SPECIAL SECTION : TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
Trends in education are continuing to bring new and exciting opportunities to the classroom . The International Association for K-12 Online Learning predicts big shifts in the use of technology in the classroom for both students and teachers . According to Education Week , public schools in the United States provide at least one computer for every five students , spend more than $ 3 billion on digital content per year , and are pushing to make high-speed Internet affordable . While making a massive overhaul in the classroom , schools are also trying to support the educating of teachers and staff to utilize this technology in even the most rural and remote schools across the country .
Although technology isn ’ t foreign to classrooms , funding has long been a barrier for many schools across the U . S ., along with hesitation by teachers to adopt new methods for teaching . Yet , with all new technologies come new challenges . In a time where cloud computing and data analytics drive the way business is done for everything from hospitals to grocery stores , big data is continuously being monitored , making it crucial to keep private information secure . Schools and colleges are trying to keep pace by trading in textbooks for tablets and turning toward technology to redefine education . These updates to traditional learning can be broken into four segments : when , why , who and how .
shopping , to reading and working , technology is inevitable in today ’ s society . Parents , teachers , community leaders , and governmental representatives are speaking up for their kids and pushing to redefine success and rethink measuring success in the classroom . Skills such as knowledge , social abilities , emotional intelligence and dispositions are all crucial for a student ’ s success in the workforce , yet many of these skills are overlooked in the typical classroom setting . Educators are working toward providing students with meaningful learning opportunities through technology that encompass all of the aspects that make up success for a graduating high school senior entering college or the workforce .
THE WHEN
While most of us used textbooks , chalkboards , and hard wooden chairs in perfectly parallel lines facing the front , 2016 has brought big changes to the classroom for both students and teachers . Education ’ s slow reaction to change and inability to keep pace with constantly changing technologies and innovations have made upgrading learning a challenging task , but the time is now for change to happen in education . In 2015-2016 , Education Week reported that , for the first time , more state standardized tests were administered via technology than by using paper and pencil . Teachers now have tools for personal development and are learning how to bring technology into their classrooms in a meaningful way . In the 2016-17 school year , the trend of technology in the classroom will grow , as will the continued success of tech-based learning .
THE WHY
Technology is everywhere . Kids and adults alike utilize at least some form of technology in their everyday lives . From socializing to
THE WHO
Teachers
Near the end of 2015 , the U . S . Department of Education released the 2016 National Education Technology Plan as a commitment to supporting personalized professional learning to provide greater equity of access to technology for students across America . In addition , the Future Ready initiative , developed by the department in 2014 , had more than 2,000 superintendents across the country who pledged to integrate digital learning into their districts ’ curricula . The National Education Technology Plan also includes a focus on providing each student with the chance to engage in educational experiences led by technology .
In addition , Education Week states that digital instructional content is the second largest spend in the K-12 educational technology market , just behind hardware . Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Pearson , previously known for their paperback publishing , are pushing out the most digital lessons in math , English / language arts , science , business , and fine arts .
Students
No student is the same . Each has a different family life , upbringing , ability to communicate and learn , and yet these students are all being taught the same way . Schools across the country are shifting from a one-size-fits-all approach to a personalized learning approach . A current buzzword in education , personalized learning allows students to become part of their learning experience . Students will be in control of creating content for learning using smartphone apps . This approach intends to put students at the forefront of molding their learning experience , resulting in stronger student engagement and therefore better outcomes . The Nellie Mae Education Foundation notes that a student-centered approach can “ only be successful if [ it occurs ] within a cultural context that demands continuous improvement and engages
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