Benefits of Technology in the Classroom

Technology in the Classroom

If you visited several classrooms in a typical school today, what types of technology would you see?

You’d likely see some students typing responses on laptops, while others record videos for projects. Some students might be playing learning games on tablets, while others model how to solve problems on digital whiteboards. Students may also be on their smartphones, researching information for class assignments.

Schools implement technology using different means and for various purposes. These options come with benefits and disadvantages.

In this video, we will describe different ways that technology is implemented in education. We will also discuss both pros and cons to these different approaches.

Recent Trends

Technology has become an increasingly common part of instruction in recent years. A study by the Institute of Educational Sciences found that 45% of responding public schools had a computer for each student during the 2019-2020 school year, even prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Common ways technology is used in the classroom include instructional slideshows, practice activities, learning games, simulations, interactive digital textbooks, and online collaboration. Technology is also used to provide student choice in how to demonstrate learning through creating videos, slideshows, podcasts, webpages, and other multimedia projects.

Benefits and Downfalls

Technology use has many potential benefits.

It can be used to differentiate instruction. For example, students can take digital pretests that direct them to appropriate lessons for their existing skill levels. They can also receive customized feedback based upon their answer choices, such as being directed to a review activity after answering a question incorrectly. Students can participate in these differentiated learning experiences even when their teachers are occupied with other students.

Technology also allows for on-demand microlearning experiences. For example, if a student is creating a webpage for a class project and gets stuck on some of the code, she can immediately locate online tutorials to resolve the issue.

Technology can also make content more engaging for all students. In accordance with Universal Design for Learning guidelines, content can be presented using multiple means, and features such as translation and text-to-speech can make content more accessible.

Additionally, students who have health issues, lack transportation, or have other factors impeding their ability to attend school are not excluded from learning opportunities even if they cannot be physically present.

On the other hand, reliance on technology can also cause equity issues. Unless a district supplies devices to all students, some may go without and be unable to complete the same activities as their peers. Even with a laptop or tablet, some students may not have a reliable internet connection at home to complete assignments. Students may also have differing levels of digital literacy.

There are also logistical concerns. Districts must allocate funds to purchase devices and employ IT teams to handle security and maintenance. Outages during high-stakes activities like online testing can also cause stressful situations.

Considering all of these pros and cons, districts frequently implement technology using one or more of the following approaches.

Bring Your Own Device for In-Person Learning

Some districts encourage students to bring their own devices to school and then supplement with some shared classroom devices, known as the “bring your own device” approach.

This reduces costs and maintenance for districts and allows students to use familiar tools. However, lack of equity is a main concern in this approach, as some students lack devices and will be unable to participate in certain activities. Additionally, students may not have compatible tools or operating systems, making it difficult for teachers to share assignments.

Additionally, teachers cannot rely on digital delivery of tests or projects, as not all students will have access and so alternatives will need to be provided.

1:1 Device Usage for In-Person or Hybrid Learning

Many districts now use a 1:1 approach, lending each student a device for the school year. These devices frequently become part of the school routine, with assignments distributed and submitted through a learning management system, or LMS. Depending on district policies, students may be allowed to take the devices home to complete assignments, or they may be required to leave them at school each day.

If students are in a hybrid learning program, they attend class in person for part of the week, then complete some lessons and assignments from home during the remaining time. Having an assigned device allows them consistent access to school content and bridges the gap between the school and home environments.

Benefits of this approach include ensuring each student has equal access to the needed tools, at least while in the classroom. With individual devices, students can each have differentiated instruction when needed. Additionally, providing students with the same devices eliminates the incompatibility issues that can occur when students bring their own.

However, one downfall is that districts must pay to purchase and maintain a large number of devices. Additionally, if districts do not allow students to take the devices home, there are still equity issues with completing assignments from home.

Fully Remote Learning

Today, there are numerous fully remote programs available, with some states and districts offering remote public school programs in addition to independent private and homeschool programs.

Some schools provide devices for students enrolled in these programs, while others simply provide a list of needed technology and require families to purchase their own equipment.

Asynchronous programs post learning activities and assignments within an LMS, but students do not participate in any live classes. These programs may follow pacing guidelines or be self-paced.

Synchronous programs have set class times where students meet online with a teacher and a cohort of other students.

Many programs combine these approaches, with some synchronous class time each week, mixed with asynchronous learning videos, activities, and assignments.

There are many benefits to online-only programs. Classes can be completed from any location, providing educational opportunities for students who cannot attend in person for various reasons. These programs typically allow more scheduling flexibility. Families can also choose from multiple programs, providing more options to meet individual needs and preferences.

There are also drawbacks. It requires a consistent internet connection that is good enough to watch videos or allow participation in live classes, particularly if multiple people within the same household are connecting simultaneously.

Additionally, some activities like labs can be difficult to deliver in an online format, despite the use of simulations and other multimedia.

Though online classes typically build in some discussions and collaborative components, it can also be challenging to build community, especially in an asynchronous environment.

There are also concerns regarding screen time for young learners, and research in this area is ongoing.

Review

Let’s review what we learned in this video.

• Technology is commonly used in education today for delivering instruction, providing practice opportunities, and assessing progress.
• There are benefits to using technology in education, including differentiating instruction, making content accessible to diverse learners, and providing educational opportunities to students who are unable to attend in person.
• There are also drawbacks, including costs and equity issues if all students do not have the same access to devices or the internet.
• Districts incorporate technology using different models, including having students bring their own devices to school, providing a device for each student who attends in person, and offering fully online instruction. Each of these options has both pros and cons.

Questions

Before we go, here’re a couple of review questions to test what you have learned.

1. A teacher is designing a series of lessons on persuasive writing for her online class. The students meet for two live, synchronous sessions each week and complete asynchronous activities and assignments during the remainder of the week. How might the teacher foster student collaboration and community in this series of lessons?

2. Mr. Lee teaches in a district that uses a 1:1 model. Each of his students has a district-issued laptop that they can take home each evening. However, Mr. Lee knows that not all students have internet access. How might Mr. Lee structure homework assignments to ensure equity for students?

That’s all for this review! Thanks for watching, and happy studying!