Analysis of Integration of Technology in the Classroom

Technology in the Classroom

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of integrating technology in the classroom. The examination of this issue includes a discussion of issues such as how integrating technology into classroom instruction can improve the cognitive learning of students, as well as increasing student motivation with the use of computers and other up-to-date devices and technologies. In turn, issues of problems for teachers to align activities that rely on technology with course standards and the larger concerns about administration support and training will be examined in relation to the disadvantages and problems of integrating technology in the classroom. The discussion of both the advantages and disadvantages will show that while many advantages exist, the disadvantages of the integration of technology in the classroom must be addressed in order for technology integration to be as successful as possible.

Importance of Technology Integration

Before analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of technology integration in the classroom, it is necessary to understand why this issue is important and worth examining. First, efforts to integrate technology in the classroom has become a national effort on the part of many state governments and the federal government with the passage of legislation supporting greater technology usage as part of normal classroom instruction. However, beyond the desire of state governments and the federal government to see technology fully integrated into traditional classroom instruction in the United States, an analysis of technology integration and the advantages and disadvantages of this phenomenon is important because of research that has shown that technology in the classroom can cause students to be more engaged in the learning process. Technology integration can be a powerful tool to motivate students to be more involved in their learning. It also can also result in students having higher educational achievements.

Advantages of Technology Integration

Student Achievement. Integrating technology into classroom instruction has the ability to improve student achievement because the learning is more relevant to the lives that the students lead. Students do not live in a world where only calculators exist as a device to assist with math, nor do they live in a world where people only read books and newspapers. Instead, the proliferation of computers and the internet makes it possible for students to improve writing abilities and even larger cognitive abilities by sending emails, researching topics over the internet, and even adding their own information and insights to existing websites and databases on the internet. By integrating technology into what might otherwise be considered boring activities, students are able to make a connection between learning and the technology that they use on a daily basis.

A tool that is seemingly as common today as email can be a way for students to enhance their cognitive abilities. By writing emails or researching information over the internet and then adding the information that they have learned to online databases, students are not only learning about a particular subject, but they are also making choices about the type of information that might be important to others. Even more, they are forced to think about the best way to present information to others, such as whether to send an email or an instant message or to use a word processing program to type out a formal report.

Improve Teacher Competence. Integrating technology into classroom instruction also requires that teachers improve their own competence of both technology and creativity in creating lesson plans. Finding ways to integrate sending emails or text messages in the classroom is something that certainly requires innovation on the part of a teacher. This is certainly true if teachers use these mediums that are often criticized as harming language development because of the fact that so many people use abbreviations and nonstandard language when communicating online. In order for teachers to be creative and aware of changes in technology, professional development in the form of regular in-service training must occur. However, by being devoted to taking part in regular professional development efforts, teachers can improve their own instruction methods while demonstrating to students how technology can be used for more than simply chatting with friends or playing games.

Engaging Different Types of Learners. Another advantage to integrating technology in the classroom is that it provides a means by which teachers can engage different types of learners. Research has actually shown that students prefer both the use of computers and standard classroom instruction in science education (Li). Without the presence of technology, science teachers can only provide traditional classroom instruction. With technology in the classroom, however, teachers have additional tools to use to engage students that might be more motivated to learn or better able to understand concepts by using both technology and standard classroom instruction. The larger outcome is that students become more motivated to learn because of the fact that there are additional tools that can make learning enjoyable, but that can also assist in understanding concepts and theories.

Disadvantages of Technology Integration

Unmet Educational Goals. One of the common complaints among teachers is that it is difficult to align technology with existing educational standards (Gulbahar). For example, finding ways to integrate the use of computers or the internet into a discussion of sentence structure can certainly be difficult. In addition, it has been noted that students are not entirely motivated by technology integration. There are indeed times when students prefer traditional classroom instruction. Attempting to integrate technology into the classroom may cause students and teachers confusion and irritation if the technology provides no real help with a particular subject.

Lack of Teacher Training and Support. A major complaint of teachers is that they do not receive the support that they need from their administrators. Even when school districts provide technology in the classroom, teachers often find that school administrators do not provide guidance on how to use the technology. Instead, teachers are expected to use the technology in an efficient manner that will assist with educational outcomes. Even more, administrators often do not provide opportunities for professional development. Teachers are left to try and overcome their own lack of knowledge about integrating technology in the classroom, and even their own lack of knowledge about technology in general. This is a concern given that only one-third of public school teachers in the United States have indicated that they are well-prepared to integrate technology into their classroom instruction (Chen & Chen). The overall result is that teachers become frustrated with being mandated to use technology without any real assistance for integrating into their existing classroom plans.

Difficult to Manage Classroom. Teachers also complain that managing a classroom in which technology integration has occurred can be difficult. Controlling the activities of students, as well as monitoring the work that they complete using computers and other technology can require a great deal of time and effort for teachers. In some cases, truly being able to control a classroom so that all students are working together with the teacher can almost be impossible (Gulbahar). On a larger scale, monitoring student progress is also problematic. If teachers are not completely proficient with technology, determining the outcomes of student work with the technology can be difficult. In addition, assessing what a student has learned when traditional tests and assessments are not used becomes an exercise in trying to objectively relate the use of technology to what has been gained from the experience on the part of the student (Howard).

Conclusion

The purpose of this paper has been to examine the advantages and disadvantages of technology integration in the classroom. The advantage of technology integration is the ability to motivate students by allowing them to utilize the technology that is part of their daily lives. In addition, teachers have to become more creative in their lesson plans in order to successfully integrate technology into classroom instruction. However, an important disadvantage of technology integration is that teachers are often unprepared to use technology in their instruction, and often find little support from administrators. A concern also exists about being able to control a classroom and properly assess the actual learning and educational outcomes of students.

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