The evolution of technology over the years has led to developmental features in the modes of study used in schools. It has facilitated the aspect of students acquiring better understanding of the aspects that is far much better and easier than the classical modes. Educators on the other hand have accepted the transformation and incorporated new modes of technology in the classrooms. Technology has touched over all aspects of daily lives through the way we communicate, travel or even access various commodities (Cennamo, 117). Scholars have largely integrated the use of technology, although there still remain some that are stuck in the classical methods. Many controversies have emerged over the issue of the issue of adopting technology in classrooms. Some have argued that the incorporation of technology in classrooms will affect the children’s ability to think and reason on their own. This issue has also received a lot criticism as supports of technology have claimed that technology will assist students to be better equipped in terms of survival in a complicated world. It will help students active through the way they make choices in the generation, obtaining and manipulation or even display of information.
This paper will focus on discussing the use of technology in the classroom. It will bring out the roles played by technology in the education curriculum as well as the effects it has on the students. This will be accompanied by uses and abuses of technology in schools or rather among students. Additionally, this paper will discuss the various practices for using technology in the classroom as well as bring out the best ways to use or apply technology to the students and teachers. It will also discuss the various controversies that have emerged in regard to addressing the issue of technology in classrooms.
The integration of technology in the classroom enables students to think critically about the information while making appropriate choices that regard execution of skills. Moreover, technology has emerged as a tool that aids students in tackling genuine activities where they will be able to define their objectives make the right decisions in terms of designing and the evaluation of their advancement.
Technology has impacted the whole society where everyone is engaging in new forms of technology that provide similar opportunities to those offered by educators in classrooms. This has been evidenced through the immense use of social networking where children or rather students spend many hours (Cennamo, 155). This is the trends for everyone these days where even adults and middle aged adults have adopted the new ways of communication. The new modes of technology have affected the way people think, interact and learn. Technologies such as the internet and social networks have shaped the way in which people communicate and operate in the formation of social amenities. Research has indicated that technology has evolved and advanced the way people think, live or work in carrying out their day to day activities (Cennamo, 157).
Integration of technology in classrooms requires advanced basic skills that must be taught in the curriculum in order to increase the processes of learning. This includes ensuring critical aspects such as actively managing the priorities, participating in groups, interacting with others every now and then as well as connecting to the rest of the world (Pitler, 61). It also requires changing the roles of the teachers from being the source of information to the facilitation of critical steps that will lead the students to where they can access the information. Teachers have adopted technology in classrooms by ensuring that they set goals for particular projects and the provision of guidelines and resources. They give suggestions for students or offer assistance in the activities carried out by students. Teachers go round the class ensuring that the students are aware of what is being done. The use of technology in classrooms requires application of basic principles that should be utilized throughout the study. These principles include: alignment, accessibility, assessment and reinforcement (Pitler, 62).
Alignment requires technology to be applied used for particular purposes through the way videos and other media are shared with the class in accordance to the objectives of learning. Teachers should ensure that they use the technology that is closely related to their skill set and one that meet the needs of the students (Ritzhaupt, 111). Accessibility should be a crucial point in the learning process where the teacher or educator should ensure that the technology they intend to use is available to their students. This should be accompanied by the consideration whether the students have access to the forms of technology being used. Ensure that the media technology is in proper condition by checking before the class. Assessment entails providing the students with proper guidelines that direct them on how to use technology. This should be coupled with clear objectives of using the technology where brief assignments should be issued that evaluate their understanding of the technology (Ritzhaupt, 113). Reinforcement describes the use of technology in the classroom as a way of supplementing the teaching process. It should give a simple backup of the exact issue being addressed. For instance when using an application such as Microsoft PowerPoint, it is important to diversify from the content with what the teacher is explaining.
These important aspects explain the importance of using technology in classrooms as they offer different techniques that keep the students engaged as well draw their concentration. Technology has enhanced the learning activities in schools as students are able to familiarize with situations that appeal to them even in the outside world. The same students in classrooms are the same people who end up spending endless hours playing computer games and interacting with their friends through social networks (Bhaumik, 247). It enables them to maneuver over various sites that provide information on a wider scope that the normal ways. Technology has facilitated the way students visualize and model tools in subjects such as sciences which enables them to experiment and view the practicality of the issues they learn. It offers a better understanding and reduces distractions in classrooms as students are more engaged in performing the practical part of the study (Bhaumik, 247). The theoretical method is quite cumbersome as teachers may explain something that is not clear and students will lose concentration and focus on other things waiting for the lesson to end. This is the reason why schools that do not use technology in classrooms have reported lower concentration in students. They are the same schools that complain that technology has brought about negative effects in the learning process. Students often get bored in between the lesson or lecture and use technological gadgets to interact with their peers. They may also use these forms of technology to cheat in exams since there is better understanding that the way the teacher explained theoretically (Bhaumik, 248).
Therefore, educators should apply technology in enabling projects that challenge students intellectually and provides them with a real view of the world. This enables the students to gain skills that help them in analyzing and solving problems. The five common uses of technology applied in the in the classroom include: websites and social networks that facilitate students in researching while educators share their resources by assessing the data provided by the students. This includes access to other media applications such as Podcasts and multimedia that enable students to view data in video forms. Students should access the internet on a regular basis to acquire the vast information available. The second use of technology applies to the use of reading programs and applications available in the computer. This facilitates the students by improving their reading level (Pitler, 65).
Additionally, standard tests available in the computer help students to assess their knowledge skills. Educators should ensure that after providing the resources on the technological tools, they should ensure that there are standardized tests that help in evaluation to the level of understanding the students acquired. The other essential use of technology in classrooms is where teachers are using smart boards and clickers to offer different channels through which students can articulate new ideas and portray their level of understanding (Pitler, 71). They also facilitate the teachers in enabling them to prepare data whenever it is needed. This ensures sufficient feedback whenever it is required as well interpretation of the parts that are not clear. In addition to this, iPads, laptops have made things easier for students as they make information available and accessible wherever they are. It appeals to them as they can access the books and topics using multimedia instead of carrying piles of books (Pitler, 75).
Technology has enabled students to complete their assignments in ample time and deliver correct work as technology has enabled them to learn the basic methodologies of editing their work into grammatically correct statements. It has also enabled students to use web quests that guide them to carry out research on the internet for the particular information they want. It has also enabled teachers and students to utilize technology through write their assignment and submit them to the teachers (Wright, 32). This is accompanied by the creation of a web page that serves the entire class and enables interaction of the teachers and students as they can access the resources provided by teachers. They can also raise related issues for the teachers to respond during the next class. This feature also enables students and teachers to send and received assignments related to the course works as the teacher posts an assignment and the students will access it after logging into the class webpage. After completing the assignment they will later upload it on the same webpage where the teacher will retrieve it for assessment purposes (Wright, 33).
Schools have applied technology in the way they grade the students’ performances. It offers the opportunity to track and maintain records as well as setting grades depending on the scores attained. This system is used to post the same grades on the class report where students will be evaluated in terms of their understanding (Cennamo, 133). This changes the old method where books were used and records would vanish. The exchange of emails has enabled students to keep in touch and interact thus creating the bond between them. It also helps students to form groups that are essential in the learning process. Teachers also interact with their students through email to provide resources and enhance the teacher student relationship. This enables the students to feel free to ask the teachers questions related to the course work if at all they are shy (Cennamo, 147).
Multimedia presentations enable the students to shift their focus from the teacher and concentrate on the content being displayed. It is a way of familiarizing students with another way of learning that is similar to watching TV or sitting in front of computers to watch movies and playing games. Presentations also enable students to acquire courage to give speeches or explanations even in their afterlife. They are necessary as students who give good presentations might reserve them for future references (Pitler, 88). Teachers should ensure that their lessons are supplemented to ensure that they do not use the same material over and over again. It helps in keeping the students focused as they want to know new forms if technology. Technology helps students understand and remember important concepts as they get to learn the practical part of the study.
In conclusion, it is evident that technology has had a tremendous effect on education over time. Particularly, it has not only improved the quality of education, but also promotes the growth of education. With technology, new teaching techniques have been developed, which allow teachers to effectively deliver in the classroom. Besides, students can undertake further studies, accessing materials in libraries from different parts of the world. Most importantly, with technology, it is possible to undertake online lessons, hence the possibility of learning without physically being in class.
Works Cited
Bhaumik, Pradip K. "Use of ICT in the Classroom Teaching of Management." Vision (09722629) 16.4 (2012): 245-252. Web.
Cennamo, Katherine, John D. Ross, and Peggy A. Ertmer. Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use: A Standards-Based Approach. N.p., 2014. Print.
Pitler, Howard, Elizabeth R. Hubbell, and Matt Kuhn. Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2012. Print.
Ritzhaupt, Albert D.; Dawson, Kara; Cavanaugh, Cathy. "An Investigation of Factors Influencing Student Use of Technology in K-12 Classrooms Using Path Analysis." Journal of Educational Computing Research, 46.3 (2012): 229-254. Web.
Wright, Vivian H.; Wilson, Elizabeth K. "Teachers' Use of Technology: Lessons Learned from the Teacher Education Program in the Classroom." SRATE Journal 20.2 (2011): 48-60. Web.
