Does Technology Make Instruction Easier or Harder for Teachers and Students?

Tell me how you honestly feel. Does technology actually make instruction easier or harder? Some would say that it makes things so much easier, but then there are others who would argue that technology makes things so much harder. Me personally, I am on the fence. There are so many reasons why technology is great for education. We can keep online grade books, communicate with parents through Remind and class dojo, we can look at student data and progress monitoring, students can complete assignments right from the comfort of home on Schoology, parents can see student progress through home access, and so many other wonderful perks. All of these things make life for teachers so much easier, but if you are unfamiliar or new to the teaching with technology scene, then all of these things mentioned above can make life as a teacher sooooooooooo much harder.

This is how a few of my classmates felt about this question:

 

When technology is working and all systems are a go, TECHNOLOGY IS AMAZING!! Laptop batteries are dead, system is down, Smart board is glitching, no Internet connection, power goes out and now you are stuck trying to figure out what in the world you are going to do for your lesson. Now TECHNOLOGY SUCKS!! Now something that you thought five minutes ago was absolutely amazing, has become the bane of your existence. 

It is so important as educators to make sure we incorporate technology, but do not become so reliant on technology that we cannot teach a class without it. There will be days when technology is not going to work and you will have to pull something out of your teaching bag of tricks to get through an ELA lesson because your whole plan was to introduce the unit with a Smart lesson. There will be a day when you have to use chart paper to write down the multiplication algorithm because the bulb in your projector is blown and the district has to approve a replacement bulb. Those days will come if they have not already, but guess what?! Those days are okay. It is perfectly normal to have a lesson without a little technology and it will run just as smooth. 

Technology in the Classroom: The Good and the Bad

Sometimes, I am so amazed by students that cannot complete a long division math problem if they do not have a calculator, or students that have no idea how to use a dictionary because they learned how to use technology and this technology has become a crutch. Use technology to help elevate a lesson not dominate a lesson is my belief. 

Technology is an amazing tool and it can be so beneficial for students and teachers. So do your research on what works for you and your classroom and make it something to pull out of your toolbox now and then! Don't get discouraged my educator friends keep blogging, keep assigning things in Schoology, and keep taking virtual field trips. Technology is here to stay so don't push it away!

Virtual Reality in the Classroom

VR or should I say, Virtual Reality. What does that mean in 2018? So many things actually. VR can take you almost anywhere in this day and age. Today virtual reality is one of the biggest and newest trends to hit our classrooms. VR is now one of the newest trends in education and the classroom. I remember when video chatting and Skype seemed like something so unthinkable, but here we are today and now we have Facetime, Skype, Google chats and so many others. Virtual reality is no longer an idea of the future. It is happening all over as we speak. 

Being able to take an entire class on a field trip to South Africa or being able to have a conversation with famed author, Iyanla VanSant right from the comfort of your classroom is an AMAZING thing. Students can now go places of their dreams. Imagine you are a 5th grade student, you walk into the classroom and your teacher says, "Today we are going to walk on the moon boys and girls." You would probably look at him/her like they were crazy, but with the help of VR, walking on the moon during a school day is 100% possible! Making virtual reality a reality in the classroom can enhance your instruction. Seeing the excitement and the anticipation on students faces as they wait to see were they will travel each day can be so fulfilling.

As a child participating in elementary school, it was a good day when we got to go outside during recess and play kickball, or if there was a substitute we got to watch a Disney movie. I never imagined that 30 years later I would be facilitating a classroom discussion with my own students, speaking to one of the directors of Google or taking a "field trip" to Mt. Kilimandjaro, all in the matter of three days. It is truly an amazing experience.

Virtual reality is a low cost and in some cases free way to offer students opportunities to broaden and expand their thinking and knowledge. The school that I service is low income and all students receive free and reduced lunch. These students never have pencils or school supplies when they arrive, so their families would not be able to finance any of the virtual trips we have taken this school year if we were to physically go there. My parents and students appreciate the new and innovative ways that I have been able to introduce a flipped classroom this year. 

Science labs, field trips, mathematical expressions, museums, art, international pen pals, and so much more can be experienced through virtual reality in the classroom.
Bringing education to life and seeing students experience this "reality" is such a blessing. Today anything truly is possible in the classroom!