Technology in the Classroom

Technology is growing into one of the single-most important tools in the classroom. Teachers who are proficient at encompassing new technology into lesson plans better prepare students for real life application of the ideas and concepts learned in the classroom. From my personal experiences as a student, technology that is harnessed for the purpose of instruction benefits all students. My school district invested in Smartboards when I entered high school. The Smartboards were quite useful for the plethora of subjects and topics covered in the high school curriculum. Now that I am studying to become an educator myself, I can reflect on the benefits of interacting with Smartboards previously in my formal education. I expect technology, such as the Smartboard, to continue to grow and develop. New ideas evolve at an alarming rate. This type of rapid development is beneficial because new advances in technology come about daily. This rapid development allows creative individuals the opportunity to harness their ideas for the benefit of the entire body of technology users. However, teachers must put in the work necessary to stay current with new developments in technology. The demand of extra time and effort to stay up to date is one of the biggest pitfalls of rapidly developing technology, especially for teachers due to the intense time demands of being an effective teacher. In conclusion, technology is a wonderful tool when it is used appropriately, and can serve to increase the efficacy of teachers who know how to utilize it.