The incorporation of technology in the
classroom will have a significant effect on the way students learn and process
curriculum as well as how they interact with teachers and their peers. Evidence
has proven that student centered, hands on, learning is more effective than
lecture based instruction. Technology helps to change the role of teachers
and students in the classroom if it “happen[s] across the curriculum in ways
that research shows deepen and enhance the learning process”(Edutopia Staff,
2008).Technology offers an excellent
opportunity for students to guide their own learning.“When students are using technology as a tool
or a support for communicating with others, they are in an active role rather
than the passive role of recipient of information transmitted by a teacher,
textbook, or broadcast”(“Effects of Technology” ).In other words, instead of being taught about
a subject they are given the opportunity to discover things about the topic which
will promote a deeper level of understanding.This is because they actually had to come up with the information on
their own instead of being feed the information through teacher based lecture
and activities. Technology also increases the use of outside resources and design skills.These are very important skills that students
will need to have mastered by the time they graduate and enter into college and
the work force.For example, through the
use of technology students have access to large amount of information
through the World Wide Web.This means
that when they are researching a topic they are not limited to the textbook
assigned to them by their teacher.Instead, they have access to online articles, web pages, books, images,
and much more with just the click of a mouse.Having access to this type of information not only expands students
knowledge base about a topic but also shows them that there are never ending
resources available at their finger tips when they need them.In fact, “teachers from 10 out of 17
classrooms observed at length cited increased use of outside resources as a
benefit of using technology”(“Effects of Technology”).Finally, with exposure to different types of
technology media and web pages students tend to become more creative with their
own projects because these different technologies model a variety of design
qualities that spark students interests and motivate them to be more creative
in their work. Though
technology has become an important part of student learning and success it is
important that educators teach students the importance of acceptable use
policies and academic honesty.We want
students to have access to other peoples work and research but more importantly
we want students to learn the value of creating their own.“When used appropriately, computer technology
in classrooms stimulates increased teacher/student interaction, and encourages
cooperative learning, collaboration, problem-solving, and student inquires” all
of which students will need in order to become successful and educated
individuals (Stratham). References: 1.Effects of technology on classrooms and students. (n.d.). Retrieved from www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudeis/EdTech/effectsstudents.html 2.Stratham, D. R. (n.d.). Computers in the classroom: The impact of technology on student learning. Retrieved from www.temple.edu/lss/htmlpublications/spotlights/200/spot206.htm 3.Edutopia Staff. (2008, March 16). Why integrate technology into the curriculum? the reasons are many. Retrieved from www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-introduction