Whether you grew up with chalkboards, whiteboards or smartboards, you’ve seen it clearly: Classroom technology is constantly evolving. With growing access and increased funding, many schools today are equipped to provide each student with a device, marking a major shift in education.
Technology by age group
New York Times
Ideally, technology evolves with students’ progress through their education.
Elementary students often use tablets or touchscreen laptops to build foundational skills in math, reading and digital literacy. Throughout middle school and high school, students typically use Chromebooks, primarily for online, cloud-based tasks. However, this can vary from school to school. For example, all students K-12 at New Albany-Plain Local Schools use iPads.
These devices allow students to learn how to research, type efficiently and collaborate with others. They also foster a sense of personal responsibility, as many students keep their devices until graduation, with older students allowed to take devices home over summer break.
Is classroom technology safe?
Schools can restrict certain services, such as access to websites and apps, on their student devices. Student logins are often restricted accounts with limited access to school-approved platforms, so students have limited access when they’re using their devices both in and out of school. Device monitoring software such as GoGuardian also allows teachers and IT staff to view students’ screens, push messages or lock devices during tests.
Schools have data privacy policies in place to comply with laws such as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), through which websites and apps knowingly marketing to younger children must first obtain consent from a parent or guardian.
While most districts implement a variety of safeguards, depending on the depth of restrictions, students may be able to get around them via virtual private networks (VPNs). Additionally, some schools only have network-based content restrictions, which means that when students are not on a district’s Wi-Fi network, the restrictions no longer apply.
1:1 Tech Rate
Many school districts across the U.S. now operate under 1:1 technology programs, meaning each student has access to their own device during the school day – as well as, sometimes, at home. This shift accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 1:1 technology programs make it easier for students to experience personalized learning and equal access to technology, making it more efficient for teachers to assign, collect and grade work.
Elise Conrad is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
