Technology in classrooms has grown at a rapid paste over the past fifteen years. When I first started school, I remember that hardly any of our classrooms had computers. The classrooms only had those huge old mid to late nineties gateway computers, which most kids only used to play Organ trail or some other type of non-educational games. Educational technology has grown into an almost everyday use in schools and colleges. I would consider educational technology any forms of technology that helps students or teachers in their learning process.
If a person would walk into a high school or college today they might see many different forms of technology that can be used in the class room. Most schools have some way of distributing laptops for a semester or school year. These laptops might have to be used for projects or e-learning sites where students have to do assignments or make projects to obtain a successful grade in the class. Teachers on the other hand use technology to give visual aids to students and allow more opportunity for students to learn the information instead of listening to a teacher lecture for an hour in class. Technology allows students to see images or videos that the teacher might be trying to relate them. Some of my favorite times in class were when I was allowed to make movies or presentations using PowerPoint or other software, this usually gave me a chance to show that I understood the material and applied it using my critical thinking ability.
There are both pros and cons when dealing with technology in the classroom. A person has to understand the appropriate grade level that students should be given the trust with certain products. I would not want elementary students with laptops or Ipads. Also a teacher or principal should make sure that the students and teachers accept the responsibility and understand that there would be no cyber bullying or use of pictures of students without written consent. If use appropriately, technology would be a fun way for students to learn and for teachers to be able to share ideas with one another. I believe the best way to approach the situation is to slowing work technology into the courses as a student advances from grade to grade. This would allow a student the maximum opportunities at a high school and college level instead of just trying to throw in all the technology in all the grades. More mature students in their education should be trusted with the capability in increasing their learning with technology.
