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Cory Kuhlman

Jillian Demongeot

EDTL 302

KA4b- Technology Assessment

23 September 2008

An Assessment of Technology in the Classroom

In the culture that exists today, in the initial years of the 21st century, there are many uncertainties to be faced. There is an abundance of technology tools that are available to virtually anyone and significantly embedded in the lives of nearly everyone in the United States. One of the issues stemming from this involves the use of technology in the classroom. Since some teachers are unused to the technology, they are unable to adapt and do not take advantage of resources, including laptops and interactive white boards. Is this the right course of action? Or should teachers learn how to utilize and harness the technology in order to provide their students with the most current of information?

In recent years, there have been several studies conducted in schools in varying places in the nation involving one-student-one-laptop initiatives. The Microsoft Anytime Anywhere Learning (AAL) initiative conducted research on such a program and found many positive effects, including “enthusiasm for teaching and learning with technology, improved writing skills across all grade levels [and] a progression of increasingly authentic and purposeful uses and access to technology.” (Donovan, Hartley, and Struder 264). Indeed, enthusiasm can surely be raised when students are given the opportunity to become engaged with a laptop, for example. Reinforcing the findings that resulted from the AAL initiative is Chrystalla Mouza, who authored the article “Learning With Laptops: Implementation and Outcomes in an Urban, Under-Privileged School.” Mouza states that there is “potential to create supportive school environments that can foster student responsibility, competence, and autonomy in relationship to technology and learning, thereby leading to increased motivation and greater academic aspirations” (Mouza 449). Therefore, there is increased enthusiasm in teachers and students, as well as improved skills and competence, according to the studies.

Furthermore, implementing technology in the classroom can provide teachers and students with up-to-date content, instead of using textbooks, which are certainly not interactive and can become outdated a year or two after they are printed and distributed to the schools. In addition, students who learn in different styles can use computer-based resources to allow them to present information in a variety of presentation styles that suits their personality and makes instruction more flexible (Dunleavy, Dexter, and Heinecke 441). One method of learning that appeals to all learning styles and is enhanced by technology would be project-based learning. Seminole County in the state of Florida has several middle schools that collaborated with an outside organization, like a university or zoo. Using laptops, students could create presentations based on their experiences with the outside programs (Kemker). This also allows students to form connections between the classroom and the outside world that they will someday enter.

However, the integration of technology into the classroom may not be smooth. The content standards that so many teachers are required to cover have not been adapted to include 21st century skills that involve computers. According to Mouza, “21st century skills are identified as information and communication skills, thinking and problem-solving skills, and interpersonal and self directional skills” (Mouza 448). These skills are greatly enhanced by usage of computers, but without their availability in the classroom, would students get the most out of their education and be able to thrive in the 21st century?

In addition, early evaluations of one-student-one-laptop initiatives do not always turn out positive. In one study, conducted in a middle school in Ohio in 2003, students reported that they “felt distracted” and that their “that time is not used as effectively as before.” In fact, “in the first year, their grade-point averages rose modestly… [however] students actually believed they dropped” (Toppo). Clearly, the attitudes of the students should be held in the highest regard and if they do not feel secure with their academic status, good grade point averages are hardly relevant. Toppo continues in his article, reporting, “using computers, for instance, to teach reading in primary grades actually showed negative results.” Learning how to read at that time is the key to success for the rest of the students’ lives. If that is not done correctly, the students will most likely be quite unsuccessful in other academic areas, since reading is an integral part of any subject.

The newest technological trend that has entered the classroom is the interactive whiteboard. While many teachers have not had the chance to utilize this new technology, the ones lucky enough to have the equipment are raving. According to Diane DeFalco, a biology teacher, the interactive whiteboard “is a wonderful tool…[that] is much more interactive [than a traditional blackboard].” The interactive whiteboard is a chalkboard size device that is much like a flat screen television and functions like a touch-screen computer monitor. The device can be connected to any desktop or laptop computer and with a projector can put the computer screen in front of the entire class (Loschert).

There are many advantages in using the interactive whiteboard as stated by several of the teachers at Thomas Edison High School in Fairfax, Virginia. There are several features that allow the teacher to customize their lesson. The board allows educators to show short films, search the internet, give PowerPoint presentations, write notes, or record lectures with little effort and the ability to save it all to your computer at the end of class. It also comes with software that allows teachers to use virtual manipulatives such as calculators, protractors, maps and rulers for better demonstrations and visuals. "I think it forces better teaching," says Mike Lenowitz, also a teacher at Edison High. He claims the better teaching comes from less time wasted in the classroom. Instead of writing notes on the board every day, the interactive board allows him to bring up the notes and promote class discussion and activity. The social studies teacher, at the same school, brags about how he can move from images to sound recordings and movies without ever leaving the board. For this reason Kathryn Sue Simonton declares, "It definitely makes learning more hands-on so you hit all of the learning styles, and it helps the kids learn faster because it is so interactive.” Rob Stringham explains, “One of the things I noticed right off the bat [when I started teaching] is students would not come up to the board. With the SMART Board, they want to come up to the board, write on it, just touch it and play with it. It's really increased participation” (Loschert). This is because teachers have run into an age where the student is fascinated and wants to toy with technology. In these classrooms, the students are exposed to the newest form of classroom technology with captivates them and in turn creates great classroom participation and understanding.

The interactive whiteboard has many great features but have a few downfalls as well. As we are all well aware in the education field, funding isn’t always easily obtained and this new technology doesn’t make its way into a classroom cheaply. The most basic configurations start at a thousand dollars per board and a computer and projector are still needed. There is also other software that may be purchased at additional cost. However, the premier companies in the production of interactive boards usually offer educational discounts. The board also requires the user to take the time to learn how to use it effectively, often through a seminar or demonstration for basics (MacFarland). With the rate that technology evolves this may be considered too time consuming with too great of a cost. The design of the interactive boards is also under criticism. The main complaint for Magaret Ruggieri, a teacher is a couple of limitations. She explains that the board is not large enough to display all the steps for a complex math problem, where a transparency would work. She also wishes that she could effectively display many things at once, such as a PowerPoint slide and a sample problem without switching through screens (Ruggieri). By no means are interactive whiteboards perfect, there are several kinks that could be worked out to make them better suited for the educational field.

There are many tough issues that we are going to have to face as teachers and technology seems to be one of the leading ones. It is important to remember that as educators we have pledged to provide the best education we can for each and every student. In many ways, this may mean balancing the values of the traditional classroom while integrating technology to help with class participation, learning styles, and the technological curve. But we also need to know when to identify when too much is used and can be distracting the students from the learning goals. The technological struggle is going to continue in the education field. It is important for each teacher to be open to the new concepts but at the same time identify what works best for them as a teacher and their students as learners.

Works Cited

Donovan, Loretta, Kendall Hartley, and Neal Strudler. "Teacher Concerns During Initial Implementation of a One-to-One Laptop Initiative at the Middle School Level." Journal of Research on Technology in Education 39(2007): 263-286.

Dunleavy, M., S. Dexter, and W.F. Heinecke. "What added value does a 1:1 student to laptop ratio bring to technology-supported teaching and learning?." Journal of Computer Assisted Learning 23(2007): 440-452.

Kemker, Kate. "LEVERAGING LAPTOPS." T H E Journal 34.7 (July 2007): 32-32. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. 23 Sep. 2008

Loschert, Kristen. "Bye Bye Blackboard." NEA Today 23.1 (2004): 30-31.Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. 23 Sep. 2008

McFarland, Scholle, and Sawyer. "The Digital Classroom." Macworld 23.4 (2006): 23.Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. 23 Sep. 2008

Mouza, Chrystalla. "Learning with Laptops: Implementation and Outcomes in an Urban, Under-Privileged School." Journal of Research on Technology in Education 40(2008): 447-472.

Ruggieri, Magaret. "From Chalkboard to SMART Board--and Back." BizEd 4.2 (2005): 52-53. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. 23 Sep. 2008

Toppo, Greg. "Computers may not boost student achievement." USA Today. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. 23 Sep. 2008