Utilizing Technology to its Fullest Potential Will Actively Engage and Better Prepare Students for Tomorrow
Jeffrey R. Bouwman
In order to better prepare today’s students for tomorrow, it is important that educators utilize technology in the classroom. Integrating computer technology provides a positive impact in helping students develop to their fullest potential (Gulley, 2003). Technology integration is defined as the daily use of technology resources, such as computers, digital cameras, CD-ROMs, software applications, the Internet, etc. in the classroom and school management (The George Lucas Educational Foundation, 2007). Utilizing technology resources across the curriculum will increase student motivation in the classroom, provide students with differentiated instruction to meet individualized needs, and better prepare students for their future careers. Therefore, the integration of technology resources into lesson plans (when and where applicable) will increase the overall effectiveness of a lesson plan.
While some teachers embrace the use of technology in the classroom, there are teachers who choose not to incorporate technology into lessons. Although every teacher may have his/her own reason(s) for resisting technology use, many simply view the integration of technology into the classroom as too much of a challenge. Technology is constantly evolving and hence necessitates continuous training. As a result, many educators merely do not choose to set aside the time required to remain knowledgeable on this shifting “subject”.
Some people ask those technology-resistant teachers when they will find the time to locate or develop technology-integrated lessons that work, and they question what is sacrificed when time is set aside to trial-and-error a new lesson (Jackson, 2004). In order to better prepare teachers for technology integration in the classroom, a little extra time must simply be dedicated to locating useful resources and testing out the lessons. Technology can even simplify this process; for example, the Internet provides a wide range of complete technology lessons that a teacher could easily utilize in his/her classroom. In order for the lesson to become successful for the educator, they will then have to test it out through trial-and-error to fine-tune the lesson, gather a better understanding of it, and feel that it is most effective for his/her purposes. Therefore, although technology lessons are easy to find, teachers will naturally spend additional time finding their own niche; time that will prove beneficial to the classroom success.
It is advantageous to incorporate technology in the classroom for many reasons. For instance, technology will increase student motivation. It is clear that students enjoy technology; technology is the trend of today, and consequently, children utilize tools of technology frequently in their leisure time. Technology excites them and they look forward to handling technology on a daily basis. Why not to take advantage of this liking and use it as an opportunity to better motivate the students?
In a study conducted in 1992, the use of computer-assisted instruction (a type of technology integration) was shown to be an effective tool for classroom instruction. It was noted that computer-based education led to a higher achievement rate than a conventional (non-computer-based) approach. Utilizing computer-assisted instruction produced positive student attitudes towards computers, subject content, and school alike. In addition, students started to view themselves as creative learners, and these results were once again a better outcome than that from the conventional approach to education. It was also found that computer-assisted instruction positively influenced students with internal locus of control, as well as improved student attendance, reduced time required to complete a task, and increased student collaboration (Cotton, 1991).
Consistent technology integration also provides differentiated instruction. The use of technology integration across curriculum is important because it allows teachers to provide various types of instruction to meet the diverse needs of the student population. It is common knowledge that students learn and develop at varying rates. When a teacher utilizes integrated learning systems, he/she has the opportunity to assign individualized lessons to meet the particular needs of each of his/her students. Today’s software provides thousands of lessons covering a wide range of topics across the curriculum, and each program focuses specifically on the diversity between student background, interest, and motivation. Individualized programs allow students to proceed at his/her own pace, which helps to strengthen necessary skills (Peck & Dorricott, 1994).
There are four ways for a teacher to provide differentiated instruction. First, teachers have the ability to change the topics and/or content of a particular assignment, as educators can choose varied topic and distribute them as is most beneficial amongst the students. Second, teachers can differentiate the process and/or activities of a particular task/assignment. For instance, if a student is accelerating at a particular activity, the teacher can have that student skip steps to find a more demanding and appropriate level. On the other hand, if a student is having a difficult time accomplishing a particular task, he/she can keep focusing on the skill(s) in which he/she is having difficulties. Third, teachers can assign projects with differentiated degrees of complexity. Teachers can modify the complexity of a project based upon the student’s knowledge of technology. If a student excels with technology, the teacher can provide a more challenging activity for that particular student. If a student is having a difficult time completing a technology task, computer resources can provide a more individualized review of the basic skills to help the struggling student. Lastly, teachers have an opportunity to make use of various technology resources, such as numerous computer programs, to meet the needs of all of the students in the classroom (Theroux, 2004).
The incorporation of technology into the classroom is also valuable as it provides an opportunity for students to become engaged in technology; a characteristic that will better prepare students for tomorrow’s workforce. Today’s world consists of a highly competitive job market, and students must be equipped with all the necessary skills to enter this demanding workforce. Teachers must provide students the opportunity to become familiar with the technology resources that he/she will likely need to be comfortable with in their future career. When students frequently utilize a variety of technological resources, he/she has the opportunity to master various vocational job skills, making them more marketable in the future. Students who are skilled in the technology of today also learn how to use individual applications as problem-solving tools (Craddler, 1994). We are educating students of the Information Age - technology is a crucial part of today’s world, and consequently, it is critical that students are furnished with knowledge of how to put today’s technological resources to good use.
In conclusion, educators who believe it is too challenging to include technology in their lessons are delivering a meager excuse. It is difficult for a teacher to promote excitement in the classroom if the educator is not excited enough about the benefits that students attain from technology to put forth the effort required to do so. If the incorporation of technology requires additional effort on the part of the educator, then the effort is well worth the while. When teachers utilize technology across the curriculum, the degree of student motivation, and therefore student learning, is increased. High student motivation and engagement in schoolwork have been consistently linked to increased levels of student success (Brewster and Fager, 2000). The integration of technology resources provides teachers with an opportunity to meet the individualized needs of his/her class. This differentiated instruction provides students with multiple options for data research and instruction (Hall, 2002). In addition, implementing technological resources across the curriculum will better prepare students for their future careers.
In order to better convince opposing teachers to integrate technology into their classrooms, I would recommend that they administer a lesson that incorporates technology and conduct an interest survey at the lesson’s conclusion. It is my belief that students will be motivated and actively engaged throughout the lesson, thus quickly displaying one of the beneficial outcomes of incorporating technology. The survey will also help to instruct teachers how best to meet the students’ technological needs. If an educator were in search of methods to incorporate technology into his/her lessons, he/she could simply turn to technology itself, as there is a tool out there with ideas and sample lessons readily available for educators to use – the Internet.
References
Brewster, Cori & Fager, Jennifer. (2000). “Increasing Student Engagement and Motivation: From Time-on-Task to Homework.” Retrieved July 12, 2007, from
Cotton, Kathleen. (1991). Computer-Assisted Instruction. Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Retrieved July 12, 2007, from
Cradler, John. (1994).“ Summary of Current Research and Evaluation Findings on Technology in Education.” Retrieved July 11, 2007, from
Gulley, Kathleen, Patrice (2003).“Pros and Cons of Computer Technology in the Classroom” Retrieved July 22, 2007, from http://jep.csus.edu/journal2003/paper5.htm .
Hall, T. (2002). “Differentiated Instruction.” Retrieved July 12, 2007, from
Jackson, Lorrie. (2004).“K-12 Technology Activities that Work.” Retrieved July12, 2007, from http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech094.shtml.
Peck, Kyle L. & Dorricott, Denise. (1994). “Why Use Technology?” Realizing the Promise of Technology, Volume 51 Number 7. Retrieved July 12, 2007, from
The George Lucas Educational Foundation. (2007). “What is Technology Integration?” Retrieved July 9, 2007, from http://www.edutopia.org/teachingmodules/TI/What.php.
Theroux, P. (2004).“Differentiated Instruction.” Retrieved July12, 2007, from