Education institutions spend millions of dollars every year on new technology including updated software and hardware, but it remains unclear how these advances in technology allow students to have an enhanced learning environment. The real problem is the stagnant issue concerning “how kids learn, what motivates them and how technology advances their understanding of the world” (Day 1). Technology in the classroom now allows students to surpass the previous expectations of them since the course material is available online. There are more supplementary ways to interact with the material and the students learn faster in general. These accelerated learning environments are the product of the implementation of iPads, interactive whiteboards, online lectures, or response systems to further enhance the students learning experience. As long as the technology is monitored closely, these performance-enhancing tools make the investments worth it. As long as simple steps are followed to ensure student online safety and productiveness, technology makes for a powerful and advantageous addition to the classrooms we spend our time in.

One of the most critical changes technology can make in a classroom is the way new information is perceived and comprehended. The highly optimized methods that teachers are capable of implementing now include animated diagrams, interactive whiteboards, and response systems. According to William C. Day, a senior analyst at KBD Planning Group, gadgets like the interactive whiteboard allow users to write all of their notes and diagrams on the touch screen, digitally, this eliminating the need for every student to take their own notes (1). This interaction allows the students to pay more attention to the material rather than ensuring they get every word written down. The use of response systems in the classroom is also extremely beneficial as it keeps the students alert and attentive. The use of wireless responses from students for different types of questions can supply the teacher with instant results. In some classrooms, iPads have been used as learning tools to utilize dedicated apps as to let students choose their own path through the given information. They can touch to get more information or definitions for certain concepts, and choose which chapters or parts to view next. This is extremely helpful because the students are proven to remember and retain information when they study their own way. Students learning experience strives on immediate feedback that is specific to their knowledge. Being able to participate in an active role in the learning process is an unrivaled advantage in the classroom.

Although the information may be easier to read and more interactive than ever before, a question that arises is what can a student do if they miss a class or lecture? A majority of students are fortunate enough to have access to notes, slides, and all the diagrams they need all on a course dedicated web page. Andrew Trotter makes a sound counterargument stating that “some [educators] worry that if schools make ‘edutainment’ products central to the curriculum rather than supplementary, students will be flooded with information, much of it irrelevant or insignificant” (1). Although Trotter brings up a good point, he lacks insight about the importance of entertaining education available online. Edutainment is an extremely powerful resource and examples of it’s primitive uses can be seen when film is utilized for literary purposes and how it allows for a completely untapped perspective for students. This argument is strengthened by the article Conditions in the Classroom: Technology Innovations, where the dependency for online assets is the focal point of education (Zhao 18). The creative and central material that is available online is beneficial for group work and peer collaboration, allowing students to be optimized with different perspectives and ideas. Since all this information is found online, it is easier for students to type their projects and submit them online as soon as they are complete.

Taking down notes in class with technology is faster then previous methods as well, since a computer is superior for speed and correcting mistakes. Aside from being highly interactive, the reason that implementing a computer or networked computer system into every classroom is beneficial is because the students can have more organized work and hand it in online in the same format of document. This eliminates the process of finding a physical drop-box for papers and assignments, and better yet, allows for faster marking of these assignments. While educators enjoy the pleasure of a fast-paced, technology wielded classroom; they must ensure students are being considerate of their actions online. Mike Kennedy suggests, “that the line between personal use and school related use may be difficult to distinguish” (1). Kennedy is referring to the content students post online, and how students must be held accountable for their actions. The more connected a classroom becomes, the more the teacher of the class must be aware of the students capabilities in order to have a maximized rate of success. This conversion away from written word and readings doesn’t sound positive initially, but really, there are vast archives of film that is rich in literary content. This distinct form of literature is yet another reason that technology is a superior option for speed.

As you can see, the money invested in various forms of technology by schools has an immense impact on the learning and experiences of students. Aside from the ease of access handing in assignments and retrieving notes online, the speed of the new technology being implemented is vital. The time saved as a result of gadgets like the interactive whiteboard, response systems, and iPads makes a massive difference in performance among students. Systems like the ones mentioned by Day C. William are already being employed in classrooms across the globe and the grades are drastically improving. These practical technology pieces allow the students to pay more attention and be more interactive with the course material, making these critical connections so much stronger. Despite the discussed forms of technology being expensive to implement, having them as a resource is an advantage to everyone in the classroom. Whether it is the teacher or student using the technology and gadgets in the classroom, the improvements in speed and productivity make the money of extreme value.