"A for Active Learning" by Lola

"A for Active Learning" by Lola - January 2020 Scholarship Essay

Red, Yellow, Green, or Blue?!?! There’s no time to think. Every second counts if you want to be on top. I quickly tap the colored box I think best answers the question and hold my breath as the timer goes down, waiting for my classmates to follow suit so we can see who the victors are. A checkmark on the color I selected soon reveals that I—along with fifty other people—chose the correct answer. But the leaderboard is what I’m really anticipating, and I grin in my seat as my username appears above all of my classmates’. However, veterans of Kahoot know that true victory is not guaranteed until the final question is answered. Knowing this, I brace my thumb over my device, anticipating the arrival of the next question on the screen.
Based off of my experience, the introduction of technology in the classroom environment changed my participation from passive to active. I went from asking myself “WHY am I learning?” to “What am I learning?”. Certain professors took it upon themselves to incorporate technology in the class as a means of engaging their students—and it worked. I dreaded the thought of taking organic chemistry my second year of college. However, the professor made it more appealing by using clicker questions in class to help us practice what was being taught. The questions she asked required an understanding of the topic as opposed to just memorization—forcing us students to take our education seriously so we could get points added to our grade. In classes like psychology, Kahoot poll questions helped facilitate meaningful discussions while keeping everyone engaged.
Technology may have a negative reputation for causing distractions and distancing people from reality. However, my experience is that technology has only improved the quality of education being given in the classroom. When harnessed properly and given the necessary parameters, I believe that technology gives students the freedom to be involved in their learning process and revolutionize the way education is viewed.