Technology in the Classroom: A Student's Perspective

      I decided to ask Sullivan, a fifth grader, why he wants to use technology while learning. I was interested to hear his opinion as a student. First, he told me that he likes using technology to learn because his generation has grown up surrounded by technology, so he is more familiar with using technology while learning. It seems natural to him. This gave me hope when thinking about students using technology, because he seemed to be very familiar with using it within a school setting. I was not extremely surprised that he told me that he is familiar with using technology to learn because the schools in our area seem to be moving toward a technology-savvy learning environment by providing multiple resources for students and teachers to use, such as smart boards. Secondly, Sullivan explained that it is much faster to use technology when doing schoolwork. He told me that he would much rather use a laptop or other technology to do research or complete assignments. This is another reflection of the technology-savvy world we live in today, and how students want their schools to progress in technology to keep up with the advances happening in the world around them. Lastly, he said that he could easily access assignments online. He told me that he liked being able to look at an assignment whenever he wants to. Traditionally with paper assignments, it is common for students to leave a crucial part of the assignment at school and not be able to complete the assignment at home. Using technology eliminates this problem. Also, by using Google Classroom, or something similar, teachers can monitor progress in real time. This is honestly something I have never thought of before, but I think having at least some assignments online would be beneficial for both students and teachers. Students could also easily collaborate on partner work using Google Docs, etc.
       Overall, I was surprised to gain so much insight just from talking with a student about technology. I believe that is important to frequently ask students what is working for them and what is not in the classroom, because ultimately our job is to provide the highest quality education that we can. Sullivan intensified my desire to use technology in the classroom. According to our conversation, it seems like children prefer using technology when learning because of the efficiency of it and also because it seems more natural to them. If using technology is what it takes to make my students feel more prepared or makes learning more fun for them, then that is what I will do. I plan to implement many technology resources into my classroom, such as Kahoot and Google Classroom. I feel that technology enriches learning when used correctly. I believe one piece of technology that is very useful when implemented across schools is classroom websites. I plan to update my classroom website frequently and also use it as a tool for learning, such as posting Google surveys and including interactive educational websites. Traditional instruction using a pencil and paper is important, but I believe using technology can enrich learning experiences in a way that goes beyond paper.