Above is a photo of the activity I chose to follow on the Arduino Science Journal App.
While technology continues to advance, more electronic devices are being used frequently in schools. These are both educational tools and personal devices that students bring with them. There are pros and cons to having both of these technologies in schools that are continuously debated across school districts. At this point, most districts have their own regulations and rules surrounding the use of these devices which vary between elementary, middle, and high school.
Technological devices are beneficial to schools as they allow for quick and easy internet access, leading to a broad realm of research and various educational resources that can make learning more exciting and engaging. It also allows for varying project designs and platforms. Examples of this include Prezi, Canva, Google Slides, and more. Having various forms of projects and lessons can create a more engaging learning environment that incorporates multimedia aspects. Personal electronic devices allow classes to participate in hands-on group activities like Kahoot! and IClicker which allow students to participate in stress-free quizzes that help increase knowledge of a topic or prepare students for tests.
While considering the incorporation of technology into schools, it is also important to think about the negative aspects. Allowing students to carry personal electronic devices in class can create a great distraction. They also increase the chances of bullying and harrassment as they allow access to social media during school. Computers in schools can be hard to regulate and monitor as students have free access to anything on the internet. It is common to block access to certain pages on school district computers, but you can never be sure what students might find. Keeping up with computers and other electronic devices in schools can also be extremely costly. This is because of the fees applied to purchasing, installing, fixing, and replacing all devices and their accessories.
I think that technology is an important aspect of learning that should be incorporated into schools to better prepare students for future schooling and careers, which almost always involve technology and a basic understanding of how to navigate it. Rules surrounding phone usage should be considered to a certain extent, and teachers should have the most control over phone usage during their class time. I believe this because it can often be helpful for specific activities or lessons, but is not always necessary. Overall, technology is used for such varying aspects of education that there is no simple answer. There must be a clear and thought-out plan for how to incorporate it into class and when to draw the line.
