to say that parents are fighting the change. Other cities have employed education that is assisted by technology. One of those cities is Los Angeles. Those that oppose this change talk about physical ailments—sore backs, dry eyes, painful necks- all deriving from children using tablets and laptops (i.e technology) in class all day. The biggest opposer of the technological movement is parents. One father claims technology “removes him from the routine” because he can no longer help his child with homework. However, there seems to be more pros than cons to the cause. Pros such as engaging easily distracted students and helping young children increase typing skills, which is essential in this day and age.
“School and Staffing Survey (SASS).” www.nces.ed.gov. National Center for Education Statistics, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
Not much can be said about this source. It is purely used for statistics taken from the National Center for Education, of which the source they used was the U.S Department of Education.