Over the years

Thinking back over the years I can’t remember ever being in a class that at least once didn’t incorporate some form of technology. When students are using technology as a tool or a support for communicating with others, the student is actively making choices about how to generate, obtain, manipulate, or display information. Technology use allows students to be actively thinking about information, making choices, and executing skills rather than the typical teacher-led lessons. When technology is used as a tool to support students in performing tasks, the students are in the position of defining their goals, making design decisions, and evaluating their progress. I found that the increased competence students feel after mastering technology-based tasks and their awareness of the value placed upon technology within our culture, led to increases in students' (and often teachers') sense of self-worth. Technology is really valued throughout our culture. I’ve found that, "students gain a sense of empowerment from learning to control the computer and to use it in ways they associate with the real world." New technologies are advancing in our world today; they are pushing educators to understand them for classroom use. Yes it is still possible to teach students without the use of some form of technology, but with the pressure of the outside world, it would be beneficial for everyone.