The Role of Technology in Education and Learning

I was suprised at how big of a role that technology is starting to play in the classroom. While I would agree that many classrooms are still operating on slim budgets and do not have access to the tools that wealthier districts have, technology is available in some form for every class and is here to stay. Students, who have been raised with technological toys, are natives to our electronic age. Before this class, I had never considered how a teacher could integrate technology into the classroom. Recently though, I had my students take a virtual field trip to the ancient city of Alexandria. It was the quietest I had ever seen them in class! They love learning through the medium of technology. Over the semester, my eyes have been opened to the advantages that technology can offer the education process. In addition, there are many tools available for teachers to use, and best of all, they are free! I now believe that if we are to truly be teachers, than we need to relate to our students by using the language that they understand - the language of technology. So, technology does have its place in the education process. While I do not believe that it will ever take the place of a teacher, it is a vital tool to use if we are to teach our students to compete in the global, technical world.