It’s strange to think that we live in a world where technology allows us to purchase and begin reading a book immediately from out own home, but most school children are still reading from hardback textbooks. We have so much technology that could help improve education, yet local and state governments don’t want to invest the money. This article takes a closer look at how technology could improve education, but why it may take years before we see the results.
How Technology Could Be Beneficial in Education
Smartboards, ereaders, and table computers. These are all items that could be used to greatly enhance the learning experience of today’s children. Imagine a classroom that gathers around a smartboard for an interactive lesson with a classroom across the country. Imagine students carrying all their textbooks on an ereader instead of in a backpack. Imagine assignments being completed on tablet computers rather than paper. Technology has the ability to make big changes in education. Teachers would have the ability to better share lessons with one another and even teach more students at one time. Mothers that wanted to homeschool their children could use technology resources to log their children into lessons taught at a public school. There is so much that technology could do for today’s school children, yet this generation will probably never experience these possibilities.
Why Technology Hasn’t Been Embraced
There’s no denying the fact that textbooks can be used over and over again. There’s also no denying that, for the most part, the current system works. Sadly, most schools across America haven’t seen advancements in how technology is used in the classroom. Only 1% of education funds are used for education innovation. In other words, the money is getting spent the same way it has been for decades. Despite the obvious benefits that would occur from incorporating technology into the classroom, most cities and states aren’t willing to spend the money on it. Those that do have smartboards and other tech devices in the classroom have usually received donations from companies that design the technology. It doesn’t seem to matter to local and state governments that these devices greatly improve how children respond to lessons.
There’s more than enough technology available to greatly improve the way children learn. However, until governments start opening their wallets to these new ideas, children will continue to be taught the same way we were taught, our parents were taught, and even our grandparents were taught. If your child needs help, you can find out more about traditional tutoring here – and you may just find a tutor with a tech-savvy edge. The technology is there, but the money isn’t, which means it could decades before students start seeing technology further utilized in the classroom.