Computers in the Classroom :: Technology Technological Essays Education

Computers in the Classroom Computers are being used in classrooms all over the country. Children have access to a computer while at home or at school. However, is the technology being channeled through computers being depended upon too much? Are they going to take over the role of the teacher as an educator? Many educators are asking these questions regarding the education of their students. Computers affect the students and teachers in both positive and negative ways. In this paper I am going to discuss the benefits and downfalls of computers in the classroom. In just five years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of computers being used. Computers are virtually in every home, school and library. People can access facts and ideas that they were never able to before and can also do many things that were out of reach and unimaginable. In 1995, according to the Census Bureau of the United States, fifty percent of schools had access to the internet but by 2000, the numbers rose to ninety-eight percent. In 1995, only eight percent of classrooms had access to the internet and by 2000, seventy seven percent of classrooms had access to the internet. Teachers have taken advantage of the accessibility and have begun to include the computers and the internet into their lessons everyday. In 1999, of all public elementary schools, fifty six percent of teachers were using the internet to have their students to get more practice in certain areas and producing reports and projects. However, is using the computer beneficial to the teacher and the students? With the internet being so available, students are given the opportunity to be linked with the outside world that they may never have otherwise experienced. Interactive games and simulations can now be found that give students a valuable visual representation of a place, how something works, or an experiment. Also, students can now take what the teachers have taught them in class and practice their skills and stuffy their facts on the computer. With this convenience, students are now performing better on standardized tests than ever before because they are able to practice the subjects in a fun way. [1] Student’s research will also change because instead of using books for references, students will use the internet that does not always contain as many reliable sources. A student with access to the internet is often times more eager to learn and does further research on a topic that interests them because it is within reach in seconds.