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SPECIAL SECTION : TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
and nearly two-thirds of K-5 teachers reported adopting the use of games in their weekly lessons . According to Education Week , 23 million devices were purchased in 2013 and 2014 alone . More recently , tablets are taking over as an affordable option for bringing technology to each individual student . One-to-one computing hopes to provide teachers with the time to give each student more personalized attention and time to work at his / her own pace .
New Learning Spaces
Gone are the days of sitting head-behind-head , avoiding eye contact with your teacher , hoping she won ’ t call on you for the answer to her question . Student-centered environments in colleges and schools breed creativity and innovation through small-group learning and instruction . “ In a personalized learning classroom , technology frees up time for teachers to do what they do best : teach students in small groups and customize instruction ,” Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg says . Zuckerberg along with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and many others are seeing the positive outcomes of personalized learning . Reinventing learning spaces is a subtle approach that will make sure the student population is served adequately , allowing teachers to spend more personalized time with each student in a group . Through technology , students are provided access to 24 / 7 learning , allowing them to take learning outside of their typical classroom setting and work on their own time . This means a cultural shift in the use of mobile technology in the classroom .
STEM Integration
The United States is pushing for young people to become scientists , engineers , and innovators to shape tomorrow and to continue to be global leaders . As a common buzzword in recent years , STEM – science , technology , engineering , and mathematics – continues to play a crucial role in early learning . In a report by U . S . News , early development of STEM skills supports reading , language , and STEM skills later in life . Typically , STEM learning is a focus of high schoollevel students . Inadequate attention is being paid to STEM in early childhood education since other key competencies , such as basic skills in literacy and numeracy , are topics of focus . Educators are working toward proper preparation for teaching early childhood STEM classes to create an even more valuable learning experience for elementary students .
Professional Development for Educators The ever-changing landscape of education is hard to stay privy to as an educator . Putting hundreds of hours into lesson plans each school year makes the thought of adopting changes a daunting one . Personalized professional development is changing the way teachers are learning to teach their students . Administration-required seminars are being replaced with real-time alternative credentialing . Teachers are learning new ways for classroom learning , combining online learning , service-based learning , and hands-on learning to provide students with a valuable educational experience .
As technology continues to change and education tirelessly tries to keep up , students and teachers can look forward to the exciting opportunities in learning . School districts will continue to work to make thoughtful technology purchases that develop a vision for the future of education . Once technology is purchased , schools must remember a crucial step in rollout : educating faculty and staff on how to successfully utilize the technology in the classroom . The right technology , with the right professional development , can lead to a valuable education . From online learning , to utilizing wearables for interactive teaching purposes , education trends are going to continue to morph to ensure that students graduate knowing they are ready to take on the world . n Continued on page 37 >
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