Bring Technology into Schools

     Today's blog is not on a specific technology, but rather a call to use more of it in classrooms. Yes, we are all aware of how expensive it is to bring technology into the classrooms, train students in using it and keeping it updated and all the other software that is needed to run the machines. That being said, wouldn't the rewards balance out the hassle of setting it up in the long run?

     Take for example using whiteboards in classrooms. Once the teacher figures out how to use them, the options are endless. It is basically a computer that everyone can see. It is hooked up to your computer and the whole class can see it, plus it is touchscreen, and there are markers that you can write with on the board! Instead of dealing with chalkboards and traditional whiteboards that can be a mess, these are clean with barely any mess. The most beneficial aspect of all this is the ability to do group presentations that involved a variety of technology. After all, many students will be going into business and engineering and those jobs use technology as an aid in presenting material. They might as well get used to it in high school before heading to college and out into a real job so they already have their feet wet.

     Besides the smart boards, having laptops computers or iPad's in classrooms would really make be useful. Having students search, find, and use information will be vital to their work experience later. A lot students already know how to surf the web and find information, like finding videos, what hour their favorite store opens, etc... but not many know how to find real information that will help them in a job. You ask someone to sift through the New York Times and find the latest story about Russian-American relations, many wouldn't know where to begin. They can take the starting experience from their work and use it as a springboard, but there is more growing to do. Students will have to learn the difference between a reliable source and something that anyone can write on and how to cite the material.

     Putting material into classrooms is not just about incorporating it into a lesson just so a teacher can say they are fulfilling some quota of technology, but rather to teach them to use it so once they get into the real world, they will be able to use it and be successful; which is the whole point of education.