How EdTech is Changing the Face of Education

Being born in the 90s and growing up in the early 2000s, I believe limited my exposure to excessive technology seen in the classroom. I did not experience a lot of technology in my classrooms until I switched to public school in the fourth grade. I attended a private school from kindergarten to third grade that utilized chalkboards and hardback books. Before holidays and breaks, we would watch movies on the rolling televisions that we had. The first time I experienced smartboards in the classroom was at the public school I transferred to in fourth grade. Once I entered middle school, the utilization of computers in classrooms slowly became utilized. The only classroom with computers in middle school was the tech lab, where we had to attend a seventh grade typing lesson. Hardcover books and smart boards were still in use in the general education courses when I started high school. Although we would utilize computers in some subjects (like journalism and finance), we were never given laptops to use at home. I've used technology a lot since I started college though. I started my undergraduate career via distance learning, and I also found that most of the books I needed for class and still experience today are eBooks.

Even though I generally agree with Jarrett, I believe there are more detrimental effects than those that were mentioned in the article. In my opinion, EdTech is giving students greater chances to succeed in their careers—for example, STEM education. The article by Jarrett talks about the individualization that EdTech provides to students learning, and I think it's a really important benefit. My only worry is about the interactions resulting from EdTech's growth. I do not necessarily agree that EdTech is creating a more engaging environment. I am concerned that as technology continues to evolve and offer several benefits for education it will only limit students’ ability to problem solve on their own due to them heavily relying on the technology that is readily available to them.

I do think that EdTech has made it more accessible for students to engage with their learning in and out of the classroom. Despite the accessibility it has provided students, I think that EdTech has also hindered students today and in the future. The overwhelming amount of technology that is seen in classrooms today I believe is causing a lack of social interaction and learning from peers. Research has shown that peer learning is a great way to increase students’ preparations for real-life scenarios as well as gain a greater understanding of diverse perspectives (Cornell University, para. 2). In today’s society, our children are communicating more through technology rather than having in person conversations and even struggling when having to interact face-to-face. I think it is important as an educator that technology is limited, especially in lower grades, to ensure students are establishing basic communication skills and learning from their peers in face-to-face interactions.