Technology in Education Essay Example for Free

Technology in Education Essay The use of technology in education has brought about great changes in the way we teach and learn. In this digital age it is imperative that technology is embedded into all aspect of learning and teaching. Educators face many challenges when it comes to integrating technology into the classroom due to lack of training, and the availability of technological equipment. Research has shown that to cater to our students who are digital natives, and to remain globally competitive we need to ensure that classrooms spring forward into the 21st century. According to Pelham, Crabtree, Nyiri, â€Å"Education researchers, government officials, and the international development community often have different ideas about the best approach to improving educational attainment across the globe† (2009, p. 74). The same can be said for educators and district leaders; there are a variety of opinions on how important the use of technology is within the classroom, and the necessity of it in preparing students to excel in today’s digital society. In the early 1970s a very small number of schools had access to computers, and usually those schools we home of the elite. However, during the late 20th century the obvious necessity to incorporate computers into the classroom became apparent. Companies such as Apple and Hewlett Packard ran promotions, which allowed more districts the ability to purchase technology for their schools (Nyiri et. al. , 2009). Since then, the integration of technology into education and schools has become paramount in the ability for students to become prepared for the 21st Century workplace. Schools are enthusiastic about introducing technology and computers into the classroom but there are several obstacles that they must overcome. The first obstacle is the lack of funding. Many schools embrace the idea of integrating technology into the classroom but do not have the funding to provide the technology to their students or teachers. President Obama’s charge to facilitate every classroom with computers and wire every school for Internet use can be seen as the light at the end of the tunnel. During the summer of 2009, several educational groups urged congress to spend several billion dollars to improve technology in the classroom, and to ensure that teachers knew how to use this technology effectively. According to Miners â€Å"Recognizing the importance of the matter, president Obama and congressional leaders included $650 million in the federal stimulus package for the enhancing education† (2009, p. 35). It is expected that over 25% of this funding is used to train teachers on the use of this technology. In acquiring technology for schools, and training teachers on the effective use of this technology they will in turn prepare our students to be globally competitive in this digital world. There are a variety of technological tools that can be utilized in the classroom; and although technology is available often times it is not used. The main issue that needs to be overcome is the lack of training that teachers receive on this technology which in turn creates a sense of apprehensiveness in integrating technology into the classroom. As stated by Miners, teachers have desired to use this technology in the classroom but have done so poorly due to â€Å"perhaps an unsatisfactory implementation of poorly conceived programs† (2009, p. 36). In 1997 a group of teachers completed a study on how the integration of technology could be used to enhance student learning. This became known as the Teacher Leadership Program. This program has transformed into a professional development for teachers which train them on the use of technology in the classroom through an intensive summer study and continuous online training. Then these teachers can return to their schools and train their colleagues (Miners, 2009). Modeling the integration of technology into their lesson plans is imperative to emphasizing the ease and effectiveness of this technology in the classroom. Not only this, but educators need to utilize technology when collaborating and communicating with their colleagues. Email, instant messaging, and school websites are just a few of the ways that colleagues can use technology with their peers’ all the while modeling appropriate use for the students. When students walk into the classroom they want to be immersed in the lifestyle they are accustomed to at home. Cell phones, personal computers, IPods, and gaming systems are the norm at home, students have grown up with this technology at their fingertips and know how to operate it in most cases more efficiently than most technology professors. They are accustomed to communication via instant messaging, reading digital books, listening to music on mp3 files, posting their diary on blogs, and making friends with facebook. Entering a classroom that is filled with old books, white boards, and no technology present does not provide them with the type of environment in which they need to learn. As Harris and Rea state, with â€Å"the Google/Facebook generation accustomed to being connected to information sources and social networks all the time and in many forms, how can we best use these technologies to transform, supplement, or even supplant current pedagogical practices† (2009, p. 37). The first issue that needs to be addressed is the use of technological equipment in the classrooms. Smart boards, also known as digital white boards are the wave of the future. According to Corcoran, smart boards are â€Å"are a portal to the digital world† (2009), students can interact with the information on the screen using touch screen technology. Almost one third of classrooms in the United States have Smart boards, which in turn allows students in these classrooms to become actively engaged in learning. Students who have access to smart board technology become â€Å"doers† in the classroom rather than sponges ingesting the information disseminated by the teacher. It allows students of all learning styles the opportunity to learn; given the fact that it is of great importance to differentiate in education, being able to cater to all learning styles whether visual, auditory, or kinesthetic through the smart board leads to a very productive learning environment. However, an interactive white board in the classroom is merely a white board if it is not used effectively. PowerPoint presentations which are interactive are much more interesting than an oral lecture from the teacher, or taking notes from a book. Being allowed to manipulate and interact with the information allows the students to absorb and retain what they are learning. Teachers can create lessons which are visually stimulating, link their lessons with online websites, incorporate music, images, and video into the lesson. They can create online games such as Jeopardy or Millionaire to assess student learning, or use programs such as ClassScape to assess students learning. Teachers can create web quests, which are interactive systems of learning. By allowing students to use the internet as a form of learning rather than constant dictation from the teacher we allow them to attain the information themselves therefore retaining it more easily. Jonassen, Howland, Marra, and Crismond (2008) noted that web activities such as WebQuests or scavenger hunts are common tools that allow for independent thinking, challenge students intellectually and assist with problem solving skills. The integration of technology into the classroom are key in motivating the students to learn, to become active in the classroom, and to use the knowledge that they have in dealing with technology in the classroom. Gone are the days of paper and pencil classrooms, with the integration of technology into the classroom comes the love of learning is rekindled in many of these students lives. With the wide array of websites available online nowadays teachers have no excuse for not utilizing technology into the classroom. These websites can be used in the classroom and also at home. An excellent example is Wiki space which is a webpage where teachers can post their lectures and notes or where they can create an open forum for class discussion. As students are invited to this wiki-space they can edit and add to the discussion online. Students can create their own wikispace, which can greatly decrease stress when working on group projects. Teachers can build their own virtual classroom websites which can be used to as a means to communicate with, and make parents aware of the goings on in the classroom. Students can use these websites to access homework, and to contact their teachers. Through incorporating technology into the classroom and to use it as a form of communication with parents, colleagues, and students, teachers are preparing the students for life in the 21st century and ensuring that when they leave the classroom and enter the workforce they are prepared for the technological challenges that they will face them.