The Use of Technology in the Classroom

The Use of Technology in the Classroom
Technology has created several benefits for learners and teachers. It has improved learning and made it easier. I believe that technology has many benefits for the learners, for example, it enables them record the lecturers and use the translator. The internet is an area that has made information searching (data availability) easier. It has also made learning more interactive than before. Technology has also improved lesson-reviewing through podcasts, improved student assessment, and increased motivation in learning. Language learning is an area that has improved tremendously because of the integration of Computer Mediated Communication (CMC). The use of technology, however, has its challenges. Computer literacy, access to technology, logistics, privacy, and security are the challenges associated with CMC.
The overall effects of the use of technology on student achievement are encouraging. The use of technology in the classroom has led to improvement of the students’ achievement. The reason technology increase the achievement of learners is its application areas like translation and recording of lectures. Recording lectures enables the students to get good future references for what they learnt. Also, the students can concentrate on the lectures because they do not have to record the notes manually (by writing). Goertler (75) lists some of the benefits that technology has created in language learning. Goertler (75) states, “Those studies show that students tend to stay on their target language 90% of the time or more.” In my opinion, the use of technology is effective because it increases the time for the learners to interact with the virtual learning materials in the classroom. By increasing the learning-time, I believe the implication is that the learners enjoy learning through Computer-Mediated Communication.
Technology has improved language use and development. It has also improved the classroom dynamics and students’ attitudes (Goertler 75). Technology has improved language learning by catering for the needs of all the students. There are students who are non-native speakers of the language that lecturers use, for example, Chinese students learning in America, where English is the language of instruction. Translation software helps such students learn in a much better way because they can understand the lessons better when translated into their native languages. Goertler states that, “CMC has revealed a democratization effect by increasing student-talk even among the shyer students,” (75). In my view, shy students are students with special communication challenges. However, since technology has given them a platform to talk, their performance improves because they become more active and communicative.
In addition, technology has improved the management of the courses for the benefit of the learners and the teacher. Technology has created a tool known as the Course Management Systems (CMSs). “CMSs enable a teacher to create a site for his students with various CMC tools,” (Goertler 77). Also, Goertler states that, “Most CMCs have the ability to track students’ access patterns,” (77). Goertler means that the teacher can trace how the students use technology because they can track the sites that they visit. Learning has also become more interactive and communication has become easier than before. Students can chat and use instant texting or messaging device. However, the concern on language learning has been the kind of language that the students use in sending short messages (Goertler 78). Social networking sites and blogging activities have also increased due to technology. Students can use the technological devices to enhance learning positively through discussion forums on which they exchange information for better understanding of the concepts that they learn in the classroom (Goertler 79). My opinion on technology use in the classroom is that there are ways that the teachers can control how students use it. If the teachers can follow the sites where they visit, it means technology has a greater control-potential. Also, it is the role of the educators to ensure that the accessible sites are appropriate for the learners. I believe the educators can block the bad sites to prevent misuse of technology.
The internet is the most important tool in technology that has transformed learning (Boles 39). Boles states that, “The most important use of technology in my classroom is the internet,” (Boles 39). The author explains that learning in the class room has changed because of the internet. The kind of instructions that teachers give is animated because of the use of internet and other technological tools. Animated instructions are motivating and interesting because they attract the attention of the learners. “Many science websites include animation that make concepts clearer to students by allowing them to hear the vocabulary pronounced while watching the flow of a process as labels appear on screen,” (Boles 39). The advantage of animation is that the learners have greater control during the process of learning. They can turn the animations on and off so that they learn at their pace. Animations have made learning student-centered by enhancing the ability of the student to control the process of learning (Boles 41). My opinion on the improvement that the internet and animated instructions have created is that teachers and other education policy makers should support the use of technology in the classroom. Technology has proven that it is able to improve student performance by making learning interesting and more engaging.
Technology also has simulation. Simulation gives the students the authentic experience of scientists. “Authentic experiences help students identify with the tasks that scientists perform and give students the chance to be scientists,” (Boles 41). An example of an authentic experience, according to Boles (41), is the experience of virtual earthquakes. The learners find the epicenter and Richter scale magnitude of earthquakes through such lessons. In my opinion, students’ understanding of abstract scientific concepts has improved because of simulation. If simulation can explain virtually how earthquakes and other complex processes occur, it means that students begin to understand the concepts at a young age and they become better scientists.
Learning has also become interesting because students use podcasts to listen to lessons. They can also take quizzes and develop their lesson-reviews using podcasts. Podcasts have programs like iMovie and Movie-Maker that help the learners perform the above tasks. When learning becomes interesting it also benefits the at-risk students. They are students who have learning difficulties. The disadvantage of the traditional methods of instruction (teacher centered) is that there is little or no attention that the teacher gives to the learners at an individual level. Technology, on the contrary, uses software that the learner controls and interacts with, for example, the podcasts. Podcasts train the learners to be the managers of their lessons and to create visual aid that makes learning easier and interesting. Also, learners who miss lessons can use the video-recorded versions. Boles explains, “Students miss lessons for a variety of reasons … I create content standard lessons on video podcast on video podcast using the same procedure students do to create lesson-review podcasts,” (41). My opinion is that technology has complemented the weaknesses of traditional methods of teaching. In the traditional method, learners who miss lessons for whichever reason do not get the content. However, in technology-based instructions, podcasts help in keeping video records of the lessons, and the students can use them for future reference.
Motivation and student assessment are other areas that have improved because of using technology in the classroom. Technologies can spark interest in the learner in different ways. 3-D image in the NASA website are examples of the issues that motivate learning (Boles 42). According to Boles, “So much of a student’s time is spent on a computer or video game (and) it is important for us to create opportunities for social interaction within the learning environment,” (Boles 42). Presentation software affects the need for interaction in a positive manner. Presentation software is more interesting for investigation than writing reports after the learners have investigated issues. The teacher can also comment on the slides for the purpose of editing. Remote poling devices in technology assist the teachers to assess the learners. The teacher asks the students to respond to the question on the screen. The students do not use manual methods for answering the questions. They respond to the quizzes by pressing buttons on their assigned clickers (Boles 42). The buttons correspond to their answers for the questions, and the teacher can assess if the students understand the concepts or if they have misunderstand them (Boles 42).
Although technology has several benefits in the classroom, there are challenges that the teachers and students should consider. Goertler states that, “These (the challenges) include: (1) Computer literacy; (2) access and logistics; and (3) Privacy and security,” (76). Computer literacy is a challenge that teachers and students face. They must have the skills and competencies to use the computers and different software for them to benefit from the computers (Goertler 76). Many teachers lack training in Information Technology (IT). Such teachers have a poor interface with technology, and they may choose the traditional teaching methods. Access to technology is also a challenge that certain schools face. The K12 level faces the serious challenge of lack of access to computers (Goertler 76). The security of the data and privacy of the users are the other threats. The computers may be available, but they may have challenges that slow internet connection, blocked sites, and lack of supportive hardware for learning, for example, headphones and microphones (Goertler 77). In my opinion, educators should focus on solving the challenges of technology use in the classroom. If the can solve the problems, they will increase the benefits that teachers and learners get from technology.
In conclusion, technology has changed the nature of learning in the classroom by creating several benefits. Technology motivates learning by making it interesting and more learner-centered. Podcasts have improved the content and reviewing of the lessons. Student assessment has also become easier, while technology has improved language learning through translation. Students also interact and exchange information through the internet and texting devices. Although technology has its benefits in the learning environment, it is important to consider the challenges of technology. Issues like computer literacy require urgent solutions through training. Logistics and hardware related challenges also require urgent solutions to maximize the benefits.

Works Cited
Boles, Stephanie R. Using Technology in the Classroom. Summer, 2011. Science Scope, pp. 39-
44.
Goertler, Senta. Technology: Using Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) in Language
Teaching. Michigan State University. Spring, 2009.