Hardware and software, in their many forms, have been playing huge roles in teaching in recent years, and are being used more and more every day. Teachers who have been working for a long time have been slowly adapting to the newer forms of Google Drive and other websites that have slowly been incorporated into their curriculums. Some teachers believe the changes they make to their classroom make class more engaging and efficient than it was before, but some teachers feel some of the changes take away from the teaching part of class.
Almost every student at Leesville Road High School uses technology in some way. Many teachers enjoy incorporating new software platforms like Quizlet, Class Dojo, and other sites. However, some teachers do not feel the same way, they feel that online assignments and videos explaining subjects are taking away the human aspect of teaching.
“There are pros and cons to technology,” said Angela Scioli, social studies teacher at Leesville Road High School. The many varieties of software and different types of computers (laptops, phones, projectors, etc.) are very complicated and hard to figure out sometimes, but “[Technology brings] more engagement,” said Scioli.
New software platforms, like Kahoot, come out very frequently that teachers can use to help their students, and old software platforms, like Google Drive, are constantly being updated with new features that make classes a little easier to understand for students. “I wish teachers were given more time to explore technology,” Scioli said.
Scioli believes that there should be more time than just the teachers planning period to explore the newer software, and figure out how more updated websites can help with their teaching.
Not all teachers like using the newfound software, however: “I rue the day when everything is so technology driven we forget the human side of teaching” said Paul Dinkenor, social studies teacher at Leesville Road High School. Dinkenor feels that projectors and laptops can be helpful, but “I don’t think you can ever substitute great teachers with technology. Dinkenor is concerned that teaching is slowly being moved to the background, and the use of online assignments is starting to take its place. Bringing the subject to life and relating it to students is something Dinkenor believes very strongly in, and that can not happen if students do all of their assignments and take all their notes online.
Hardware and software in classrooms are going to be incorporated more often and become more advanced. Some teachers will choose to bring it to the forefront of their classrooms, while others will try their best to keep the human part of teaching at the forefront of their classroom.
Hi! My name is Francis and I am a senior editor for The Mycenaean. I run, I am good at Mario Kart Wii, and I’m a good cook.