Technology Infusion

If you think about the leaps and bounds that technology has made in the last few decades, even in the last few years, it is amazing to witness the progress and speculate on what might change in the near future. The classroom is a perfect example of this technology evolution. When I was in school, there weren't telephones in the classrooms. Someone either had to walk in to the classroom if they needed to talk to you, or if it was the office, they might be able to call over the PA system...although that went out to the whole school. Library time was for checking out books, and there certainly weren't TVs in the classrooms, or iPads and laptops for teachers to use. In fact, there weren't even computers in the main classrooms at all. A modern classroom couldn't function that way anymore.

Most classrooms now have a mounted projector, or at least a document camera, those are basic necessities for a classroom these days, replacing the old overhead projector with the transparencies. Teachers also have phones and computers, and then certain schools or districts go beyond that to iPads/iPods in the classroom, some having "Bring your own device" policies, I've even seen classrooms equipped with Apple TV. But what benefit does infusing your classroom with all of this technology have for the children? Technology can be of great benefit to a classroom, if used correctly.  Teachers need to be well-versed in all aspects of the technology they will be using, but having an iPad in the classroom, one that is set up to share with a SmartBoard, or other students would be great for presenting projects and sharing resources and information. Certain games that are educational can help children learn new topics, or Special Education students might benefit from apps designed for them specifically. It gives kids instant access to information that they would not have had without a technology infused classroom, which makes the learning more relevant to them, as everything is virtually "instant gratification" in society today.

This info graphic gives some great stats on the 21st Century Classroom.

So, what could a "Classroom of the Future" look like? One high-school Junior brings an amazing concept to life in this video.