Technology in the Classroom

Technology is mainly being used by students to gain more information on given topics. For example, teachers will take their classes to the library computer lab so students can look at maps for Geography. There are also iPad carts and Chromebook carts so students can do their work in the classroom.

I have also seen students working on surveys and quizzes online. The teacher posts the assessment on NEO, and students go on to answer the questions. It is a quick grade for the teacher, and students don't have to physically turn anything in. Teachers have also attempted to do anonymous surveys to gauge student understanding and hear their perspectives.

In my math class, we use the iPad to take notes. We mirror the screen onto the Apple TV and use the app Notability to write notes. Students look at the TV and copy notes into their notebooks. Sometimes, students can use their phones as calculators, or to look up quick information. For example, today we had the students look up how many people live in California.

Teachers seem to think that technology can be used to enhance student learning. Students are able to access so much information, which can satisfy their curiosity. There are times when technology can be a distraction, but as long as expectations are clear, technology is very helpful.

I think technology can be used a little more in my classroom. I want to design tasks that require students to look up information, since this is an important skill to have. I don't want students to rely too much on technology, but it helps simplify a lot of things.