TE 886

Technology Position Paper

Karla Tranmer
1:1 Technology in the Classroom Setting
It has been many years since I have been a student in an elementary classroom. I was
born in the late 1960s so my elementary classroom experiences in the 1970s focused on books,
pencils and paper. The technology that I was exposed to consisted of film strips or film
projectors. I remember being fascinated with the reel to reel projectors and realize that kids
these days are equally as fascinated with the technology they see now. Looking at the
elementary classroom of today I still see books, paper and pencils, but now I also see laptops, a
SmartBoard, projector and iPads, Chromebooks or another kind of device. The students are
learning and they are using the technology available to them in the best way possible. They are
using that technology to learn about and interact with their world in ways that I never even
dreamed of when I was in elementary school.
There are many new trends surfacing in the world of educational technology. The trends
that are being considered are: game-based learning, flipped classroom, virtual classroom, BYOD
(Bring Your Own Device) and 1:1 program. While all of these trends have their merits, I feel
that 1:1 technology in the classroom will be the trend that proves itself to the end. Game-based
learning is simply what the name implies. Learning skills through playing different kinds of
games that are either created by the teacher or found to support the skills that are being taught.
Playing games to reinforce a skill takes place in many computer labs especially in the early
elementary grades, but the idea of using games as a substitute for direct instruction from a
teacher is being met with resistance by the educational world. The fear expressed by teachers is
that games will not teach as much curriculum as the teacher would be able to do. (Boyle, 2013).

The rise of 1:1 classrooms will make game-based learning more accessible, but not all school
districts will have the funding to make this happen for every classroom in their district.
A flipped classroom or reverse instruction is one that changes how the actual teaching
takes place. What normally would have been taught in class, a lecture for example, is now
viewed at home and the homework that would have been assigned for the student to do
independently is worked on during the class time where the teacher is available to answer
questions and prompt learners to higher thought processes. I think that this approach would be
effective in the secondary school level since there is a lot of responsibility on the student to
follow through and come to class prepared for the lesson. According to Herreid and Schiller
(2013) the hurdle with implementing a flipped classroom style is the lack of videos to support the
teacher. I feel that the time it would take for the teacher to create a video for the class and make
sure the students had the technology at home available for viewing the lesson makes this a
challenge. The schools might have the technology to support a flipped classroom, but the
families might not have the funds to have easy access to technology at home which would create
a divide among the students.
Virtual classrooms are created by students participating in class through a computer and
not by sitting in the actual classroom. This is an advantage for students that are not able to attend
school for health reasons or an activity that requires them to be away from home for several
weeks. It is a good way to keep students engaged in the learning process when they are unable to
attend a regular school. Virtual classrooms are beneficial for schools that might not be able to
offer different options to the students. When my daughter was a senior in high school she
attended a virtual classroom. She was in a classroom but the teacher was remotely teaching the
class from another location. She was able to earn college credits while in high school which

would not have been possible without this technology in place. It will not be the replacement of
an actual school system, however. The funding for a virtual school needs to be secure and it
must have the support of the state in order for it to be successful. (Wood, 2005) Not all teachers
are cut out to be both classroom teachers and virtual classroom teachers. It takes a lot of time
and effort for the teacher to respond to all of the students in the virtual classroom. The virtual
classroom student must be self-motivated since there will not be a teacher physically in front of
them reminding them of assignments that are due.
Another technology trend in education is that of Bring Your Own Device or BYOD. The
students bring their own technology to school to use while learning. This saves money for the
district since they have technology in use, but dont have to spend the money to acquire it. If a
student doesnt have a device to use the school would have laptops or a similar device available
for the student so they arent left out of the class. While BYOD has several advantages such as
cost savings for the school and students are familiar with their devices so the ease of use is
greater, there are still several disadvantages that make this program questionable. The school
must be able to support many different devices and there is no secure way to ensure that all
activity on the devices is educational since the school cannot set up the blocks for the internet on
sites that are inappropriate for student use. The devices that the students have may or may not be
able to be used to produce the kind of work required in the classroom. The teachers will have to
make sure they are familiar with different apps and programs so the students are working with
the same information. As a way to make sure no student is left behind there will be devices that
can be checked out for use which is a pro and a con. It is good since the student will have a
device, but it is a con in that the student might be teased for not being able to provide their own
device. (Chadband, 2012)

The final trend I will highlight is that of the 1:1 technology program for schools where
each student will have a device to use while in school. I feel that this is the trend that will have
the most impact on our future in education. The most popular devices right now are
Chromebooks and iPads. My school recently was switched from a Dell computer lab to an iPad
lab on a cart. We were switched because of upcoming building issues and the school had to
make another classroom available. We have one cart that is moved throughout the building
which works for us at this time. If money wasnt a factor it would be best to have iPads in each
classroom so the students could have access to their iPad throughout the whole day. Some of
the classes are small enough that they can share the cart and have enough iPads for both
classrooms. I am confident that the teachers use technology in the classroom much more
frequently with the ease of portability of the iPads. The iPads are checked out daily by the
teachers and the children are able to be engaged during the lessons in ways that they werent in
previous years. Chromebooks are another device that schools frequently use when implementing
a 1:1 technology program. They are similar to a laptop, but smaller and easier for students to
manage. I dont personally have experience with Chromebooks, but sometimes think that it
would have been an easier transition for my school. The teachers and students have had to learn
how to do things differently using an iPad instead of a desktop computer.
The Chromebook and the iPad are both good devices that excel at different things. The
teacher has to be aware of the constraints of whatever device is in the classroom and work within
those boundaries. The biggest benefit for the school implementing a 1:1 program is the ability to
manage the apps or programs and offer the support needed to serve the needs of the school. By
having the school be in control of the technology it is safer for the students due to the filters that
the school can enforce and the digital divide isnt present since all students will have equal

access to the technology. The students that are involved in a 1:1 program consistently
outperform non-laptop students in all subject areas on standardized tests. Teachers report that
students are more engaged learners in a 1:1 technology program and are learning the 21st
century skills that are necessary for success in the workplace and college education prospects.
(Tenbusch, 2011) According to Toy, students that have early experiences with the challenges and
opportunities of 1:1 technology learning will be better prepared for bigger challenges and
opportunities when they go to college or work. They learn how to problem solve early which
will help them not get so frustrated later in their educational career.
Technology is an important part of education and will continue to play a big role in how
children are taught. There are many different kinds of ways to incorporate technology into the
classroom. It is up to the teacher to use the technology available to the best way possible so the
students receive the greatest benefit from this technology. It will take several years for a full
evaluation of the different trends to understand which ones work best in varied learning
environments.

References:
Boyle, J. (2013) Gaming Education: Are Parents, Teachers, and Schools Ready to Embrace
Gaming as a Learning Tool? Retrieved from: http://www.emergingedtech.com/2013/12/
gaming-education-are-parents-teachers-and-schools-ready-to-embrace-gaming-as-alearning-tool/
Chadband, E. (2012). Should Schools Embrace Bring Your Own Device? Retrieved from:
http://neatoday.org/2012/07/19/should-schools-embrace-bring-your-own-device/
Herreid, C. & Schiller, N. (2013). Case Studies and the Flipped Classroom. Retrieved from:
http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/pdfs/Cases_Flipped_Classroom.pdf
Tenbusch, J. (2011) A Practical Guide to Implementing 1:1 Retrieved from:
http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3755881
Toy, C. (2013). The Top 10 Reasons for Moving to 1:1 Learning Technology. Retrieved from:
http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic= The_Top_10_Reasons_
for_Moving_to_1_1_Learning_Technology
Wood, C. (2005). The Virtual Classroom Redefines Education. Retrieved from:
http://www.edutopia.org/online-education-virtual-classrooms