Technology Use in the Classroom

Use of technology in the classroom is imperative. Not only does it give children more exposure to a medium that they need to be experts in, it is a medium that they prefer to learn in. (The whole point is to make learning engaging, tech or not.) Some educators question using tech in the classroom if students have limited outside access. However, in this situation students should be provided more opportunities to use technology in class.

In a typical class of 30, there will be many with computers at home. Most will also have books. A good portion of the children will own art supplies. Others even have sports equipment. There will be students that lack one or more of these things a home. This doesn't mean that it isn't taught at school. It means that students need to be provided more opportunity to access these things at school. It would be doing a disservice to society as a whole to not teach skills that are important for future competence.

There are various ways to provide students with increased access to technology. At school is the first viable possibility. Lunch-time computer room access. Extending early morning and afternoon hours. This takes funding, but there may be parent volunteers willing to staff these areas. Another possible way for schools to help is to encourage the community to donate used computers that can be refurbished and provided to students and their families. Making technology available at home isn't just going to have a positive effect on student learning, it will also enable the family an important tool for navigating today's community. (This type of program need not stop at just computers, but can extend to other technology as well. Digital cameras, etc)

Beyond working through the school to increase student access, there are other resources that students can turn to if encouraged. Our local library has convenient computer access for evenings and weekends.

Another aspect to consider is if students without access to technology outside the classroom are actually disadvantaged. As I sit in my living room typing on my laptop, I can see my other laptop a few meters away. One corner of the room houses a newer desktop. Another corner has my parent's desktop. There are at least three digital cameras on premises but I'm not sure exactly where. I understand the importance of knowing how to use the technology but I couldn't say that I would lack opportunity or quality of life without these things actually being at my home.

Now, as I finish this post...in the backyard there's a fire in the fire pit with an empty chair next to it. There I will sit and talk with my family...and I'll continue to be careful that technology doesn't take away too much of my real life. In the end, balance.