Technology in the Classroom

We live in a day in age when one does not go a day without being connected to technology in some form or fashion. Weather watching one's favorite show on television, to checking Facebook or Snapchat to stay in touch with friends, to reading on your Kindle or Ebook, people are constantly connected via technology.
Now, we must ponder, is this a good thing or a bad thing? Well, ultimately technology and our connectedness to each other can be seen as a positive factor. While, yes, there are vices to every virtue, the positives tend to outweigh the negatives.

This same principle applies to technology in the classroom. As long as technology is used in the right manner, it can be extremely helpful to students. With our ever-increasing technological world, students not only should but need to be informed on how to use technology. Through many different devices, like iPads, computers, etc., students can learn new material about a diverse array of subjects.

I remember as a child taking computer class and learning how to type, while also learning Excel, PowerPoint, etc. These classes lead me to be informed about technology and to be able to type quickly and efficiently, unlike my parents trying to type with one finger. Overall, technology can lead students to learn new things or delve deeper into a certain subject matter.

Technology is definitely very good at engaging students. This day in age it is common to see a child watching a show or playing a game on their parent's phone while at the grocery store for example. When we were little, it wasn't until at least 13 years old that one received a phone (for calls only!). Boy, how times have changed!! This being said, technology is very enticing and intriguing and can easily engage students. Through many different applications, technology allows students to learn on a whole new sensory level. They can touch, see, feel, hear, etc. while learning, which was not possible with just hard-back books. One of my favorite applications is the digital picture book, Dragon Brush, in which a child can read, listen and draw on the story through an electronic device. Another one of my favorites is BrainPOP, which tests student's knowledge on anything from science, to social studies and math.

Educational applications allow students to increase their reading level, math skills, social studies and science knowledge, etc. Most applications are built to give students that multi-sensory experience, further engaging them into the learning process. They may be more likely to stick with the lesson because of the full sensory experience going on because their attention is thoroughly with the application. As the International Society for Technology in Education Standards says, we as teachers must "facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity" ("Standards for Teachers", 2017). I believe through applications like the ones I listed above and through technology in general, I can help students become excited about learning in new ways that they may have not imagined before.

References
Jake Smith. [Online image]. (2011). Central Florida school outfitting every student with an iPad [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://9to5mac.com/2011/07/28/central-florida-school-outfitting-every-student-with-an-ipad/

Klaus Vedfelt (Photographer). [Online image]. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nir-eyal/why-people-check-their-ph_b_9399364.html

Standards for Teachers [Online image]. (2017). Retrieved January 23, 2017, from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/standards-for-teachers