Technology in Education
Today's technology-created, educational opportunities include greater access to rich, multimedia content, the increasing use of online course, the widespread availability of mobile devices that access the Internet, the expanding role of social networking tools for learning and professional development, and the growing interest in the power of digital games for more personalized learning.
The days of a traditional, chalkboard, lecture only classroom are quickly evolving into a global, computerized, interactive educational experience. Many area districts are addressing this advancement by including computers and other mobile devices as part of their everyday instructional tools. For example, Willard High School now allows students to bring their personal laptop computers to school in order to take notes, study for and complete exams. If a student does not own a personal laptop, he or she can lease one from the district for $50. Several area districts have introduced the use of Ipads into classroom instruction and they are used for a variety of purposes. In some classrooms, the electronic device has replaced the textbook, while in others it is used for educational games and enrichment activities.
These technological leaps are not just for the students’ benefit. Many educators are finding that completing quality professional development is easier via the computer. In addition, across the country, educators are exchanging and sharing instructional methodologies via social network sites such as Twitter, message boards and blogs.
Given the necessity of knowledge and application of advancing technology in today’s workplace, perhaps one high school student said it best, “I think that it's our school's job to prepare us for the future, rather than give us an A on a report card.”
For more information on technology opportunities in education, please refer to the following books at your Springfield-Greene County Library.
Grown up digital : how the net generation is changing your world by: Dan Tapscott
Raising generation tech : preparing your children for a media-fueled world by: Jim Taylor
Learning right from wrong in the digital age : an ethics guide for parents, teachers, librarians, and others who care about computer-using young people by:Doug Johnson
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