Power of technology good for education

There are moments, even at only 25, where I look back and think about how much technology has changed and how important it is to our everyday lives today.

I know you may think that I was born with a phone in my hand, but it was more like I was born with a VCR in my arms. I didn’t learn how to use a cell phone until I was a teenager, and even then, my cell phone was a phone from Southern Linc. It was more of a walkie-talkie.

Anyway, technology is something that is ingrained into our daily lives and activities, and whether that is a good or bad thing sort of depends on the situation, I guess.

Recently, however, I saw how the powers of technology can be used for good.

I recently saw a presentation led by students at a Coffee County School Board meeting that focused how they use technology in their classrooms.

It was fascinating to watch as students were able to show their creations that range from websites to music videos to physical inventions that were influenced by information they developed through technology.

On top of it all, all of this stuff they did on a little laptop just looked really fun. That aspect should always be a part of learning, in my opinion.

I love that students are able to integrate technology into their learning experience. They can use technology with almost any subject, from English to science and more.

Also, the United States Department of Education states on its website that technology can help with productivity, making students learn and create more than ever before.

“Technology ushers in fundamental structural changes that can be integral to achieving significant improvements in productivity,” the website states. “Technology also has the power to transform teaching by ushering in a new model of connected teaching. This model links teachers to their students and to professional content, resources and systems to help them improve their own instruction and personalize learning.”

The laptops the students used allowed them to create amazing things, such as informational websites about famous individuals. The students also used the technology to learn independently or work collaboratively, thanks to innovative software such as Google Classroom.

This same bit of technology allowed teachers to see the development of each student as they took quizzes, participated in discussion and more.

Don’t forget, technology hasn’t just affected elementary and secondary education. It’s used with colleges and universities as well, allowing individuals from around the world to take classes online with little-to-no disruption of their daily lives.

So, technology has brought great changes to education, as I saw in the presentation. It was just amazing to see the creativity of the students, and I can’t wait to see where we go with technology and education from here.

Cassie Gibbs is a staff writer for The Southeast Sun and Daleville Sun-Courier. The opinions of this writer are her own and not the opinion of the paper. She can be reached at (334) 393-2969 or by email at [email protected].