Technology in schools is unquestionably a necessity if, in fact, our schools are to reflect the world around them. Our world is driven by technology of all sorts, and in all layers of society - personal, banking, entertainment, tourism, and so on. Few businesses could survive today without a heavy reliance on technology to communicate, collaborate, collect and act upon data, and produce products and services.
Therefore, technology must be heavily integrated into the learning process as well in order to best prepare the children we teach. Our students must be able to interact with technology, use it as a tool to enhance learning, and be comfortable with it so it can enable them to reach their full potential.
We have seen for years an influx of technology systems in schools in the way of computer labs, individual computers in classrooms, laptops, and other equipment. In many cases, this technology has enhanced the classroom in ways teachers were not able to do before its arrival. Technology allows educators to customise learning in great detail. It enables teachers to reach learners at a depth that would otherwise be nearly impossible. In the best cases, technology has helped teachers to make the classrooms engaged at a high level, and in a way that puts the power of technology into students’ hands. However, getting classrooms to fully capitalise on the power of technology can sometimes be a struggle. Students are typically more comfortable with technology than their teachers are. The students were born into the world of technology, while the teachers had to learn it as an afterthought. Further, teachers are incredibly busy with all they have to accomplish in the way of teaching content, assessing students’ learning of that content, and so on. So sometimes what we find is that technology takes a back seat to content, teaching strategies, and tests. Teachers may feel that they do not have time to use the technology because they don’t see it as something critical, or because the administration has already put so much other pressure on them, they feel obliged to relegate technology to a time when their “real teaching” is done.
Therefore, technology must be heavily integrated into the learning process as well in order to best prepare the children we teach. Our students must be able to interact with technology, use it as a tool to enhance learning, and be comfortable with it so it can enable them to reach their full potential.
We have seen for years an influx of technology systems in schools in the way of computer labs, individual computers in classrooms, laptops, and other equipment. In many cases, this technology has enhanced the classroom in ways teachers were not able to do before its arrival. Technology allows educators to customise learning in great detail. It enables teachers to reach learners at a depth that would otherwise be nearly impossible. In the best cases, technology has helped teachers to make the classrooms engaged at a high level, and in a way that puts the power of technology into students’ hands. However, getting classrooms to fully capitalise on the power of technology can sometimes be a struggle. Students are typically more comfortable with technology than their teachers are. The students were born into the world of technology, while the teachers had to learn it as an afterthought. Further, teachers are incredibly busy with all they have to accomplish in the way of teaching content, assessing students’ learning of that content, and so on. So sometimes what we find is that technology takes a back seat to content, teaching strategies, and tests. Teachers may feel that they do not have time to use the technology because they don’t see it as something critical, or because the administration has already put so much other pressure on them, they feel obliged to relegate technology to a time when their “real teaching” is done.
