A current technology that has emerged and shaped learning or productivity in my educational industry is the use of bringing laptops into the classroom for every student to use.
The problems or challenges associated with this technology in the past is that there is only a certain amount of laptops available, therefore only certain teachers would have access to using the laptops. This would mean that teachers would have to plan accordingly based on who would be able to use the laptop carts. Another challenge would be that if the Internet would be down during that day, then it would affect the lesson that the teacher would have planned for using the laptop computers. The use of more computers in the classrooms can affect power consumption (Thornburg, 2009). Classrooms would need access to more outlets for the laptops when batteries go out.
The societal needs that this technology tool meets is the ability to prepare more lessons related to 21st century learning, because students would have access to using the computer and technology in the classrooms. The benefits of this technology in the classroom are the ability to provide more student engagement for students. Students have hands-on learning by each student having access to a laptop computer.
This technology would be better by having access to more computers for teachers to use in the classrooms. Also it would work better by not having so many Internet outages.
Thornburg, D. (2009). Current Trends in Educational Technology. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.
I have net books in my classroom and it was a challenge to get them. The teachers were given new computers this year and the choice of laptop versus desktop. The majority vote was for desktops.
ReplyDeleteSchquetta,
ReplyDeleteComputers certainly allow for more interactivity with learning materials. Retrofitting a classroom for power and Ethernet can be a costly endeavor, but one I think all classrooms will encounter. In my classroom, we selected desktop computers hardwired to the Internet though Ethernet cables and we haven't experienced an Internet outage in the last 6 years during any one of my classes. It is costly, but it is better than paying to fix the same thing numerous times. What do you think are the societal effects of having this technology in your school?
Best,
Marc
Hi Schquetta,
ReplyDeleteHave you ever heard of a mobile lab? My school has a mini laptop mobile lab that comes with 20 or 30 laptops. The only problem is that we only have one mobile lab that we share between first and fifth grade classes. My students love the lab. I have several students competing for AR points and the lab helped out tremendously.
Brigit