Is Technology Taboo for Education?

The use of technology in the classroom has been a hot debate for quite some time. There are people who are completely for the use of technology with education and those who are strictly against it.

With the rate that technology continues to advance, it seems as if keeping technology out of the classroom will become a difficult task. Teachers and school administration are turning to technology to help streamline attendance and grade processes. Teachers are using technology in the classroom to teach students not only how to use devices such as computers and tablets, but to also provide a more interactive learning experience. And some schools are even realizing the importance of technology and becoming a blended school, in which students do part of their curriculum in a virtual setting and part of their education in a physical classroom.

DRD recently created a Gradebook tool for K12, a leading provider of curriculum for blended schools across the United States. Throughout our project, we learned that blended schools are becoming more and more popular and that the inception of these schools has created much controversy.

The biggest argument against technology in the classroom is that some people feel as if using technology isn’t giving our students the power to learn how to do things for themselves. Instead of students figuring out a math problem on their own, for example, technology is teaching them to turn to Google to do the work for them. But technology in the classroom offers so much more.

Set the Pace

Blended schools allow students to work at their own pace. Students have a set curriculum that they must complete in order to move on to the next grade level, so it’s not as if a student can graduate without completing any work. But this allows students to complete coursework as they want. If a student wants to finish a grade level ahead of schedule, they can. If a student wants to do coursework on the weekends, they can.

Teamwork and Individual Learning

Plus, it allows students to learn how to work both with a team and individually. Not only does this teach them skills they’ll use throughout their life, but it also helps prepare students for college. Students who attend a blended school for K through 12 will learn how to manage their time, be more disciplined and learn how to complete work independently.

Interactive Learning

The use of technology is also more engaging with students and can provide them with more interactive learning. Most students learn better through actions and participation, and using technology to help teach a course is a great way to get students more involved in the coursework and better retain information.

Technology is only going to continue to advance, and if schools don’t learn the benefits that technology can provide to their students, teachers and staff, they’ll soon find that their methods and curriculum have become outdated.