Option 2: In today’s society, technology is the most important and fastest growing industry. It touches all aspects of our lives, including teaching and education. Therefore, skills taught in the last generation, even in the last decade, have drastically changed. In the last decade, technology has entered the classroom mainly through the Internet, which allows teachers the opportunity to give their students immediate access to the world. Presentation of information has changed immensely, such as document or desktop cameras, SMARTBoards, Airliner wireless tablets, and Senteo student response systems.
During the past two centuries, the basic format of education consisted of content lectures and learning through rote memorization. This form of education was standard until recently when technology blindsided the traditional market, thus becoming the new standard. Classroom instruction needs to change otherwise students will end up knowing more than their teachers in terms of technology.
One hundred years ago, the focus of teaching was not on global awareness, as it is now; however, it was more realistic to their time period and environment. Thirty years ago, the new technologies included slide projectors and tape recorders and these were of very poor quality compared to recent counterparts. Today, students are discovering they are not as isolated as in prior decades, but are very much on the forefront of globalization. Along with global awareness, these latest generations of students have to deal with intricate thinking and real-world problem-solving skills, which are necessary to compete worldwide. The students of today face fewer limitations involving their aspirations and ambitions.
Technology is the hot topic of our time but eventually, like lecture and memorization, will be ousted by a new facet of teaching. However, I do not feel technology will fully be eliminated because it is a powerful tool and important to the new world order.