The role of technology in education is rapidly growing. While technology is exciting and has the potential to be incredibly helpful, as teachers we have to be mindful of how it is used in our classrooms.
When used correctly, technology is an amazing tool in the classroom. It motivates and engages students. It connects students to people, places, and ideas all over the world. It prepares students for the future by teaching them practical skills.
Even though technology has so many wonderful qualities, there are some concerns. Technology does not automatically make a lesson great. Teachers need to be mindful of using it appropriately and responsibly.
One great thing about technology is the potential for students to guide their own learning. Through the use of various Internet Instructional Strategies such as Internet Inquiries and WebQuests students become responsible for what they are learning. It gets even better when they become the teacher and are able to share what they have learned with their classmates.
In my own content area, I have found technology to be a great tool to turn a simple art project into a cross-curricular project. I think this is especially important in a time where reading and math are being stressed over everything else.
I completely agree that teachers need to be aware of when to and when not to integrate technology in the classroom. We live in a time where technology is everywhere so we feel like it has to be a part of the classroom but that is not always the case. There are definitely times when it is not necessary or helpful to the students. I also like that you mentioned how great it is to talk to peers about different technology integration. There is a wealth of knowledge out there that can be shared through different teachers.
ReplyDelete