The Benefits of Implementing Technology in the Classroom

As advances in technology are constantly increasing, educators are faced with the dilemna of whether or not to use technology in their classrooms. On the one hand, educators may be reluctant to use technology in the classroom because they need to remain focused on teaching their students specific material and cannot afford to divert from that material. The article Computers in the High School Classroom refers to the time constraints that  high school educators face when teaching students course specific material, and their concern of how using technology in the classroom can cause them to lose focus on reaching educational goals imposed by the state and federal government. However, the same article states that a report conducted by tech team members of those same high schools state that technology does not cause educators to lose focus when teaching their students content, but rather, allows them to present content in more organized, creative,efficient, and stimulating ways. Perhaps, the best reason for educators to implement technology in their classrooms is the positive effects it produces in students.
The importance of student autonomy is nicely illustrated in by the author of Learning and Laptops. When students are actively engaged in teaching a lesson as opposed to just looking and listening to the their educators  lecture, they are able to become more motivated and confident in what they are teaching. This helps them, in turn, to become better students. Further into the article, the author states that school children constantly come up with amazing ideas.Thus, educators can also learn from school children, which can help them become more effective in the future.
A video from youtube on the benefits of technology also focuses on the importance of creating student autonomy. The practical importance of implementing technology in education can greatly increase student autonomy. Since technology is being used in different aspects of life, students need to understand and use technology in order to participate in these different aspects of life. If they do not understand how to use technology, they can suffer from the negative consequence of not being able to participate in activities they may otherwise want to; they may become too embarrassed or uncomfortable from their inabillity to use technology. However, if they are able to use technology, they may gain strong benefits from it, as the video suggests:

Furthermore, the article Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students states that implementing technology in classrooms transforms passive students into active students. When this transformation happens, students become more involved in lessons, as they are able to access and display information that is related to the subject matter they are being taught. Also, students are using and developing more critical thinking, as they are selecting which information is relevant and which information is not relevant to what they are learning. In addition to giving students the opportunity to access more educational resources, the author of Benefits of Technology in Schools argues that students and teachers have more access to other community members outside of their classroom with technology.                                                                                                                              \                                                                                                                         

In conclusion, technology has quite a bit to offer students. Educators, however, might still be intimidated by using technology in their classrooms because they may feel they are not proficient in it. However, there are many  books and articles that can be found on the internet that can help teachers learn more about technology.If teachers take the time to read these materials, they will feel less intimidated about technology. By being willing to use technology in the classroom, teachers will help students become more effective learners and teachers will benefit by having more resources at their disposal to teach.

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