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Haley Boulter
Dr. J. Radloff
EDU 315-602
Due: 01/29/2022
ED-Tech Philosophy: Technology in the Classroom

The use of technology in and out of schools has become increasingly more common.

Throughout the recent COVID-19 Pandemic, the U.S. education system relied heavily on the use of

technology to keep students connected and learning remotely while in isolation. Since then, technology

has remained a vital component of everyday academics. I believe there are several pros and cons to

incorporating technology in the classroom. When used efficiently, I believe the use of technology in

(and out) of the classroom can significantly benefit educators, students, and families. However, the

decision/ability to use technology in schools, and to what extent, is not as simple as a belief statement.

As previously stated, I think there are several pros and cons to using technology in the

classroom. One of the many benefits that I believe technology can provide in schools is more frequent,

accessible communication between students, families, and educators. The use of email, online

classrooms/websites, computer and smartphone applications, and text messaging services are all great

ways to increase and open a consistent line of communication between schools and families. Teachers

are able to keep students and families updated on class assignments, upcoming events, grades,

conferences, and schedule changes. Another benefit of having technology in the classroom is that it

allows access to amazing educational resources. Teachers can use technology to create PowerPoints

and other visual aids to supplement classroom instruction. In addition, the use of technology allows

educators to incorporate music, online videos, and academic games (such as Jeopardy, Kahoot, etc.)

into their lesson plans. In turn, the increase in resources can help promote student engagement by

offering various forms of visual aids, hands-on learning, whole-class connection, and access to

necessary accommodations for students with disabilities and/or English Language Learners. One of the
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last major benefits that I believe technology can provide is organization. Technology allows educators

and students to organize their documents, assignments, resources, and schedules on a single platform.

In addition, some technological applications such as Google Classroom, Blackboard, Brightspace, etc

allow for online assignment submissions, class updates, and constant access to course information and

grades.

While there are certainly benefits to incorporating technology in the classroom, there are also

several disadvantages. One disadvantage to using technology in the classroom is that oftentimes,

personal electronic devices (such as cellphones/smartphones, Bluetooth headphones, and other

electronic devices) can prove to be a distraction when students use them unsupervised. This often

stems from a lack of classroom management in which the rules of using personal technology must be

clarified and enforced. Another disadvantage to increasing technology in the classroom is that it could

lead to the overuse of technology for everyday classroom activities and assignments. The overuse of

technology can create a disconnect between students and their peers because constant use of personal

devices can discourage peer collaboration and group discussions. Similarly, the overreliance on

technology in the classroom can be a disadvantage because technology isn’t perfect. Connection to the

internet can become unstable at times, technical malfunctions can inhibit access to online resources,

and typed assignments are easily lost when not properly saved. Finally, one of the most important,

overlooked disadvantages of increasing the use of technology in classrooms is access. Not all students

have access to or can afford personal devices capable of accessing the internet, online resources, etc. In

addition, not all students have access to WiFi at home to complete online assignments. This is also true

for underfunded school districts. Schools are not always capable of providing their students with

devices and reliable internet access.

When considering both the pros and cons of incorporating technology into the classroom, it is

difficult to determine whether or not schools should increase the presence and use of technology.

While it would be great for schools to utilize technology and all it has to offer, the ability to do so is
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purely situational. To conclude, I believe that choosing to incorporate technology would significantly

benefit students, families, and educators so long as there is access and opportunity for all.