8 technology advancements

     I believe that the biggest advancement in technology that will greatly affect education in schools is 3-D printing. After going into the digital sandbox last week with the class and reading about it in chapter twelve I believe that it will change the way things are done not only in the younger grades but also in the upper grades. Being able to have kids learn about three dimensional shapes can be a hassle but if classrooms had 3-D printers then it would allow teachers to have their students get online and create cubes, cylinders, pyramids etc. that were perfect; rather than having them try and cut, fold and glue paper to make 3-D shapes. In older classrooms the teachers could have students create artifacts that they were talking about during their history lessons. the options with 3-D printing are endless.

     A future technology that I think would help class rooms would to have the tables of desks be a tablet that the teacher could control and monitor. Teachers would have to have control of them so that the students would not be on them all the time during class. Having the top of the desks be tablets would allow all students to have access to the internet without the class having to go to the library or having students take their phones out (not all students have phones).This would really allow the classroom to be very involved with technology because the internet would literally be right at their finger tips.

     The digital divide is something that is very prominent right now. It is the gap between those who have access and knowledge of technology and those who do not. If it is possible I believe I fall on both sides of the digital divide. I have access to the technology and i have access to learning about it but I do not utilize the access to knowledge of technology as much as I should. I struggle with the technology that I am given, but since I am given it I guess that I am on the side of this digital gap that has the technology and access even though I do not really know what to do with it. I believe that in my classroom the digital divide will be smaller than it is now. I won't be in the classroom for another three years so by then I believe many people will get on the side of the gap that has technology. I do not believe that the digital divide will be completely gone though. No matter how advanced we get with technology there will always be people who financially are unable to afford it. For students in my classroom who do not have the access to technology at home like the other students I will try and get them a tablet that they are able to check out and take home with them so that they are not put at a disadvantage compared to the other students.