Blog Post #14

In EDM 310, our focus is on using and demonstrating technology in the classroom, using 21st Century skills, and Project Based Learning.

1) Watch this YouTube Video Top 10 Reasons to use Technology in Education: ipad, Tablet, Computer, Listening Centers (5:30).
2) Write a post in which you discuss AT LEAST five reasons to use technology in Education, and explain them.
3) Follow the requirements in Writing A Quality Blog Post.

(This blog post assignment would be most appropriate for at the beginning of the semester, when everyone is still trying to wrap their heads around why technology is so important in Education and why it is so heavily stressed in this course.)

In the YouTube video, Top 10 Reasons to use Technology in Education: ipad, Tablet, Computer, Listening Centers, it lists 10 reasons why we should use technology in Education and in our classrooms, however I will only be listing five of those reasons. The first reason why we should use technology in Education is because students love it. "Whether it be the cool factor, or a genuine interest in technology, student's just love it." Technology in classrooms allow teachers to vary their activities throughout the day and they help in engaging students. In this video the narrator says, "There is no commandment for Education that says thou shalt not have fun!" When students get home from school they spend hours on different types of technology, so why not engage our students by using their favorite mediums? The second reason why we should use technology in Education is because it engages the four key components to learning. The four key components to learning are: active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and connection to real world experts. The third reason why we should use technology in Education is because it helps in professional development. Using new technologies allows students to learn and practice new skills, which will help them in the future marketplace. Many jobs now require basic computing skills, if not advanced computing skills, so teaching our students through technology is like "killing two birds with one stone." The fourth reason why we should use technology in Education is because it is proven to improve test scores. Through technology and media, students are able to benefit because they are able to work at their own pace. Faster working students would not be held back from those who are working at a slower rate. Technology in Education is also proven to improve test scores because it reaches different types of students who learn in different ways. The fifth and last reason why we should use technology in Education is because it helps gain the attention of students who usually have lower attention spans. By mixing up the learning process with different methods and by doing engaging activities, we can help students with low attention spans stay focused and interested.