Technology on the Educational Performance and Behavior

¶ … technology on the educational performance and behavior of elementary age students. It analyzes how technology motivates children to learn in general, the effects of technology in the classroom on children's interest in the curricula, and how computer activities might improve students' attention spans.

A review of relevant literature on this topic helps establish the context for understanding the main questions. However, since much of the technology used in elementary schools is relatively new, or newly available, current research will be valuable to ascertain how new technological inventions can help or hinder student academic growth. In addition, much of the previous research focuses on older children, rather than on elementary school children.

The research methods employ both quantitative tests and qualitative interviews to gather data from three schools (two public and one private) in the same geographical area, with teachers of similar backgrounds. Through formal and informal interviews of teachers, parents, and students in the sample schools, the study aims to ascertain how and whether students benefit from certain forms of educational technology, and which approaches for incorporating technology keep students most engaged and motivated.

The study indicates certain recommended strategies and strategies to avoid when incorporating technology into elementary classroom lessons. These strategies stem from classroom observations and from interviews, and are intended to assist elementary school teachers with lesson planning and implementation.

Conclusion

I expect that my research will show that many, if not most, students become more interested in the curricula through the use of technology in the classroom, and that certain tools and activities increase their understanding of core content concepts.

I may also find that some students will not respond to technology as much, depending on their dominant intelligences. For example, students who are more kinesthetic and interpersonal may not enjoy or be motivated as much by technological classroom tools as those with dominant visual and linguistic, or even mathematical intelligences. On the other hand, an introverted student who has dominant intrapersonal intelligence may be able to make a presentation of content more easily on a computer than he or she would orally and without technology support.

In addition, I expect to find that the perspectives of younger children regarding technology will match those of their parents, whereas the perspectives of the older children in the group will be more independent from those of their parents. I also expect to find a correlation between children who use computers and other technology at home, and their ease with or motivation as a result of technology use at school.

I also expect to find that the response of children to technology in the classroom will depend on the way that lessons are presented by the teacher, and whether the accompanying activities are meaningful to students -- a teacher can incorporate all the technology available and still not capture the interest and attention of his or her students if activities are not meaningful and developmentally appropriate. Students could also respond negatively to technology integration if it is used too often: if every other lesson involves the use of a technological tool, students might crave more activities that do not incorporate these tools.

Optimally, I hope to find patterns in instruction and response that will lead to a new understanding of how to approach the use of technology, and the teaching of skills associated with technology. I anticipate that I will observe teachers teaching some particularly dynamic lessons using technology, and that I will be able to analyze these lessons and extract the key elements that make them engaging and motivating for students. I also anticipate that I will witness some lessons that are not as engaging, and I will analyze them in order to compile a list of strategies that are not recommended.

I expect that my discussions with parents will lead me to some strategies that teachers might be unaware of. Just as I learned from my own child about what motivates him and helps him learn, I hope to learn from other parents how they help their children at home using technology. I will also ask parents about any differences in behavior and academic performance as a result of the use of technology in school.

One of the great aspects of interviewing children is that they are usually very forthright and honest. I expect that my interviews with students will reveal what they really like and dislike about the use of technology in the classroom, and that they will be able to express what motivates them and which tools and activities have helped them do better in school.

I am excited about the prospect of developing a set of strategies for teachers. My hope is that elementary school teachers will use these strategies to find a balance for when to use and when not to use technology in the classroom, and that they will be able to structure technology into their classrooms more easily. I think that it will help teachers understand the specifics of how, why, and when students can be motivated by technology, and how teachers can use this knowledge to optimize their curricula. In this way, more teachers can become consciously competent regarding their use of technology.