Technology in the Classroom and the Modern Day Teacher

Technology in the classroom can be likened to a double ended candle: one end can light your way in the dark and the other end might burn you as you hold it. We are a digital generation. With an astounding number of students utilizing text messages, myspace pages, podcasting and iphones, technology is ever present. “I will read 8 books this year, 2300 web pages and 1281 Facebook pages.” boasts a sign a silent student holds up in a YouTube video titled “A Vision of Students Today”. So the obvious answer would be to include more technology in classes so students will spend more time learning. But have you ever noticed what some students do while they are online researching or even just using a word processor on an online equipped computer? They are surfing the web, chatting with friends, viewing profiles--many activities that draw them away from any of the learning that could possibly take place online. Today’s teachers need to embrace the technology their students are using—ever so cautiously.
Students are avid multi-taskers, so teachers need to carefully monitor internet use of any sort. There are many wonderful resources online that would be very effective in engaging students in the learning process. The modern day classroom should be well equipped with computers or laptops that the students can use, all while making sure that anywhere in the room the teacher can see all screens just by simply turning their head. The modern day teacher needs to be constantly monitoring and of course available to help when students get stuck. Not only do teachers have the task of monitoring the students but they also need to be ace investigators, finding legitimate and useful tools for their students that they have previously perused.
Teachers need to expand their horizons, and try new techniques. As Mike Muir put it on his blog “Every One Learns - Pedagogy, Technology, Motivation, Do Something Disruptive” --“Keep in mind that what matters most is how the technology is used, not which technology is used.” Using the internet to research is almost primitive, but using the internet to connect second graders to first graders way across the country to teach each other a lesson plan or share what they have learned via blogging is a great way to use the internet. Sometimes the tried and true methods of teaching are necessary, but teachers need to remember their digital age students who are eager to use the technology that engulfs them, and combining the techniques of old and new could be a winning combination.
Technology can be overwhelming. Some teachers may find it hard to teach their students using a tool that sometimes the student is more competent in. Embracing the fact that students might be able to teach you about the technology you are trying to teach them with will only create a stronger bond between the student and teacher. The students will be excited to share their technological competencies and feel more in control of their education. The key is finding the right amount of technology for each individual classroom. Students still need to learn important skills like penmanship as well as being able to calculate addition, subtraction, and some multiplication and division problems by hand as well as how to type and use the internet to conduct research.
The use of technology in the classroom needs to be well balanced, and it will often take many adjustments to get it just right. However, it’s important that students learn how to use technology, see how it can be used in different ways such as learning, and also know that there are other great ways to learn and do lessons. Both the teacher and the student need to come to a compromise between standard paper and pencil lectures and lessons and high tech megabyte swapping activities, creating a learning environment in which both the student and teacher prosper.