UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION

I agree with the majority of what the articles and videos from week one have stated. Technology in the classroom is important. It should not be limited to a computer class or a business tech class, like it was during the days I attended high school. In every discipline there are ways in which technology can be used to reinforce, compliment, and even teach the material. The quote from the Technology in Education gloster poster says it perfectly, 

"Teaching in the 21st Century requires all educators to be comfortable in discovering the use of on-line tools and options for learning, creating and presenting information and knowledge."

Twenty-first Century educators need, not only to know of the various technological tools, but also to be comfortable with them. If educators don’t know how to use these tools properly, it is not possible to train others to use them. Also, as the quote indicates, educators need to be able to use these tools to learn, create, and present information and knowledge. Educators need not only to use on-line tools for these uses, but also teach students to use these on-line tools themselves. 

However, while there are many benefits to using technology in the classroom, there are disadvantages as well. I will start with ones that are personal to me. I love reading. I love going to the library, getting a book, and having an actual book in my hands to read. However, with Kindles, Nooks, Ipads, Sony Readers, etc. becoming more popular, books will be something of the past. I find this incredibly sad. Also, if every paper is written on a computer, how will students improve their handwriting skills? I am currently doing my teacher assisting in a middle school classroom and I notice that my students' handwriting needs improvement. Some people might say that there is no need for students' to have the ability to write legibly if they are doing all there work on the computer, but what if you are just writing a small note to yourself, addressing an envelope, writing a thank-you note, or taking notes. Isn't it important that students at least have the ability to write legibly, even if a computer isn't present? Another disadvantage of using technology is that students do not take their spelling as seriously. Why learn to spell if spell check will do everything for you? I will be honest; this is something that I have a problem with. I am a terrible speller, and I rely on spell check completely. This is a problem for a couple reasons. One reason is, what if spell check isn't available? Another is that spell check doesn't catch everything. Students have to know what they're spelling in order to use it. 

Disadvantages of technology in the classroom as discussed in the articles are that it is costly and it can be difficult to get teachers on board. The article Shaping Tech for the Classroom by Marc Prensky says,

“The missing technological element is true one-to-one computing, in which each student has a device he or she can work on, keep, customize, and take home. For true technological advance to occur, the computers must be personal to each learner. When used properly and well for education, these computers become extensions of the students' personal self and brain. They must have each student's stuff and each student's style all over them (in case you haven't noticed, kids love to customize and make technology personal), and that is something sharing just doesn't allow. Any ratio that involves sharing computers -- even two kids to a computer -- will delay the technology revolution from happening. (Go to Project Inkwell's Web site for more information about one-to-one computing.)

Many groups are working on solutions to the one-to-one problem, and this approach is being implemented in several places, including Maine; Vail, Arizona; Florida's Broward County Schools; and the Lemon Grove School District, in Lemon Grove, California. Those who cite cost as a barrier to implementing one-to-one computing should know that the prices of these devices, as with all technology, are falling dramatically. Although the expense is often estimated at $500 to $1,000 per unit, this year, according to longtime computer visionary Nicholas Negroponte, we will see a basic laptop computer for roughly $100.”

Even if laptop computers become available for $100, it is still expensive to purchase one for each student. I went to a small school. There were about 115 graduates in my class. Lets say that number stays the same each year. That’s $11,500 per year. Not to mention that number doesn’t include students who have dropped out or maintenance. Also, this is for a small school, and the number of students would not be the same each year. It is quite possible that, that number would increase. 

Also, getting teachers to cooperate is a real problem. Some are just stubborn and do not want to change how they do things. Others are scared or nervous to try something new, maybe because they themselves do not know how to use the technology.