Page 14 - Magazine Project: 243

Classroom Technology in an
Ever-Developing World

Written by Caragain Potts

“School districts in the United States are teaching students to use technology, “aggressive

increasingly adopting educational goals to promote integration of technology” (Varier et al., 2017). There
21st century skills of enhanced collaboration,
has been much success in implementing one-to-one

communication, creativity, digital literacy and approach with technology so that each student has

self-directed learning” (Varier, Dumke, Abrams, access to a computer or tablet in the learning

Conklin, Barnes, & Hoover, 2017). The classroom environment.

environment has morphed and changed dramatically More and more schools are turning to the use

over the past 40 years. There seems to be a constant of one-to-one as it eases communication from student

need to adapt teaching to the new technologies to teacher through the use of messaging questions

during independent practice in the classroom or after

school hours to assist with homework. The traditional

classroom has seen trouble with engaging students in

learning. Varier et al. (2017) states, “Engagement

occurs when students take responsibility for their

learning, feel invested in learning tasks, and see the

value of school learning in the real world.”
Classrooms focused on 21st century learning work

toward developing complex, higher-order critical

thinking, and creating digital literacy. Some schools in

the United Kingdom found that video games aimed at

teaching mathematics has greatly increased student

achievement. A study that included twelve primary

available. Before technology, the classroom focus was and secondary schools in the UK found that students

on a teacher-lead lecture followed by student showed “significantly higher scores in both accuracy

assessment through tests. As technology became more and speed in mentalmaths for students using the HGCs

advanced, schools were encouraged to use the

technology in their instruction. The change presented

many challenges for teachers as they worked to

expand their knowledge on the technology while also

implementing it into their lesson plans. With the

development of the technologies of today, teachers

need to prepare their students for a workplace that uses

those same advanced technologies. Teachers have

expressed many concerns in their ability to teach using

technology due to factors such as ease of use,

flexibility, reliability, and technical support

(O’Rourke, Main, & Hill, 2017). [video game] than those in comparison classes using

Students rely on teachers to assist them in the non-digital methods” (O’Rourke et al., 2017).

transition from student to workforce. Part of that Technology is an effective tool in teaching if it

transition is learning and knowing how to use the most is used in an appropriate manner while teaching a

recent technology. In order to achieve a goal of lesson. Teachers should use technology to enforce

13