The Benefits of Technological Integration in Classrooms

     This article is particularly relevant to this class, as it surrounds the argument as to why technological integration within classrooms will bring out positive outcomes. I appreciated that in the beginning of the article, it explained that this subject has now been an ongoing issue for quite some time, with each positive and negative outcome cancelling the other out, basically leaving the issue at a standstill. While some advocate for integration, others are much more hesitant. I must, though, highlight the fact that this article contains some of the most compelling arguments about technological integration that I have thus far come across. Often times, when I read articles with authors trying to convince me that technology in the classroom is all for the better, I am left unaware as to why they believe so other than the standard, “it’s the way of the future.”
     However, Vineet Madan provides his readers with actual examples that are not far-fetched and also does rationalize, stating that feedback from teachers is necessary: “Solving the education crisis in America will take more than simply putting tablets in every classroom. To realize the promise of all that technology has to offer, we must listen to feedback from our teachers and make sure that they have the training and support they need to implement this technology effectively” (1). This is one of the first arguments that I have read that states that teachers must have efficient training with these forms of technology before they can successfully adapt them in their curricula. I also felt that this statement by Madan was worded much more efficiently than other authors have tried and it provides a more believable argument: “Bringing technology into the classroom helps them draw these parallels and keeps them interested in what they're learning. It also provides options for students with different learning styles” (1).  One last example that he discusses in this article provides a compelling benefit for teachers who truly want to engage their students in the lessons they are striving to instill within them, “Technology enables biology students to touch, spin and explore the structure of a molecule as they're reading about it in a text, watch a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King as they read about the civil rights era and ask questions of their classmates and complete their homework assignments all in a digital environment. By fostering these connections, technology can enhance and increase students' learning interactions, leading to better performance” (1).  This statement has sparked in me so many new ideas that I can put to actual use in my future classroom with the help of technological integration. Before reading this article, I might never have considered some of the vast amount of possibilities.