The Present and Future Role of Technology in the Classroom

For many people to walk into a classroom today they may not recognize it as it was when they were in school. The classroom has changed as technology has changed. It is not uncommon to see second grade students using the Internet to communicate with students across the country, or to see high school students using PowerPoint to present a research project. Technology has changed the way the classroom looks, how’s it run and what is taught. Technology plays a large role in present classrooms and it will play a larger role in the future.

The current role of technology in our nation’s classrooms usually depends on the teacher. Every school district seems to be allocating resources to “get wired” and improve their existing technology. The Internet, CD-ROM’s, PowerPoint, VCR’s and video recording devices are all common in most schools. Some of the wealthier districts even have individual classrooms wired for Internet access. However, just because the technology ...