Blog Post 13

Instructions for Blog Post #13

This week, write a blog post about the pros and cons of technology in the classroom. Explain your thoughts on both sides of the argument. Here are some resources to get you started! Feel free to add your own research.

Edudemic.com

Concordia Online Education

Pros and Cons of Technology In The Classroom I have come to realize that there are many arguments about technology in the classroom. I believe that technology does help children advance further in their education, but I also think that it could be bad for some as well. Technology helps children with research, collaboration, and other skills they need to succeed in life. Technology has changed the way that teachers teach and also the way that students learn. It helps teachers engage their students more, and makes the students more interested because they are "playing with technology". There are so many different devices that are good to use in school like ipads, tablets, Macbooks, and even smart phones. There are also millions of different apps and websites that students can use to help them with anything they need help with, the opportunities that technology gives to students are endless.

Blogging has become a big part of the elementary education world. Students of all ages are writing blogs about stories they have read, projects they create, and personal stories they may want to share. People from all over the world comment on these blogs that students create. It is exciting for a student to see someone from another school, another state, or even another country leave comments about their work. Blogging motivates students because they know they are no longer just writing for their teacher or for a grade, they're writing for people all over the world; and that can be very inspiring to students and teachers as well.

However, after studying and being in the elementary education field, I have heard a lot of teachers' opinions on technology being used in the classroom. Although, the teachers I have talked to that have a different opinion on technology are those that teach grades K-2. I observed a 1st grade class recently, and after looking around for a while I realized that the only technology in any of the classrooms in that school was a smartboard, and one laptop computer (no Apple products). So I asked her how often she used technology while teaching and what she had to say after that was very interesting and made me think of things I had not thought of before.

She believes that the instant response that students receive when using their technological devices are not teaching them how to be patient. This makes the students expect everything to come to them in an instant, and when something does not work out that way outside of technology, they are not very happy campers. It is important that you not only teach children the curriculum, but also teach them real-life skills that they will need to succeed in life. Also, students this young (1st grade) have a hard time sharing or waiting their turn when having to do something with a group of children, so with that, only brings more complications and wasted time for the teachers.

Personally, I see both sides of the argument having valid points. I can see how technology helps children tremendously with their education and real life skills. Also, I can see how it could be more of a distraction than a better way to learn when it comes to younger grades like K-2.