My philosophy on technology in the classroom is that, I believe technology in the classroom is fine in moderation. There are plenty of advantages and disadvantages of using technology in the classroom. I believe that it can be a very helpful tool for learning but it cannot replace the teacher. As a teacher you have to know when the proper time to use it is and how often to use it.
Technology can help a student out tremendously. It opens opportunities to gather more information, practice a lesson, participate in something hands on, and so much more. Technology also gets students interested. A student will likely be more excited about a lesson if it is on a computer or another electronic device. There are numerous things you are able to do on a computer and can really utilize these opportunities into your lesson plan. Technology can be more like a side kick if you use it correctly. It does not have to become the main focus. According to Matt Richtel, students are left alone at computers to perform a task but end up messing around. This is why we must keep them on task.
Why you need to use it in moderation is because you cannot become dependable on technology. According to Todd Oppenheimer, teachers in low income schools are often under-trained and see computers as a savior. As a teacher you need to still be able to teach your students skills by yourself. As a student you still need to have the skills to open a dictionary or an encyclopedia, you need to know how to do basic math without a calculator. It is vitally important to not rely on technology because sometimes it breaks down or does not work and you need to be able to do things on your own.
Technology can be a fantastic tool to use in the classroom. It can help you and your students achieve success in learning. You must use it in moderation though because hands on skills are incredibly important to have.
