Technology is known to improve and make
life easier. Thus, with the integration of technology in the classroom, it can
enhance teaching and learning opportunities. Technology has made a huge impact
and change in today’s classroom. As a result, the classroom has changed when
technology changed itself.
“The saturation of technology in
students’ lives has produced an entirely different type of student, shaping the
way they think, learn, and experience the world around them” (Hicks, 2011). This is why the classrooms of today must embrace
technology in order to connect and engage to the modern students who are
consistently surrounded by the 21st century technologies. Hicks
(2011) has stated that the integration of technology into the classroom setting
allows teachers the benefit of connecting with students digitally by providing
rich learning experiences with which students can relate to. Thus, technology
in the classroom is a must-have attention keeper and ultimately meets the needs
of digital natives“
A major change in the classroom was the
introduction of school laptops to every year 9 students attending a public high
school, which began in 2009. It was innovative and new, which allowed students
to access a wider range of resources easily. With the addition of laptops, it encouraged
students to take more active roles within the classroom. However, these laptops
have raised problems, reported in the news article “Education revolution hits hi-tech low point” on September 27,
2013. The federal government had spent a whopping $2.4 billion on this Digital
Education Revolution, “Thousands of
broken laptops are stockpiled at schools”, where “families are being hit with bills of up to $400 for repairs, which can
take up to four weeks to complete”. The raises the issues of technology in
the classroom, as it can cause inconvenience for the teachers, students and
families as it may break down as the idea is still so new.
Additionally, the laptop provides access
to the wireless Internet at school. Although a majority of sites are blocked,
it may still be a distraction in the classroom. Students can be going on
websites, watching videos or playing games without the teacher even knowing. This
is something that I have experienced first hand, where majority in my classroom
weren’t writing down notes, but were instead playing Tetris, or watching The
Vampire Diaries on their laptops. Hence, is this technological change in the
classroom really advantageous to the students and teachers?
A recent article from news.com.au
further accentuates another disadvantage to technology in the classroom, titled
“Australian parents demand school Wi-Fi ban
despite ARPANSA saying it’s safe”, published on September 29, 2013. I came
across this article and I found it really interesting as it illuminates that
with the expanding usage of Wi-Fi, it can affect the health of students and the
wider community. The article highlights how health issues may occur to students,
teachers, and the wider community due to the access of wireless radiation from Wi-Fi
throughout the school environment.
As a result, technology plays a large
role in the classroom. It affects the way teachers teach, and the way students
learn. However, this change in the classroom may initiate negative impacts such
as health issues and distractions, as discussed in this blog post.
References
The Australian (2012) Education Revolution hits hi-tech low
<http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/education-revolution-hits-hi-tech-low-point/story-e6frg6n6-1226482124955> - Accessed on 21/10/13
Hicks, S.
D. (2011). Technology in Today's Classroom: Are You a Tech-Savvy
Teacher?. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies,
Issues and Ideas, 84(5), 188-191.
News.com.au (2013) Australian parents demand school wifi ban despite arpansa saying it’s
safe <http://www.news.com.au/technology/australian-parents-demand-school-wifi-ban-despite-arpansa-saying-it8217s-safe/story-e6frfrnr-1226729221701> - Accessed on 21/10/13.
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