From chalkboards to chromebooks by Celeste

From chalkboards to chromebooks by Celeste - January 2020 Scholarship Essay

Technology has positively affected the overall classroom experience by allowing the students the ability to learn better and more independently, and to be able to communicate with other students and their teachers outside of the classroom. Everyone in my school has been issued a Chromebook to take home and they are expected to bring it to certain classes to utilize the internet and online resources. All the students now have a way to research information, do homework, and turn in assignments online without having to worry about obtaining access to technology some don’t have at home.

Teachers have also altered the way they teach and grade assignments because of technology. Google Classroom has been a major part of most of my classes, we turn in every assignment online which helps teachers avoid clutter from stacks upon stacks of papers to grade. This also eliminates thousands of papers being thrown away by either the students or the teachers, which uses less trees and creates less environmental waste. The teachers can also make PowerPoint notes and upload them onto the online Classroom and every student can see those notes at home when they need to study for upcoming exams.

From chalkboards to dry erase board to Promethean boards, technology in the classroom has come a long way. Learning has never been easier because there are classrooms with high tech equipment that the students are actually excited to use every day.

Being surrounded by technology has given current day students the necessary and transferable work skill of being able to properly and efficiently utilize modern day technology with ease. This used to be quite the valued skill many years ago, but in the workplace now, it is far more expected for employees to have basic technological skills that will be used every day.

Technology has even come so far as to replace entire classes and colleges. At my high school, we offer multiple online classes where students go to the library and do all their online coursework in there. They have the ability to earn credit for a class while never entering a classroom or even meeting the teacher. Even colleges have adapted to modern day technology. There are some online exclusive schools that don’t even have campuses. Or other colleges that have students across the entire country that have never stepped foot on campus. This also gives small colleges the same advantages as bigger ones. They can have a small staff while reaching out to a large number of students due to having online classes.

And as a future elementary school teacher, I am excited for my goals to coincide with advancements in technology being used in the classroom to engage young students.