[Source: Associated Press, Michael Melia]
Technology has long been implemented into school classrooms for educational use and has been on the uprise in usage in the last few years. Ever since the release of iPhones and more modern technology by Apple and other companies in the early 2000s, schools have used more technology such as Chromebooks to be accessed by the students.
Having students use technology in classrooms can be very beneficial. It teaches children collaboration while doing group projects or online activities which requires sharing their work. Using technology also prepares students for the future by teaching how to create presentations and use the internet wisely. And, in the future, many jobs will require some sort of knowledge about technology. Lastly, each student learns differently and technology allows them to work at their own pace and learn what they need individually to gain more useful information.
While there seem to be many benefits in using technology in classrooms, there are also many negative attributes of having technology use in the classroom. The cost of just one Chromebook can cost up to a hundred dollars so the cost of buying a set of computers for each classroom or for the whole school to use can be pretty hefty. For any school, this is large amounts of money to spend and one of the main reasons why using technology may not be the best option in classrooms.
[Source: Associated Press, J. Pat Carter]
Using computers in class can also be a major distraction particularly to younger students. It is difficult for a teacher to keep an eye on all the students and see exactly which tabs they have open and what they are doing. It can be a distraction rather than a helpful learning device. Schools would have to change part of their curriculum in order to input technology into their learning plans.
With many positives and negatives of using technology in schools, which is the most effective and efficient way to learn?
With my experience of using technology in school, technology mainly has a positive impact on the students. It gives you the advantage to access learning programs, websites, devices, etc that would not be available using plain hand and paper. Students can do special projects and tests or benchmark testing online that gives teachers the opportunity to easily access the grades and information about each student. In my experience, students rarely go off task and usually stay focused on their work.
While students still could be distracted and go off task, administrators can view students’ browsing history or block certain websites from use. Compared to not using technology, it is for the most part more effective by giving students much more opportunities to learn to their recommended pace and needs.
Even with the many negative attributes of using technology in classrooms, the positives easily outweigh them. Hopefully, in the future, more schools will implement technology into classrooms and their curriculum to bring more benefits to the students’ education.
Jonathan Kim, Grade 7
Culver City Middle School
