The Benefits of Technology in Schools

     School districts have many decisions to make on a daily basis. The public school system is judged by countless people throughout the district, community, and even the state. With this many eyes watching your every decision, there is no possible way to make them all happy. In my opinion, most school districts base their decisions on what is best for the learning of all students.
     In my school this year and I know in many surrounding schools there has been a bigger push towards technology. Most schools have computer labs and many have computers in every classroom. More than 90 percent of all schools are connected to the internet. According to an Education Weekly survey, nearly 30 percent of teachers said their students use computers only one hour per week; nearly 40 percent said their students do not use computers in the classroom at all (Trotter, 1999). Technology has been known for promoting meaningful, engaged learning. It is important that we continue to see a rise in implementing technology in our classrooms on a daily basis.
     There are many benefits in supporting the increase of technology in schools. With the use of technology it is easier for teachers to create individualized learning plans. This is excellent being the learning environment has been moving more towards inclusive learning with special needs students. The textbook editions alone have a wealth of activities and materials that can be created through technology support. Another “pro” for the teachers are the E-learning opportunities to help keep credentials up to date and enhance knowledge. The administrators use technology to accomplish a variety of their work. They use data to analyze the results in students’ achievement several times a year as well. These are just a few of the advantages school employees have with the use of technology.
     As we know the students are the main focus in districts and communities. The benefits of technology for them are countless, and a great deal of research has been performed to support this fact. A school in West Virginia selected software and integrated the program into the curriculum. They needed to train their teachers on the software and provide the adequate number of computers. The student scores improved on the state and national assessments after the program was implemented. In addition to, the program was more cost-effective than hiring more teachers or reducing class sizes.
     A group of elementary-aged students who used a multimedia computer software program showed less math anxiety. The same group pf students were able to relate the material learned to everyday more than the students who did not participate in the program. Furthermore, an educational testing service discovered math teachers who used computers significantly boosted 4^th and 8^th graders’ standardized scores. Math is a subject area that many students struggle with, therefore the motivation is very low.
     I have been a math teacher for almost 10 years now and I personally see some of the benefits technology can have in the classroom. Most of us learned our math skills through the lecture of a teacher and practice. I do believe that method worked for the majority of us, however that is not the case any longer. The students today have grown-up with more technology and the ways of learning have been enhanced tremendously.
     For example, the Smart Board has made its way into over half the classrooms at my school. The students are a huge fan of them and they do demonstrate some concepts in a very unique way. Even if a student is working math problems, but they are entering their answers through the CPS system, they are more engaged. Using even a small amount of technology is better than not using any at all. Some teachers choose to take it a bit higher and use the Distance Learning Lab on campus with their students. The students are more engaged in when technology is involved in the lesson. This leads to more learning and higher achievement for students. For this reason, is why I feel school districts are doing their best to incorporate more technology in the classrooms. Through the research presented and from personal experience, the benefits of technology are endless.