No More Chalk-Article

Wow, an interesting and eye opening article, as it reminds all of us what we don't have in our classrooms! I would certainly love to have all the gadgets and gizmos mentioned in this article. The quote "a growing chorus of experts say teachers must engage young people on their terms or risk boring them" cannot be argued with. I see how excited students get when they are given the opportuniyt to learn something new in the lab and apply it to their learning. Long gone is the time where a teacher's only teaching tool is the chalkboard.

A few quotes that stood out that reiterate the value of technology in the classroom and the reality of it:

"Studies suggest that when technology is effectively integrated into the curriculum, it imporves performance."

"Research has shown that students who learned through digital filmaking do substantially better on standardized tests than those who do not."

"Studies on the use of microphones indicate they are effective in keeping students' attention."

"Technology is what happens in real life. It isn't cheap. Wiring and equipping a digital classroom costs about $20 000."

The benefits of technology in the classroom are huge. Realistically, we need to keep in mind, however, that as a teacher there is only so much we can do. The majority of us do not have a digital classroom, and are usually scrounging for lab time. If we are aware of the benefits of technology, we must also be aware that not all of our wonderful ideas can be implemented immediately. We need to take small steps and be proud of our technological accomplishments.