ICT CA2: Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students

First off when studnts are using technology in a education situation the teacher-student roles are reversed. Students start to do things for themselves, we are getting the information needed, we are making the choices needed to find the info we need and also making the choices on how to display that info. We are able to set our goals, make the decisions to get it done and are able to evaluate our progress which in all fairness we expect the teacher to do for us, using technology kinda matures us. The teacher is no longer giving us the info instead he/she is asking why certain things were done and how. The power is put in the our hands whether we like it or not.

This power and sense of accomplishment motivates us, we get satisfaction with the immediate feedback provided by the computer and are dead proud of ourselves after mastering the task at hand.

"Technology is the ultimate carrot for students. It's something they want to
master. Learning to use it enhances their self-esteem and makes them excited
about coming to school"

--Fifth grade teacher

Of course along with this motivation and sense of enpowerment you also have the skills we students learn from using technology in a classroom. Not saying were exactly lazy, but if we weren't made to explore computers more then setting up a facebook account then we simply wouldn't learn anything worthwhile.

Now there is a debate on how technology seperates people but in a classroom situation how many times have you turned to your side and helped the person beside you that is stuck on photoshop? and felt well chuffed with youirself after doing it. I've also seen kids helping each other a lot at the computer.

"The ones that pick it up faster, they love teaching it to someone that doesn't
know it yet"

--Fifth-grade teacher.
And i know these are references to kids but aren't we all a tad bit of a child inside?

By using technology we become aware of outside resources we try to be the best so we look 4 stuff outside our teachers recommendation therefore we learn how to use the vast majority of resources available to us.

So all in all isn't amazing how technology can change our classroom environment? not only does it change what we think of ourselves but it also changes how we interact with our peers.

http://www.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html