The emerging technologies that have recently come onto the scene in our society hold great promise for use within the classroom. Specifically, tablets enable students to access vast information and means of communication while also interacting with other students in the physical classroom at the same time.
Most importantly, the benefit of new technology is the possibility to increase understanding of the content through new ways of interacting with the material and inventive forms of communication. For example, I envision the use of Social Media in connecting with a historical event such as the American Revolution. One group of students could take on the the personalities of the Revolutionaries (George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin), and the other would be the British (the King, members of Parliament, loyalists, etc). As we go through the events in the semester, the students could be tweeting as the historical figures, and then responding to each other. They will then be able to envision how the historical figures' views evolved and changed due to new events and other actor's words and actions.
Creative license will be given to the students, but the main occurrences need to be factually correct. Students will take ownership of their learning experience, and more deeply absorb the information leading to greater comprehension and retention. Technology is great, but we need to keep in mind that the new tools are just one part of the overall learning experience, and not the solution itself. It is our responsibilities as educators to equip our students with the strategies necessary to use the technology in the most effective way possible.
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