Technology is entwined into every aspect our lives. It significantly impacts today’s culture, affecting the way we work, play and, most importantly, learn. It only makes sense to incorporate a greater use of technology into classrooms.

Depending on the school and specific classes, there are various levels of technology use in classrooms. Many classes here have a strong electronic presence in their curriculum. It is important to maintain the status quo in these classes and implement additional forms of technology for those classes that are lacking.

From applications to online textbooks, there are numerous different options for incorporating more technology into the classroom. The instructor can choose whether to make a more dramatic change by implementing many different technologies or simply add a single tool for a specific project.

Either way, there is no shortage of tools to transform the classroom. More laptops, online assignments and online textbooks will give students more  to interact with the teacher, collaborate on projects, and access to updated information and course materials.

First of all, technology can foster active learning by allowing more interactions between the instructor and the students. For example, the teacher can ask quiz questions during lectures and instantly receive results, helping them measure how well the students are understanding a certain concept.

Tools such as online quiz questions and other polling systems capture the attention of all students, including those who rarely raise their hand. Overall, more engagement between the teachers and students helps both sides build credibility with each other.

Additionally, there is a lot of value in keeping textbooks and course materials up to date. With tech platforms such as Google Docs, students can work together on projects, share information, and receive input from the instructor, creating a more collaborative learning environment.

Finally, being well versed in technology is becoming an extremely important life skill. Creating presentations, distinguishing between reliable and unreliable online sources and maintaining appropriate etiquette online are vital in achieving success in today’s world. These vital skills can all be learned in the classroom.

One prominent argument against the use of technology in the classroom is the concern that it can be distracting. However, the teacher is in control of how much technology they want to allow in the classroom, and as long as they establish guidelines and boundaries, such as restrictions on cell phone use, distraction should not be a problem. Also, allowing students to use technology teaches them responsibility by giving them the opportunity to improve their decision making skills and taking ownership of what is often an expensive device.

Many educators are also worried that the cost of technology is simply too high to successfully implement the tools they want. Fortunately, there are many cost-effective solutions, such as Chromebooks, that can help schools get the technology that they deserve into classrooms. The benefits of technology are extremely helpful and it may be advantageous for many schools to prioritize a major financial investment in technology over other forms of spending.

A responsible use of technology will enhance education and help create an collaborative and innovative classroom. Although it may be expensive, technology opens doors to new experiences, new discoveries and new ways of learning.