Technology in education is the major change in the world of all things school and that a teaching we will see. For many years there have been policy makers, teachers, parents and students questioning the benefits of tech in schools as well as its cons. Now, the debate is more at the top of our minds than ever before. The incorporation of tech is ready and its almost on the professors to experiment with new teaching methods that involve up to date tech. Technology allows us to experiment with better engaging students. But, some argue that technology in the classroom can be distracting and even encourage some cheating.
I’ll be going into my opinion strictly and view it from many different articles I’ve read studying the topic.
Let’s start with some pros to having tech in schools:
- Using tech in the classroom means more active learning
Tech nowadays can increase engagement through online polling or asking quiz questions during a lesson. You can even embed links to whatever is relevant to the lesson in a lesson plan that students can view on their devices. I won’t make this a major pro, but tech will also save money on materials like paper.
- Making learning more fun and effective!
From apps and e-textbooks to organizational software gaming platforms, there is always something that can enhance a classroom. Some teachers are turning toward classroom ‘gamification,’ such as Delphinium from Utah Valley University. Having competitive assignments and giving points and rewards to make the classroom more fun and engaging has already shown an increase in student retention and a decrease in drop- out rates.
Some cons:
- Tech in classrooms can be distracting
According to a professor at the University of Michigan, college students learn less when they use computers or tablets during lectures. This professor is Susan Dynarski, a professor of education. She goes on to say that, “They also tend to earn worse grades. The research is unequivocal: Laptops distract from learning, both for users and for those around them.” It may be wise to keep laptops out of schools K-12. In my opinion, I use my laptop for so many things in college to aid in my note taking. So, this one is up for debate. I think it more rests on the students shoulders to pay attention in general.
- Technology can aid in students cheating
Students always find ways to cheat, but having a device makes it even easier. From copying-and-pasting someone else’s assignments (basically plagiarizing) and you can even hire someone to write a paper for you.
My final say
To me, there are more benefits than there are negatives. The key to having tech enchance learning in our schools is going to be on the teacher. I think it’ll be important for teachers to have a good relationship with their students so that students don’t behave in such a way to cheat or make the tech be a distraction. Tech will never replace a human teacher, so we have to make sure we allow the tech to help and not hurt us and the future students of the world.
What do you think about tech products in the classroom? Did you wish you had tech in school when you grew up?
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