When observing some of today’s classrooms I have been appalled to find that some of the classrooms haven yet to change from when I was a kid, or even from what I’ve seen in old movies. Let me paint a picture for you. A young woman stands in front of a large classroom writing on a chalkboard with kids at desks writing on paper with a 10 pound book by their side. Sounds pretty basic, doesn’t it? Why?
Student’s are not the same type of learners today they were 5 years ago let alone 10 to 15. They need and expect to use today’s technology in their quest for knowledge. Many teachers have adopted these new technologies to enhance their teaching.
The use of technology in classrooms has converted teacher’s traditional role as the center of the classroom to a passive role, facilitating learning experiences in a student centered classroom. In this technology based classroom students are able to access the information, apply it, and then demonstrate their new skills. The world is changing and its the jobs of the educators to provide a worthy experience. Read A New Pedagogy is Emerging by Nancy Atterberry for more on our information driven society.
It is virtually impossible to go anywhere without some form of advanced technology being used. From the touch screens in Wawa and CVS photo to the self check out lines in Acme supermarkets, our world is encompassed with technology. Because of this its the job of our educators to provide our students with experiences in technology and with the opportunities to practice it.