The Role Of Technology In Education - Essay Example

The Role of Technology in Education The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 requires all students be technologically literate by the end of the eighth grade (U. S. Department of Education 2004). On January 7, 2005, as a way to help accomplish this directive, the U.S. Department of Education officially released the National Education Technology Plan (U. S. Department of Education 2006). On November 9, 2010, Education Secretary Duncan announced the latest National Education Technology Plan (U.S. Department of Education 2011). This proposal is “part of a long-range national strategy and guide for using technology effectively to improve student academic achievement” (U.S. Department of Education 2011). Introduction to the Problem The founders of NCLB understood the importance of technology in a modern world. The prediction is that technology will change the way people work, live, and even communicate (Friedman 63). To keep up with a global society, it is imperative that school systems support the technology directives of NCLB (Lee and Templeton 214). However, this is not the case in all circumstances. Lee and Templeton (216) wrote that the digital divide is leaving millions excluded from the opportunity to use technology to change their lives and to participate in today’s job market. According to Pew Research, in 2008, 30 million American households were without computers or the Internet; most of these households were low-income or rural (qtd. in Long 24). Forty-five percent of Black children only had access to computers at school (Long 24). When a school’s technology is inadequate, in disrepair, in insufficient number for the class size, or if the teacher, for whatever reason, does not use the available technology, the students lose. One serious problem is that many teachers are reluctant to use technology in their classrooms or with their lessons. Teachers Do Not Use Technology Nagel said, “Technology is woefully inadequate in most classrooms despite the progress schools have made in bringing computers and the Internet to students and staff, and these groups need still greater access if technology is to become a reliable tool for teaching and learning.” A lack of technology use by teachers to communicate instructional activities in the classroom is evident. Teachers fail to use technology due to inadequate training or staff development activities provided to teachers. Educators reported inadequate resources in the area of education technology support, including inadequate professional development or training and IT support (Nagel). Education administrators reported that after teachers attended professional development activities and training for technology support or integration, only 61percent felt prepared to make effective use of educational technology for instruction (Snyder and Dillow). Despite the disparities in schools that use technology and those that do not, teachers remain challenged with the efforts of using various technologies in instruction, and using various assessment strategies using technology in the classroom. For whatever reasons, teachers use far less technology than is expected to result in minimal technology exposure for students in public schools, which causes a halt and a fall in students’ academic success (Lee and Templeton 216). For the high percentage of minority students without access to the Internet or a computer except at school, this is a serious concern that requires immediate investigation. Teachers are doing a grave disservice to these students. The relations among and between students and teachers is devalued without the use of technology intertwined with the curriculum. School communities are suffocating in our society due to the lack of technological support required to assist with students’ academic success. Recommendations As the world continues to embrace the ever-changing technological aspects of society, the methods used to teach students must also change. The impact of technology on the curriculum should have a positive impact on students’ attitudes and academic performance in the classroom. Using technology to assist in teaching students gives them, not only a clearer understanding of the subject matter, but also gives them the skill set to perform well in the classroom, which results in confidence and positive self-esteem. Therefore, when teachers use different strategies to present lessons, students use different methods to process the data whereby embracing a technologically-aged society to ensure students a quality education. Something must be done to make teachers to use technology in the classroom on a daily basis. According to Lee and Templeton (215), teachers must learn how technology connects with both pedagogy and the content of the curriculum; a change in the instructional use of computers is dependent upon understanding the instructional practices needed to use technology while teaching the curriculum. When administrators provide teachers with professional development focusing primarily on technical skills, teachers are given the tools to help them support their students. Conclusions Technology is changing the way people work, live, and communicate (Friedman 63). To ensure that schools prepare all students for the future, school systems must follow the technology directives of NCLB and make certain that all students are technologically literate by the eighth grade (Lee and Templeton 213). Each student is a remarkable individual and needs the opportunity to access technology. Students who fail to grasp technology are computer illiterate. For these students, the future is restricted. School administration must do everything to expose students to technology as often as possible. For this to occur, teachers must use technology in the classes and in their lessons, and they should be confident with their computer abilities. At a minimum, teachers must attend training or in-services to learn how to use the different types of technologies assigned to their classroom. Work Cited Friedman, Thomas L. Hot, flat, and crowded: Why we need a green revolution—and how it can renew America. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2008. Print. Lee, Herbert and Templeton, Rosalyn. “Ensuring equal access to technology: Providing assistive technology for students with disabilities.” Theory into Practice, 47.3.(2008): 212-219. Web. 29 November 2011. Long, Charles. “Mind the Gap: It's a high-speed, high-def, Wi-Fi world. But not for everybody.” NEA Today, (2008): 24-31. Web. 29 November 2011. Nagel, David. “Classroom Technology ‘Woefully inadequate, study finds.” The Journal, (2008): n.pag. Web. 29 November 2011. Snyder, Thomas and Dillow, Sally. Digest of education statistics 2009. National Center for Education Statistics. U.S. Department of Education. (2010): GOP. Web. 29 November 2011. U. S. Department of Education. Elementary and Secondary Education Part D — Enhancing Education Through Technology. Sections 2401 – 2404. No Child Left Behind. (2004): GOP. Web. 29 November 2011. U.S. Department of Education. Office of educational technology (OET): National education technology plan. Ed.gov. (2011): GOP. Web. 29 November 2011. Read More