Learning with Technology

Using technology to enhance students learning is not a new concept. Teachers have been capable of creating ways to use technology for a while. Technology enhances student learning through a number of ways. One advantage is that you can use technology to enrich your lessons. Teachers and student can do more research on a topic and then present the information to the class. They can share information together and gain differing ideas and opinions. Technology can also be used to improve your presentation of the material to the class. It can gain attention and hold it better then just a simple speaker sharing information. Students are more interested in bright colors, cool graphics, then just the information being present. It helps the speaker communicate information.
The disadvantages of using technology and tools within the classroom, are that students may be just interested in the actual power point and means of presenting the information then the information itself. It might take away too much from the information. Students may also abuse the technology and tools used to enhance their learning. They may see the group discussion as a time to share inappropriate information. Students also might use the computer not for homework and the project but simply for surfing the web.
As educators, we have to be careful about how we present our information to our students. We need to use the web but we also need to use it to its best abilities and not as a simple fix it for teaching. We also need to be careful that we are teaching our students how to use the information properly. There is a fine line that we need to draw clearly as teachers in order for our students to know where their boundaries are, otherwise, they will continue to push the limits because they did not know how to rightly use the tools and technology given to them.