We Need TLC (Technological Learning Centers)

My classroom and students need laptops as well as Chromebooks in my Science/STEM class because using technology in the classroom will help prepare them for the digital future. Technology changes by the minute, and as educators we need to keep up with the times in order to best prepare our students for this ever-changing world that we live in. To thrive in the 21st century workplace, students need to have more than a working knowledge of certain technological tools (electronic calendars, web pages, teleconferencing, electronic whiteboards, etc.). No two students learn the same way, but with technology educators can address diversity in learning styles. A social feedback tool helps instructors discover which teaching styles work best by identifying student needs based on real-time feedback. Also important is the fact that budget cuts often prevent students from taking fieldtrips. Technology allows educators to remove the physical barriers of the classroom, offering students a way to connect curriculum with the real world. With social media sites galore, most students are already digital citizens. However, by incorporating technology into the classroom students can begin to learn how to be responsible in the digital world. The classroom becomes a microcosm of the larger digital landscape where students can practice how to communicate, search, and engage with other digital citizens. Within the classroom, technology will make learning more fun and interesting. Teaching methods such as game-based learning (GBL) allows instructors to deliver lesson via interactive games.