What will computing in the classroom look like in the future?
I think that in the future our classrooms will be rich with technology. I think all students will have a laptop or some similar type of device for note taking, completing work, and collaborating. I think that students with special or exceptional needs will have an easier time integrating with the general classroom environment through computer technology and assistive technology. I don’t see a need for paper, as students will create and display their work on computers. I think that computers will continue to get smaller, faster, and more inexpensive making all of this economically feasible for schools.
How will this affect you and your students?
I think that more technology in the classroom will be great for learning. Students will be connected on a more global level. Students who would normally not be in the general classroom or who need to be challenged will be working together and be reaching their full potential. I see all of this as a great means to differentiate instruction and maximize student learning. Research thus far shows that students learning from computer programs learn better and perform better than traditional students on standardized tests. This research article is extremely informative and looks at all aspects of the future of computing in the classroom.
What might you be doing to prepare people for this future?
As a computer teacher, I work every day to make my students more tech savvy and independent on the computer. I help staff in the building learn new technologies as they become available. I will be teaching professional development classes in technology this year to help staff better use technology to enhance student learning. I will continue to keep myself up to date so that I can help others do the same.
Sarah, The article that was linked to your post was great. I, too believe that the role of the teachers will change once more teachers and school leaders are able to more fully integrate technology into the classroom. Parents may play a larger role in seeing this transpire than first thought. Districts listen to parents and so do government leaders who influence the structure of education. As parents become more aware of the value of technology in their child's education, the more vocal they will become to those who decide how equitably technology is made available. I wonder how far into the future that will be. Thank you for your thoughts and thank you for sharing the article.
ReplyDeleteI hope that teachers can keep up with the changes. I said in my blog that teaching may become a young person's profession. If a person cannot keep up with the changes we may not see a 30 year veteran teacher.
ReplyDeleteHas your district discussed the possiblity of putting laptops in students hands for a school year in the near future? I agree with you that computers allow teachers to differentiate learning for their students. It only makes sense that students do well when learning via the computer as it reflects the age they have grown up in. The link you provided was interesting. What an overwhelming task it seems to be to create software that would truly allow students to learn in the classroom with the teacher more as a guide...but then I remember what was created in garages in the Silicon Valley! The article was great food for thought!
ReplyDeleteSarah,
ReplyDeleteHow many schools use laptops now? At my school, we have a few laptops that the library will check out. I wonder why they do not use them instead of desktops. I have never thought about how technology could assist special education students! The only issue I could see is that they do not adjust to technology as well as regular ed students. I have to work very hard with my special education students to even do simple computer tasks. However, I believe that would be a promising potential career for them. (technology related)
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteAs a social studies teacher I love the ideas of students learning together with other classrooms or historians around the world. It will help them realize that there is a big world out there they haven't seen yet!
I also agree that the more professional development and classes we have to encourage staff and students to continue to learn about technology will help them become ready for what is to come in the future.
Thanks for sharing that article! It got me thinking and had some very interesting ideas.
Terrific article - thanks. It had some great points and ideas. I agree with you about technology making it easier for some special ed students to integrate into the regular ed classrooms. Technology will undoubtedly help some reach their potentials. Since some schools are already going paperless and textbookless, I too see a time when schools do almost everything electronically. We need the public to get behind us with financial support to make it happen though. Unfortunately, our country's priorities don't often follow what is logically needed. Since the students we have now will be working in a global community and economy when they reach the work force, we need to prepare them for that now. Even though I'm not a tech teacher, I do prompt my coworkers to continue taking baby steps to incorporate more and more tech into their classrooms and lessons.
ReplyDeleteSarah, thank you for the interesting blog. That was an excellent point about computers making education accessible for students with disabilities.
ReplyDeleteI recently heard about a Korean Professor who was a leading authority in his field. 2 or 3 years back he was injured in an automobile accident and paralyzed from the neck down. He was able to get a motorized wheelchair and adaptive technology to allow him to continue teaching. I wish I could remember his name, but apparently he demonstrated to Korean society that one could continue to have a productive life as a quadriplegic.
Sarah, do you think classrooms can ever go 'paperless'? I think of basic writing skills where students practice their handwriting. I wonder if technology can replace the pencil and pad of paper for this level.
By the way, great article!
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that we will will have a lot of technology changes in short period ,also it will be very difficult for me to think that classrooms will go paperless as the more technology advanced, we still use more or same paper work in classrooms ,offices,etc..