Future of Education (Role of technology in education)

• In the next few years, I see the role with instruction with and about technology to change drastically.  The reason I say this is because every year a new technological device is introduced to the world and it always seems to be one step ahead of whatever came about the year before.  In a few years we will have to teach how to use certain devices that may not even be invented yet.
• As for cell phone use, it helps teachers and students communicate much easier.  Between email, twitter, facebook, etc. there is endless ways to get in touch.  This helps students connect well with other students as well as teachers to understand their learning better by comparing and contrasting.  As for using cell phones in school, it makes it easier to look up answers to questions by the touch of a button rather than looking it up in a text book.  However, I feel that cell phones could become a huge distraction during class and could be used for other things rather than learning.
• If in the future students could learn anywhere, anytime, with anyone and teachers could teach anywhere, anytime, with anyone, I think that the knowledge of people would increase tremendously.  I say this because people would be able to reach out to anyone around the world and grasp ideas, thoughts, facts, theories, etc. that they may have never even heard of or learned about before.
• I don't think that schools are becoming less relevant today, I think that students are realizing it's much easier to learn through blended learning rather than sitting in a classroom listening to someone speak.  To meet students needs and become more relevant, I think that schools need to become more hands on and more focused on the students rather than focused on reading from what is in a text book.  People learn best through experience.
• In the future, I believe that classrooms should look fun, inviting, and full of hands on activities and technologies.  As much as some teachers don't want to use much technology, that is where the world is headed and it's important to keep the students updated and working hands on with it.
• As a teacher, I know I will be using technology with my elementary kids but I do not want it to be the main focus.  There will be absolutely no cell phones.  iPads may be used but not all the time.  I would hope to have a smart board because it is very hands on and easy to navigate for the children.
• Educators, educational organizations, and programs in general need to evolve by keeping up with technology and being sure they are the first ones to experiment with it.  It is important that these people know how to use the technologies so they can teach it to others.  If they fail to learn it then they themselves will fall deeply behind in this generations advancements.
• Because high school and college students are further into their education than elementary students, it is hard for them to learn about new methods or new ways of learning things.  These students are used to the old school ways which involved limited technology and more text book based learning.  To help them get caught up, I think it is important to slowly bring in technologies and explain how they are important for learning and it can be used to further their knowledge.
• To help pre-service teachers prepare, I think it is important to have classes held that describe and show technological devices.  It is also important to have these teachers experiment with them that way they know how to show their students.  I do not think intro courses are enough because they do not go deep into explaining.  They should be offered in later education programs.
• Even if teachers meet one hour a week to train for using tech tools, that would help tremendously.
• The access of technology nearly eliminates textsbooks.  With technology it takes just the click of a button to find the answer to a question.  With text books it could takes minutes to find the answer you are looking for.  Also with technology, it gives you more options than a text book ever will.
• In most cases I do not think technology is disruptive. It only becomes disruptive if it is becomes a distraction and is being misused and not for what it is intended for.  
• The use of technology for teaching and learning should definitely be a compulsory element in initial teacher training.  Technology is everywhere and if you are not familiar with it you and your students will fall behind in the future.
• Technology can compliment the traditional gifts of master teaching by showing that it can enhance that learning experience and make it more exciting and hands on.  For example, the chalk board was mostly used years ago before technology and all you could do was write or draw and then erase.  With a smart board, students can draw, type, write, calculate, read from, choose colors, choose shapes, and so on and so forth.