Does Technology Improve Student Success?

As technology makes advances worldwide many upgrades in hardware and software are introduced into our classrooms across the United States. These advances bring many promises of unique, fun, challenging, and educational forms of learning. Some of this learning takes place through experimentation, such as through virtual labs in our science classrooms; other forms of learning may take place through guided practice and revision processes, such as writing software in the English and Language Arts classrooms. Whatever the subject and choices of hardware and software, the advances in technology are having an impact on student participation and success throughout our school campuses.

High School Curriculum via Technology

Focusing in on high school curriculum and technology, many high schools and their districts are looking towards hardware and software advances in education materials to help improve student participation and success in a broad range of subjects. Although some educators have been discouraged by the lack of quality in technology based materials in the past, a peek over the horizon gives us a glance at materials that are deserving of a second look. For example, virtual science labs are being offered through hardware and software advances. In other subjects, such as history and sociology, virtual worlds are offered via video games and simulation software packages.

Virtual Learning

What are “virtual labs” and “virtual worlds” and how are they being implemented in our classrooms? Virtual labs and worlds are created via the use of technology. Whether using video games or computer software; virtual labs or virtual worlds are created to allow students to experience real life situations in classroom or lab environments. These experiences are created and used as training measures in other specialty areas such as our armed forces and the medical field. As reported in the NEA, Cindy Long points out “The U.S. military uses video games to train forces. Doctors use them to practice surgery” (2007, p.1). If these practices are used successfully in these fields, why not extend this into the classroom? According to Long, that is just where education is heading. “. . . education technology experts are encouraging teachers to play simulation-themed games in the classroom to help students think more critically. By building cities, empires, cultures-or even zoos-students enter virtual worlds where they must rely on creative problem-solving and analytical skills” (2007, p.1). The use of virtual software has allowed educators to teach kids subject matter in a manner that students find engaging while providing them an experience as life-like as one can afford.

The video culture today has a huge impact on our students. Wherever they are, the influence of video technology is present. From television to video games, kids spend quite a bit of their free time entertaining themselves via technology. Therefore, it only makes sense to engage students with learning measures that share similar tools. This is why virtual technology is an important tool for use in our classrooms.

Virtual Science Labs Cost-Effective

As many schools and districts struggle with meeting funding needs of their science labs, other schools are installing virtual labs. Students are able to complete dissections and other pricey experiments using technology that allows them to perform these tasks in a virtual and cost-effective lab. As Sam Dillon, a writer for the New York Times describes this resource, “Virtual chemistry labs and other online simulations, like the ones that let students dissect virtual frogs or pigs, have become widely used science teaching tools. They allow students to perform experiments that would be too costly or dangerous to do at their local high schools” (2007, p.1).

While virtual labs and worlds are tools that are being encouraged by some districts they are tools that are to be used to supplement student learning and should not entirely replace real-life experiences when these experiences are feasible and affordable.

Technology and Student Assessment Measures

Other advances in technology are those that have changed the way teachers use software for student evaluation. There is a drive in the software industry to create student assessment measures that are more user-friendly and are available for both teacher evaluation and student self-evaluation and revision processes. One example of this type of software is a writing program provided by the ETS under its Criterion Online Writing Evaluation Service. In an article for Information Today, Inc., Charles Doe (2007) writes “The program is especially effective because students can submit an essay, get feedback, improve the essay, submit it again, and then start the process all over with a new topic” (p.1). This particular program requires students to sign up for a subscription through the ETS. Some sites, like ETS provide a service for a subscription fee. However ETS is not the only provider of software for this purpose. Teachers will find a varying array of software that supports their particular subject areas and in time, this variety will grow, along with the software’s capabilities.