Why we need Technology in Schools


Using technology to facilitate instruction in grades k-12 is of the utmost importance in this day and age. In order to successfully engage our students we must reach them on their level. Students as young as 3 or 4 years old can correctly operate computers and many other electronic devices, therefore we must change our instruction in order to fit their needs. If we want students to be successful we must engage them and the old way of teaching where we gave notes and they copied them into a notebook in a lecture style setting will no longer get the job done. After researching on the search engine cuil I found several ways to integrate technology in the delivery of instruction and the importance of doing so. Similarly, some argue that today's students, surrounded by digital technology since infancy, are fundamentally different from previous generations (McHale, 2005) and are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach (Prensky, 2001).Many different types of technology can be used to support and enhance learning. Everything from video content and digital moviemaking to laptop computing and handheld technologies (Marshall, 2002) have been used in classrooms, and new uses of technology such as podcasting and blogging are quickly becoming more and more popular in the classroom. Technology in the classroom can be used for a number of reasons, not just in the delivery of instruction. Technology can be used as a form of communication or as a way to turn in assignments or keep track of their grades and progress in the classroom. Students can use email to communicate or turn in assignments, a spreadsheet can be made to keep track of their progress. They post notes or questions on their blog or discussion boards. Students can also communicate via text messaging or instant messaging. Technology allows the students to expand and research in greater depths.