Technology in the classroom

Allowing students to use their electronic “gadgets” as tools in the classroom is important. Gone are the days of memorizing and regurgitating information. Students have a wealth of knowledge at their hands at the push of a button or two. We need to allow this into the classroom. Teachers cannot be the only agenda writers, we need to allow students to set agendas that are engaging and relevant. Finding ways to integrate technology into the curriculum is a necessity in this age of technology. Too much time is wasted by teachers arguing over how to deal with the cell phone “problem” in classrooms. Time would be better spent talking about how we can use cell phones and other electronics as tools in our classrooms. I have incorporated text message poetry, tried open phone tests, started a Poetry Blog and communicated with my students through text messaging. All have been valuable experiences for me and my students.

There are applications for social communication, organizing, posting, and collecting data and information, game playing, simulations, reading e-books... There are so many applications we as educators can no longer ignore the use of technology in our classrooms.