Technology in the Classroon

Photo by: Lexie Flickinger

Technology in the classroom has been growing with the times. In recent years, classrooms all over the world have been adding technology, like iPads, tablets, and laptops to enhance their students learning. There have been several studies done on whether or not this addition to classrooms enhances the learning of students. While many on the outside may see this as a distraction, it has been proven many times by several different people to increase test scores, and create a better learning environment for all students, but specifically High School students. iPads can be useful for not only students but they can also enhance the teachers lessons. 
Teachers can use technology to their advantage in many ways. They can instill technology into their lesson plans to enhance the learning of their students. The savings of money through not having to buy new textbooks makes it easier for districts to put money towards technology, and being able to add useful learning apps as they wish to these iPads or tablets. I know that in classes in which teachers implemented the use of technology, it made it more fun and made the project or activity more practical for future use. It is more realistic to teach students ways to use technology in a way that will benefit them in their future education. Teachers teaching their students can find apps and websites that enhance the subject or lesson that they are trying to teach. This will not only make it easier on the teacher, but also will engage the students a lot more because they will find it a lot more interesting. There are also many more opportunities for portfolio development for High School classes, which can then be translated by the students to be used for their future, not only for getting into a fantastic university, to getting a job in their future career.

Click here to read the article about technology in classrooms

Teachers have put these into action in their classrooms, and have come to realize that they are incredibly effective. In the classroom of Stacey Roshan, has implemented technology into her AP Calculus classroom and has found that it has raised test scores on the AP tests by a drastic amount. About 1/3 of the class scored a perfect 5 on their test, which is up a whole ten percent from years before. The class average is also up from a 3.59 to a 4.11. Click here to read the article She was able to incorporate technology into her classroom after her students received tablets, by taping her lectures and having students watch them after school for homework, and being able to spend the entire class period doing math problems and allowing her students to ask questions, instead of being even more confused after going home and not being able to accomplish any of the problems by themselves. Teachers can learn from this by taking her ideas and using them in a way that would work for their classes. 

Technology can be used in younger classrooms too by incorporating learning apps into their lesson plans. There are apps out there that help teach children how to read, write their letters and numbers, and teach them math problems. Something one teacher cannot give each of her students individually. I think if each teacher would incorporate these into their classrooms, students would be much more apt to think that learning is fun and that they can really do it. This way, students can also play these 
games after school, while still learning, possibly without 
even knowing it!