Books Have Their Benefits and so Does Technology

There is nothing I enjoy more than the smell of books and the comfort of something concrete in my hands. However, in trying to evolve as a teacher I am working more and more to incorporate technology into student learning and explorations. As it is stated in the article, "Using the Technology of Today, In the Classroom Today," "Games, simulations, and social networking are already permeating the workplace as productivity and development tools—we may be doing our students a large disservice by not integrating these tools into their education" (p.10). I am aware a number of teachers (at work) perceive technology as invasive, and do not include technology in their instruction. In doing so, they are overlooking the changing society that requires a certain level of computer literacy. Our student population consists of students who are language disabled and require a great deal of repetition before they are able to remember a series of steps, which may include the steps to saving or opening a document. Our students need to be able to improve their skills on the computer and therefore must be provided with increased time to work on the computer as a way to enhance their learning experiences. Not only would they be able to improve sequential ordering skills, but they may find themselves more engaged in learning that utilizes games and other interactive activities. Increased time spent on the computer or using technological resources would benefit our students in their current education, future careers, and social interactions.