1. Smart Classrooms in Education By: Nicole Horner Kelsey Rich Maureen Lessman

2. Technology Debate The rise in the use of technology in classrooms has changed the environment students learn in both for the better and the worse. Those who support smart classrooms feel the Internet supplies additional valuable information while machines help classroom time run more efficiently and smoothly. Those who believe technological changes to the learning experience are not beneficial feel that teachers are being replaced while class time is being cut short with technical glitches and uninformed teachers. While creating many new opportunities to better the learning experience, smart classrooms have also brought many opportunities for disaster.

3. What is a smart classroom? Smart Classrooms are updated classrooms that contain machines and programs of new technology used to intensify the learning experience. Some of these modern tools are PowerPoint, laptops, Internet and Web, projectors and visualizers, microphones, and cameras. Most of the tools are used in the classroom during the lesson so what is taught can be heard and seen better. The Internet and Web can be used in the classroom to obtain helpful information or at home to attend online classes or do work outside of the classroom. Schools and universities usually provide their students with these instruments in the institution through taxes and budgets while individuals at home have to make the purchases themselves. Smart classrooms are intended to amplify education and prepare students for the future.

4. A typical smart classroom ^ Projector ^ A highly useful aspect of the Internet

5. Positives… The benefits with using these smart classrooms are immense, when used properly. The web creates unlimited access to classrooms and information. For example, students who partake in online classrooms may find themselves overcoming their shyness and participating in discussions while being able to attend the class when they are free. Students no longer revolve around their classes, but classes now cater to their specific schedule with intense flexibility. Visualizers and projectors show graphics on a larger scale while zooming in on small intricate details. Microphones and portable mice make it possible for professors to walk around the classrooms without trouble. Computers not only provide a more entertaining way of learning, but enable students to communicate with their peers across the world. Technology provides a chance at progressing the learning environment if taken advantage of.

6. Negatives… The problems with using technology in the classroom are that many teachers are unaware of how to use the machines or how to create lessons with all aspects of a program. When teachers do overcome this obstacle, some students refuse to take advantage by surfing the web, talking to friends online, cheating, or distracting themselves with the Internet. Many machines malfunction or break, needing technicians help or costly repairs. Assignments are known to be lost in the technical world and cannot be recovered. Some students complain of an online class as depressing due to its isolation, impersonal approach, and possible misunderstanding or miscommunication with the teacher. Since the technology is recent, those who have not grown up using it may have trouble adapting to the software’s operations. With all these problems, many people feel its better to use conservative teaching styles that have existed for many years.

7. You Decide… Modern students have the chance to use opportunities that new technological advances have given them to enhance their education. Whether or not they use these programs is dependent on the teacher and student. If the teacher is knowledgeable with the use of the machines and the student cooperates with the guidelines of that learning experience, then learning can become interesting, utilized to its fullest potential, and even fun! There’s no stopping the overwhelming increase in technology throughout the world. People can either develop their intellect taking advantage and being accustomed and familiar with these changes or are forced to struggle with them everyday as the rest of the world adapts regardless to them. You can either join the revolution or be left behind, you decide.