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Technology is ubiquitous in education. In fact, it’s almost impossible to escape. 

Many components need to work together to make technology integration successful, such as making sure it works well and is accessible to all students, providing value, and not using it as a replacement for the teacher. If the technology in the classroom checks all of these boxes, it can then support the curriculum and help students reach learning goals. 

What technology in the classroom should not look like 

Before we get into what technology in education should look like, let’s look at a few examples of technology in education that are less than ideal. 

• Technology that doesn’t work. When technology is not reliable or doesn’t work the way it is supposed to, students and teachers get frustrated. This often results in wasted instructional time. Sometimes technology becomes so cumbersome that it gets in the way of learning. 
• Technology that doesn’t add value. When teachers give students a laptop or convert their hard-copy materials into online materials, they’re not doing anything wrong, but they’re also not adding value. 
• Technology that replaces the teacher. Even if a teacher creates an excellent technology resource, they still need to be available to students. Technology should not be used as a way to keep students busy. 

Because escaping technology in the classroom is so difficult, finding ways to use it effectively is essential. 

What technology in the classroom should look like       

When used correctly, technology in the classroom has the potential to improve learning outcomes. Let’s go back to our three examples above to get an idea of what technology in the classroom should look like. 

Technology should work and be integrated seamlessly.

This means that powering up, logging in, and getting started shouldn’t take much instructional time. This also means that all students should have equal access to technology. If a teacher asks students to use an app on their phones during class, they need to make sure each student has a phone with access to the app. If the teacher assigns a virtual field trip as part of a homework assignment, they need to ensure every student has a computer with internet access at home. Seamlessly integrating technology takes some work up-front and will initially cut into instructional time. However, taking time to teach students how to use the technology frequently used in the classroom will save a lot of time daily. 

Technology should add value to all students.

Adding technology for technology’s sake is never ideal. If a teacher is converting a paper worksheet to an online worksheet, that’s not necessarily bad, but it doesn’t follow best practices in technology integration. A former paper worksheet can come alive with technology. With the world at their fingertips, teachers can add links to educational videos that help explain the concept and make the worksheet interactive so students can get real-time feedback. They can also improve their own data collection by setting the worksheet to populate a spreadsheet automatically. This can inform their teaching and give them a clear picture of students’ understanding. 

Technology should never replace the teacher.

Technology is amazing, but it’s not perfect. As students use technology in the classroom, teachers should continue to engage with students. Students will always need socialization and face-to-face interaction. Even the most tech-savvy teacher should strike a balance between teaching with technology and teaching via other methods. 

Well-integrated technology in education should be engaging, multifaceted, and it should inspire further learning. Integrated well, technology can help all students learn and meet their potential, regardless of their baseline and ability.

With proper planning and thought toward what each student needs, technology can be a huge asset to the classroom. It can help students with varied abilities participate equally in the classroom. It can help bring a concept to life. It can provide immediate feedback and individual scaffolding. It can even give students the skills they need to be competitive when they enter the job market. 

The bottom line 

Many teachers spend their days just barely treading water. It’s not always feasible to integrate technology in a way that sets the world on fire. Rather, it’s more practical to improve technology integration bit by bit. Over time, teachers will develop resources and ways to use technology in the classroom that help students reach educational goals. Technology integration can help prepare students for the real world and make their learning more efficient when done well.