THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM

Introduction

As we navigate through the fast-paced changes of the 21st century, the infusion of
technology into classrooms has become a fundamental aspect of contemporary
education. The objective of this research is to delve into the diverse impacts of
technology on the dynamics of teaching and learning. The introduction of digital
resources such as interactive whiteboards, tablets, and e-learning platforms has
significantly altered conventional teaching methods, creating a more captivating and
tailored educational environment. Technology holds the promise of accommodating
various learning styles, fostering independent learning, and eliminating geographical
barriers by linking classrooms worldwide.

Nevertheless, the integration of technology in education also brings about distinct

challenges. These encompass the digital divide arising from socio-economic
differences, the potential for distraction and misuse, and the necessity for effective
teacher training to ensure the successful adoption of these tools. This research
strives to offer a comprehensive exploration of the advantages and obstacles related
to the use of technology in the classroom. It aims to add to the ongoing conversation
on the most effective strategies to incorporate technology into education to boost
student learning outcomes, while mitigating potential downsides. In the subsequent
sections, we will probe into the existing literature on this subject, detail our research
methodology, and discuss our discoveries and their implications for educators,
policy makers, and future research.

Methodology

This research aimed to explore students' views on the implementation of technology in an

English Language Arts classroom. The study aimed to address the following queries:

1. In the students' opinion, does the application of technology enhance their capability to
achieve learning objectives?

2. What advantages do students perceive in using technology to meet their learning

objectives?
3. What do students see as the limitations or hurdles in using technology to achieve
learning objectives?

4. What strategies for using technology do students find most engaging?

Results

The purpose of this study was to ascertain how students felt about using
technology in the classroom. The poll inquired about the students' capacity to fulfill
learning objectives, the advantages and drawbacks of the technology being used, and
engagement tactics. Additionally, basic baseline questions concerning students'
technology were included in the study to get a basic understanding of how technology is
used in classrooms.

Figure 1. General Technology Use

Information on the broad use of technology in the classroom is shown in Figure 1. Of

the 78 pupils, fifty-five reported using technology in more than half of their lessons. 23
kids reported using technology in the classroom on a regular basis. Fifteen of their
classes used it in fewer than half of the sessions.
Additionally, as Figure 2 shows, when questioned about how often they utilized
technology in the classes where it was commonly used, seventy-three students said
they used technology every day.Twenty-five students reported using it occasionally,
while one stated they only used it once a week. In general, 98% of kids use technology
in the classroom every day.
Following their reporting of the frequency of technology use in the classroom, the
students had the chance to voice their opinions about how happy they were with the
frequency of technology.
53 pupils said that they thought their teachers employed technology in the classroom
sufficiently.Thirteen students agreed with the statement to a certain extent, whereas
twelve students were either neutral or disagreed. According to the findings, 83% of
students were content with how frequently their lecturers used technology.

Figure 4 illustrates that 63 percent of students either agreed or somewhat agreed with the
statement that technology aids in a better understanding of the assignments. Thirty percent
of students remained neutral, neither disagreeing or agreeing with the statement, and only
five students disagreed with it. The majority of students hold the belief that technology
enhances the learning experience and assists them in achieving the learning objectives.
Besides improving understanding of assignments, 87 percent of students surveyed asserted
that technology helps them in completing assignments.

In the open-ended responses, students expressed their views on how technology aids in
understanding concepts. One student remarked, "If I have a question, the internet can
assist me in fully comprehending the task at hand." Students noted that they were able to
utilize the internet while working on their assignment to understand the content better and
gain a deeper understanding. Another student mentioned, "There are more tools to work
with like databases and other places to access information to help understand the concept."
A total of sixty-three percent of students disagreed with the notion that technology makes
assignments more time-consuming compared to traditional methods. Students found that
accomplishing assignments with technology either takes the same amount of time or less
compared to traditional methods.

In the open-ended question about the benefits of technology, many students remarked that
technology aids them in completing their assignments. Whether it's note-taking,
researching, or essay writing, students asserted that technology enhances the speed,
efficiency, and thoroughness of their work. One student noted how technology accelerated
the completion time. "Technology is quicker, more convenient, and it reduces the amount of
stuff I have to carry around. Also, it's easy to access information immediately." Another
student specifically mentioned the efficiencies of technology. "Technology allows me to
work on multiple assignments simultaneously without worrying about misplacing papers or
having to wait to ask questions. I can instantly look up answers and get things done." Yet
another student discussed how technology helps them be more thorough. "Technology
doesn't necessarily speed up assignment completion, but the time I spend on it is used
more effectively. When writing online, I tend to refine my answers a lot more." Another
survey question about the benefits of technology asked students if technology fosters more
creativity in the classroom.
Seventy percent of students disagreed with the statement that technology takes away
from their ability to be creative in the classroom. Fourteen percent neither agreed or
disagreed and seventeen percent of students agreed. Overall, the opportunity to use
technology in the classroom either adds or keeps students’ creative abilities the same.
No students specifically commented on technology and creativity in the open-ended
questions
Interestingly, despite the open-ended responses suggesting that the use of technology
could be distracting, in the Likert-scale questions related to this potential challenge, fifty-
three percent of students disagreed with the notion that it's hard to stay focused when
technology is used in the classroom. Eighteen percent of students neither disagreed nor
agreed, and 29 percent agreed with the statement. The dominant response in the open-
ended question was that technology is a distraction. The forms of distraction vary among
students, with some being drawn to games and others to social media and emails. One
student remarked, "Technology is a distraction because you can always be engaged in
something else without the teacher usually noticing, and it can make it hard to pay attention.
Also, technology doesn't help you remember what you are typing as much as writing it on
paper does." Furthermore, students who are distracted on their own laptops have to
contend with the distractions their classmates create with their own devices. A student
noted, "Other students mess around on their technology and become a distraction."

Another limitation students highlighted was that technology might lead to less hands-on
learning. By using a computer, students can watch videos or read articles on how to do
something instead of trying it themselves. One student noted, "I enjoy hands-on learning,
and time that could be spent doing a hands-on project is often overlooked because we're
able to watch a video on how it could be done." Another student remarked, "Sometimes we
don't get to practice what we've learned because we watch how others do it and don't get
the practice."

Fifty-four percent of students agreed that when technology is used in the classroom,
they feel more engaged. Thirty-six percent of students neither agreed or disagreed with
this statement and only 11 percent disagreed. In response to the open-ended question
about how technology helps them enjoy learning, the majority of students mentioned
assignments involving research. Technology helps them find information in a variety of
ways. One student commented, “When we have to do research in books, it’s not as
entertaining. The computer gives us the chance to watch videos, look at pictures and
read articles.” Another student commented, “Technology allows for research and
alternative ways of learning through programs or websites that wouldn’t otherwise be
possible.”

A common response about student engagement and technology was its ability to gamify
material. Kahoot, YouTube and Quizlet were identified to be the most engaging tools for
students in the classroom. The gamification of materials gives students an added
motivation to learn. According to the students, the more technology is incorporated into
the daily routine of learning, the better. It automatically adds an element of “variety” and
“fun” for the students. One student commented, “Games on our computers honestly
help me better remember the material.”

Discussion

The aim of this research was to explore students' viewpoints on the application of
technology in an English Language Arts classroom. This study scrutinized the utilization of
technology in the classroom through an online survey. Seventy-eight high school English
Language Arts students provided valuable perspectives on whether technology aids them in
achieving learning objectives, the advantages and drawbacks of technology, as well as
effective strategies for using technology in the classroom.

Conclusion

In summary, the survey demonstrated a preference among students for the inclusion of
technology in the classroom. The diverse opportunities technology provides, coupled with
the engagement it fosters, motivates students to complete their homework effectively.
According to the survey, 64% of students agreed that technology assisted them in achieving
the learning objectives set by their teachers. However, Glass and Kang's (2017) study
suggested there's no direct correlation between technology and its ability to help students
meet learning goals. In fact, students who were permitted to take notes and use their
laptops had challenges with long-term retention, negatively impacting their grades. In this
study, student perceptions were reported, but actual experimental data was not collected.
The survey responses were based on student perceptions, which may or may not reflect
actual practice.

In the open-ended section of the survey, students highlighted several advantages of using
technology, including its efficiency and its potential to enhance collaboration. One student
noted, "We can collaborate in groups, and our laptops allow us to access different
information and compare notes easily." Several students also mentioned that it helps to
"foster relationships" and leads to more "comprehensive ideas." Similar results were found
in Bakshaei et al.'s (2018) study, which showed that technology use among groups not only
increased efficiency but also enhanced the benefits of collaboration.

In addition to promoting collaboration, technology gives students the opportunity to feel

connected to the "real world." Mirra (2015) referred to this as "connected learning," where
teachers incorporate real-world elements into the classroom. Students responded that using
technology in the classroom made the content seem more relevant to their daily lives. This
sentiment is supported by the fact that 75% of students surveyed preferred to use
technology over traditional learning methods.

When students understand the relevance of the content, their creativity is not stifled. Young
& Bush's (2014) study suggested teachers should only use technology if it allows students
to be more creative. According to the survey, 69% of students believe that technology
enhances their creativity, thus supporting its use in the classroom.

However, technology also has its limitations. The most significant limitation is its potential to
distract students. Despite 53% of students claiming that technology does not detract from
their ability to stay focused, the majority of open-ended responses suggested otherwise.
Many students reported that technology was distracting in the classroom due to easy
access to social media, games, etc. Neiterman and Zaza's (2019) study tested a group of
over 400 students on their ability to concentrate with technology in the classroom and found
that retention rates were lower when technology use was permitted.

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