Set Students Free With Technology in Schools
By: Robert Schwartz
While this article was published in 2012, it makes valid points as how important technology is in the classroom. Huge strides have been made in schools throughout the country to implement more technology in the classroom. However, with technology comes concerns and fears from educators as to how to monitor students when using technology. When monitoring students using technology in the classroom, teachers and administrators are almost limiting the potential of what students can do with the technology. The article, Set Students Free With Technology in Schools, discusses this topic of regulating students, and how instead of putting strong limits on how and when students use technology, let them explore and teach the teachers about the technology they know.
Students today are tech-savvy and technology is part of their daily lives. Students are constantly on the web whether they are exploring sites, YouTube videos or on social media. Today, students know more about technology than some teachers. The article suggests giving students more responsibility when using technology in the classroom. Instead of teachers using technology as a way to give tests or create simple PowerPoints, allow students to help be the guide with new technology. Schwarts gives three suggestions on how to improve how technology is used the classroom. First, give students specific tasks and teach them about new technology. Allow them to explore a new site or gadget that will benefit them outside of education and in the real world. Second, create a safe and open environment where students understand that exploring on their own is crucial and where peers help one another. Lastly, teachers must explicitly teach values and the importance of how to properly use technology in the classroom, and how the technology correlates with the school's curriculum.
After reading the article, I agree that students do need to be able to explore more with technology in the classroom. I know that in the past, students have taught me a great deal about technology that they are currently using that I had no idea even existed. While yes, students need to have rules and regulations on how to use technology, they should be able to explore on their own and help teach one another. One point that the article made that I think is very important is that authentic tasks and technology need to be taught in the classroom. There is an abundant of technology resources teachers can use now in the classroom that were unavailable before. This generation of kids are so technology driven that using these resources in the classroom will be beneficial and truly impact learning.
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