The new Century initiated many technological advances. Moving forward, the second decade of the 2000’s introduced greater technological opportunities for education, at a faster rate. Between 2010-2014, the increase in technology in the classroom created positive results including more active students, greater student participation, increase in student motivation, and increased student success. In 2014, the use of tablets in the classroom exploded. Students were able to begin work at school, and continue to finish the work at home, using their tablet. As well, tablets were used, and still are used, for a variety of APPs which engage students in grade level learning in numeracy, literacy, and other areas. The use of these APPs engage students by having work come alive, in colour, motion, 3D and sound. Using common characters, and entertaining APPs, students engagement most definitely increased. As well, specialized APPs were used for students with special needs, in Special Education programs to assist with communication, language, visual schedules, and increasing positive behaviours.
In 2015, e-learning became 100% accessible for students in grades 9-12. This was a huge boom in “cyber-schooling and/or e-learning”. Reflecting back, this was the year that I took my first e-learning course online. It was a senior Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology course. As I couldn’t fit in all the necessary senior level courses that semester in my school, I was encouraged to take the course through the consortium. The course I took was from a school board in Northern Ontario, even though I was sitting in my house in Amherstburg, connected to the lessons, and sending assignments online to him. E-learning has benefits to allow students fast track, or take courses of interest that may not fit their school schedule however, there are also disadvantages, like losing the live relationship with a teacher. In present day classes, technology is an important daily element. Thinking back twenty years, where students rotated in a computer lab, now most students have their own technology, whether it be a laptop, chrome-book or use of a Smartphone. The current dispute of whether or not phones should be in schools is debated by the concept that phones can be a positive addition if only used properly.
A Smartphone is a mini-computer and when used this way can also be beneficial. Many elementary and middle schools provide chrome-books to every student. Students with diagnosed learning disabilities may received government funded technology to assist with their learning. Programs like “Google Read and Write” enable struggling students to have texts uploaded and read to them. As well, they can use the writing program to assist in getting concepts from their minds to the page. The use of writing programs empowers students with learning challenges, and provides a more even playing field for them. As well, communication APPs, such as Proloquo2Go gives a voice to non-verbal students. This has been a successful APP from many students with Autism, or any non-verbal student. Most recently, another addition to the classroom is the use of Virtual Reality devices. These are particularly popular in STEM programs, but can be used in elementary and secondary schools. The use of VR, for example in a biology class, can allow for a virtual tour of an organ. This is also used in geography, travelling to many locations in the world, and even an English class, with a virtual visit to Shakespearean England. In the last year, many school boards have jumped on board with virtual dissections, and the use of technological and virtual cadavers, versus traditional dissections using animals. With the rapidly changing technology, education is constantly changing. It is necessary for educators to continue to be trained and updated in the best uses of technology in the classroom. Technology has proven to open up many doors for students, in terms of engagement and accessibility to information. With that said, technology always needs to be used in conjunction with a teaching staff. Human interaction plus technology will continue to make our educational system strong.
References
https://www.google.com/search?q=google+read+and+write+for+teachers&rlz=1C1GGRV_enCA796CA796&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjNvovpgcrnAhUPXc0KHad4AGQQ_AUoA3oECAwQBQ&biw=1920&bih=937#imgrc=9XMr57Xbj8fliM