Technology and Student Achievement

Education is consistently changing. Technology is also always changing. However, the importance and necessity of technology in education will not change - it will grow to be a more urgent and necessary requirement for teachers, school districts, and parents as we prepare our students for a global economy and career development.

Factors that Influence the Use of Technology in the Classroom

There are many reasons that lead to technology use or lack thereof in the classroom. From personal experience, the first two factors that come to mind are money and training.

• Money - It does not grow on trees, unfortunately. Anyone in education is aware that schools face budget cuts and major budget decisions. Buying every student a device so the school can be 1:1 may not be in a school's budget (Grundmeyer, 2013). Some teachers and administrators are able to write grants to receive technology pieces for their classroom. Through grants, I personally have received 25 iPad minis and 31 student laptops. I have also gotten a SmartBoard, document camera, and teacher iPad. 

• Training - If a teacher is lucky enough to receive new and exciting technology, they have to know how to use it. Then, they have to make sure their students are able to use it. The whole process can be overwhelming. Without the appropriate technology it can be a task many teachers just aren't willing or able to take. They may have the technology at their disposal but still not utilize it often or at all because they don't know what to do with it (Grundmeyer, 2013).

• Purpose - Technology originally was used in schools in the '70s for secretarial and administrative work. It has changed and grown since then to what we see today - for engaging student learners (Grundmeyer, 2013). As we see the requirements of curriculum (online options such as Pearson) and assessment (online requirements such as for the PARCC test) changing and growing, the requirements for technology will also be more stringent. New technology requirements statewide in Illinois are already reflected in the Common Core standards. 

• Time - Teachers may struggle with having the time to find appropriate ways to stay current with technology. Since the digital world is constantly shifting, it is hard for teachers to find the time to stay up to date (Grundmeyer, 2013).

Best Practices of Using Technology in the Classroom


Supposing that a school district is able to provide a teacher with at least some technological resource and some time to learn to use them, what should administrators actually see when they walk into the classroom? What should teachers be doing with the technology they are handed? How should students be utilizing these resources?

• Creating original content - Students should be using technology to challenge themselves within Bloom's taxonomy levels. They should be able to use technology not just to practice recall but instead to develop and create original content that showcases their deep understanding of a concept or skill.

• Build community (Boss, 2011). - Students should learn to work collaboratively. In the real world, jobs require collaborative efforts. Students can use technology to help reach that goal.

• Teacher learning (Boss, 2011). - Teachers should be able to use technological resources to increase their knowledge and craft within the profession.

• Assess student understanding (Fine, 2012). - Students can use an online test, SmartBoard responder, software program, app, record themselves with a microphone or video recorder on a tablet, etc. to show they understand a concept.

• Video support for key concepts (Fine, 2012). - Students can watch videos that help them visualize what they are learning about. They can also use video support at home for a flipped classroom strategy or for support/tutorial needed for an assignment.

• Accessibility (Fine, 2012). - Students and teachers should be able to access software and programs so they can use the technology to the greatest possible extent.

Technology and Student Achievement

Once a teacher has the technology, has the time to learn to use it, and is implementing technology in the best possible way in his or her classroom, what's the point?

In her article, "Technology Integration: A Short History," Suzie Boss states, "A team from SRI International identified four ways that technology enhances how children learn: It offers active engagement, the opportunity to participate in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and connections to real-world contexts. Technology also expands what students can learn by providing them with access to an ever-expanding store of information."

Once the resources are available and implemented correctly, the goal is that students are enjoying what they learn and are engaged in the process, able to work with others, and receive feedback. The end goal is to be able to work within the real world. If those goals are able to be met, then technology has achieved its purpose in the classroom. 

Works Cited

Boss, Suzie. "Technology Integration: A Short History." Edutopia. N.p., 7 Sept. 2011. Web. 20 July
     2015.

Fine, Bethann. "A Corporate Partnership To Enhance Teacher Training." Techtrends: Linking
     Research & Practice To Improve Learning 56.6 (2012): 27-30. Professional Development
     Collection. Web. 20 July 2015.

Grundmeyer, T.. Adopting Technology: Using Student Qualitative Data and Gartner’s Hype
     Cycle. Journal of Education and Training Studies, North America, 2, nov. 2013. Available at:
     <http://redfame.com/journal/index.php/jets/article/view/228/244>. Date accessed: 19 Jul. 2015.

Johnson, Leanna. techclassroom.jpg. 2011. Pics4Learning. 20 Jul 2015 <http://pics.tech4learning.com>

Rawls, Danielle. ipad2.jpg. 3/26/2012. Pics4Learning. 20 Jul 2015 <http://pics.tech4learning.com>