Technology is constantly changing and evolving; especially in terms of classroom usage, technology has evolved so much over the years. From simple projectors to now every student having their own laptop, it is amazing how far it has come. Even though technology is so much a part of one’s life there is still much controversy as to whether it should be used in the classroom. While there are some negative aspects to educational technology, it also has so much to offer to both educators and students. By using laptops in school, elementary students will have higher grades and test scores, learn other cognitive skills, be able to learn at their own pace, and learn other ways to communicate. Not only this, but teachers can use laptops to help students with learning disorders and other social problems, and better adapt their lesson plans to fit each students’ individual needs and learning styles. The use of laptops in the classroom of middle-school American students may develop their cognitive abilities and allow them to become higher academically achieving if implemented correctly. 

It was previously thought that by having students only use pen and paper they would memorize and learn things better however; recent discoveries have shown that through the use of technology students will receive better grades and test scores. In an article from US News and World Report, author Ryan Lytle discusses the impact technology had on a school in Maryland. He reports that after the use of video lectures; “Students in the 2010-11 school year scored an average of 4.11 on the AP calculus test, compared to the 3.59 average among her students who took the test and were taught in the traditional classroom setting the year before.” The use of these video lectures allows students to stay more engaged in and out of the classroom. If they don’t understand something in class, they can reference these lectures at home to review and get a better understanding. As stated before, previously, it was believed that by taking notes by hand with pen and paper students would be more likely to remember the content and make connections through the process of physically writing out the material in their own words. In terms of technology, typing notes might not be as beneficial to increasing grades and test scores, but new interactive programs make up for what might have been previously lacking in the use of technology. In a TED Talk given by Jessie Woolley-Wilson she explains the benefits of these programs and their correlation with an increase in academic achievement. These programs, similar to video lectures, allow students to learn at their own pace. Based off their answers the program adjusts to fit each students’ specific needs and learning styles, something a teacher would never be able to accomplish on their own for classes of up to 30 students. This difference in knowledge is explained by Dr. Lazar Stosic, “In class, we have children who are not uniform in knowledge and never pay enough attention to those who are not sufficiently mastered the material and those who are above their average. This difference is often hampered by teacher assessment work and how to transfer knowledge to a group of children with different knowledge” (112). Technology, like the interactive programs and video lectures are changing how students learn; causing them to make better grades and score higher on test because the students are taught in a way that works best for them. 

One challenge all teachers face is teaching students in a way that fits their individual needs. Every student learns in a different way and at a different pace, especially those with learning disabilities and those that lack social skills. For a teacher with a large class it can be difficult to make sure all the students are receiving attention and help on the subject matter if necessary. Using technology in the classroom allows each student to have their own personalized “tutor” with the teacher overlooking the whole process. With programs like DreamBox, the instructor can easily track the students’ progress allowing them to discover which students may need even more help (Wolley-Wilson). Not only this, but online learning programs allow teachers to give students one on one help through blended learning, a technique that blends traditional classroom teaching styles and technology. Students with learning disabilities are given individualized attention through the customized programs along with attention from teachers. This form of technology used specifically for special needs students is called Assistive Technology. This is defined by The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) in Supporting Content Learning Through Technology for K-12 Students With Disabilities as “any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether commercially acquired off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability” (Israel et al. 6).  For students with learning disabilities Assistive Technology can be the difference between falling completely behind or keeping up with their peers. An example of AT is, “speech recognition software, which is highly beneficial for students with dysgraphia or dyslexia, is routinely acknowledged as AT for students with disabilities” (Israel et al. 5). This allows for these students to thrive, who without these programs might have never gotten the specific attention and help they needed to be academically successful. These technological mediums can be partnered with teachers to allow disability students to stay on the same level as their peers, while still learning in way that is constructive for them.

Not only does educational technology encompass learning for all types of students, but it also teaches skills necessary to be successful in the 21st century. As children who have grown up in an era of technology, it is important that they learn the skills needed to be not only successful in school, but in life. In a TED Talk, on blended learning and future of education, given by Monique Markoff, she discusses how students multitask, using 2 devices at once. She says, “They may be programming, and making a power point, maybe even at the same time.” This is an example of today’s society. People today multitask because technology allows them to do it. Technology in the classroom allows students to learn from a young age how to multitask. Not only this but they can learn skills like programming, excel, and PowerPoint; all necessary to get a job in today’s world. In another TED Talk by Jessie Woolley-Wilson, she mentions how jobs that today’s students will be hired for may not even exist yet. Using technology from a young age in the classroom setting will teach students how to be adaptable learners that can keep up with the constant evolution of technology (Woolley-Wilson). “There are wide ranges of media information platforms featured amongst educational services to enable children in getting enhanced skills along with critical thinking abilities in any subject, for instance, in maths and these are found to be appealing” (Baisron et al. 4). Programs like Woolley-Wilson’s DreamBox help to incorporate the learning of these skills into the curriculum. Students learn skills through using technology rather than just memorizing information, something that can eventually put them ahead in a work force that has been so overcome by technology.

One specific skill that students can learn through using forms of technology in the classroom is communication. In today’s advanced world, one must be able to communicate not only face to face, but through technology. Today people are interacting online; through social media, emails, blogs, and so many other mediums. In school children are taught how to become good communicators. In a technologically advanced society they must also learn how to become good communicators when using technology. Schools today now not only teach how to write letters but how to write emails. Most educators want to teach students how to act properly online, “The children can be helped through expansion of one’s online connections shared, gaming sites, for instance, with more diverse backgrounds. It covers such communication in fostering the one’s individual identity with social skills to become an important step for children to let them grow naturally in the way which they can search for as many opportunities as possible through cooperative and creative ways” (Baisron et al. 704). When children are exposed to many horrible things online they need to be taught in school what is acceptable and what is not. Through using technology while in school students can develop their online behavior and practice good communication skills. Without doing this in school, children would be forced to navigate this process by themselves, possibly never learning the skills necessary to be a successful communicator. Technology allows students to learn so many skills including communication.

In order for students to learn skills like communication they must be cognitively mature. Developing a child’s cognition is something that typically takes years to develop. Using technology in the classroom from a young age significantly speeds up this process. An example of a cognitive skill is information seeking. “Information seeking is a skill in which students search for information for the purpose of research, personal interests, and problem solving. The computer facilitates this process according to Pea (as cited in Kommers, Jonassen, and Mayes, 1991) by ‘transcending the limitations of the mind, such as memory, in activities of thinking, learning, and problem solving’ (p. 23). The facilitation of this process enables the learner to access and retrieve information beyond the limitations of memory, which enables the student to return to previous information throughout the learning process” (Elliot et al.). Using computers in the classroom allows for students to go beyond in their learning experience, causing them to quickly develop these aspects of their cognition that otherwise may have taken years. Through online programs used in the classroom students learn in all ways possible; they write, listen, watch, and practice, usually all at the same time. Since using these programs it has been proven that cognition has developed much quicker in students. “Cognitive tools should allow students to ‘activate metacognitive learning strategies’ (Jonassen, 1992, p. 2). Metacognitive learning strategies are strategies that are used when students encounter new information, connect it to prior knowledge then construct and revise their schemata. The effective use of cognitive tools should enable learners to undertake this process and assist them in experiencing cognitive processes that would be impossible without such tools” (Elliot et al.). Without the use of technology, this would be impossible. These programs are set up specifically to help students through the processes necessary to increase cognition and metacognition with hopes of allowing them to become better thinkers and learners more quickly. Through the use of the technological mediums in the classroom children will continue to cognitively develop at a faster rate.

In order for students to develop cognitively and learn other important skills, technology must be properly integrated into the classroom setting. If teachers don’t know how to properly use technology to teach, the students will not reach the potential they could have had with access to these different forms of learning. In an article about educational technology Dr. Lazar Stosic discusses what is necessary for teachers to implement educational technology, “First of all, teachers have to have a basic knowledge of the use of educational technology. It takes far more professional training through a variety of conferences, courses, professional literature, seminars... in order to get a better knowledge in the use of educational technology.” Luckily there have been standards put in place to make sure that all teachers know how to properly integrate and use technology. The National Center for Education Statistics describes this as, “The first is the national standards established by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), the Standards for Basic Endorsement in Educational Computing and Technology Literacy. These standards specify a desired performance profile for technology-literate teachers. Schools and districts can examine these performance standards to determine measures of teacher skills with technology” (National Center for Education Statisics). Some of these operational standards are: “

1). Demonstrate effective use of a computer system and utilize computer software. 

2). Apply knowledge of terms associated with educational computing and technology. 

3). Apply computer productivity tools for professional use. 

4). Use electronic technologies to access and exchange information” (National Center for Education Statisics)

With these standards in place students are able to get the most out of technology in class. Without these standards students might spend time waiting for teachers to figure out how to use the technology or may not be taught as many skills as they could have been. It is important for not only the students to learn about how to use technology in the classroom, but also teachers.

Despite the fact that there is a lot of research that teachers and students alike are benefiting from technological use in the classroom, many people still disagree with the method. While some educators are very on board with revolutionizing students’ education, others want to continue with old ways of teachings. One reason for this is that they believe technology is a distraction. An educator describes their experience with this, “an audience of laptop covers, the flip sides of which were engaged in online shopping or social-media obligations rather than in the working out of programming examples” (Rockmore). While this may be the case sometimes, they are ways to block students from having access to social media sites, shopping, etc., while in class. Similarly, it is believed that using laptops will prevent students from being engaged during class. This in fact the opposite effect. Through the use of programs like DreamBox students have to be engaged in order to complete the task. Not only do they stay engaged but they often understand the material better and enjoy the learning experience, which can be shown through their increased grades and test scores. Another concern is that technology will remove real human interaction from education. The fact is that most students actually spend only a quarter of their school day use a technological medium. And most often this time allotted for using laptops or some other technology is used as a catalyst for in class discussions and other hands on activities (Markoff). While there are so many benefits to the use of technology in the classroom, there will always be critics who want to stay with old forms of teaching.

Teaching has come so far in the past years from using pen and paper to students now only using laptops or iPads. Technology has given the educational process so much space for growth and change that has greatly benefited both teachers and students. Through the proper use of technology in American K-12 schools children have increased their academic achievement and learned many skills that have helped in their cognitive development and many other aspects. It has allowed for all students, including those with disabilities to stay more engaged in class, become better communicators, and learn how to be successful in the 21st century. Even though many people don’t want to allow technological mediums such as laptops in the classroom, there is a lot research that proves the benefits it can bring educators and students. As technology continues to change and revolutionize, so will the education systems; with the use of the most current forms of technology students can reach their upmost potential both in and out of the classroom.
