Noah Dorsett

English IV Honors

Mrs.Wilson

10/25/2017

Computers in the Educational Environment

Thesis: The technological tools of the computer and the smartphone provide a boost to learning

in the educational environment and prepare students for more complex problems in their adult

lives.

I. Background on Computers

A. First Computers

B. The Microprocessor

C. Modern Computers

II. How students use technology in an educational environment

A. Computers

B. Smartphones

III. The benefit of technology in the classroom

A. Learning

B. Communication

C. Electronic Items

D. Educational Support

E. Culture

IV. Problems with technology in the classroom

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Computers in the Educational Environment

In this modern age, computers are essential to the future success of the education

environment. Students use computers daily, whether that be at home or at school. They are an

integral part in our society, letting us communicate across large distances instantly and they

possess archives of knowledge that would span thousands of libraries. Technology is a miracle of

learning that should be brought into the classroom and used to facilitate higher learning of

students. The technological tools of the computer and the smartphone provide a boost to

advanced learning in the educational environment and prepare students for more complex

problems in their adult lives. It is imperative that we as a whole foster this growing phenomenon

of technology in the classrooms.

Computers were not always as they are today; over the years they have advanced leaps

and bounds in a relatively short amount of time. The first computers were actually incredibly

large calculators. One of the first computers was the Electronic Numerical Integrator Analyzer

and Computer which was, built at the University of Pennsylvania to do ballistics calculations

for the U.S. military during World War II. ENIAC cost $500,000, weighed 30 tons and took up

nearly 2,000 square feet of floor space (Invention of the PC). This computer was used for

advanced calculations; the ENIAC could do in minutes what would take humans a week.

Unfortunately, since computers like ENIAC were so large and expensive, only the wealthy elite

and military owned them. The military trusted these computers to have every calculation right

due to men and women's lives depending on those calculations. The ENIAC is a relic compared

to modern day smartphones, which could run laps around the ENIAC all because of a tiny yet

powerful device: the microprocessor.

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Computers have shrunk drastically in size since the ENIAC thanks to the invention of the

microprocessor. Without microprocessors, computers had to have separate circuits for each

function (Invention of the PC). Microprocessors are incredibly advanced compared to their

counterparts: according to the History.com article, Invention of the PC, Microprocessors were

the size of a thumbnail, and they could do things the integrated-circuit chips could not: They

could run the computers programs, remember information and manage data all by themselves.

(Invention of the PC). Without the microprocessor, there would be no smartphones or laptops.

The first microprocessor available to the public was Intels 4004, which had the same power as

ENIAC (Invention of the PC). With Intels release of the 4004, the popularity of computers

exploded, going from business and military use to what is now called the personal computer.

One of the main reasons the personal computer became so popular was because the parts were

relatively inexpensive and easy mass produce, making the computer space efficient and

inexpensive for the public. (Invention of the PC). (closing sentence)

Modern computers are incredibly advanced compared to the first computers and

microprocessors. Humans have progressed by leaps and bounds over the years in the technology

field, thanks to the evolution of computers. Modern computers can hold massive amounts of

data, with cloud capabilities, and speeds that would be unthinkable to scientists in the past.

Scientists and engineers can process incredible mathematical equations incredibly quickly,

without fear of error. Doctor Michio Kaku makes a point that sheds some light on how far we

have come. He explains that in comparison to technology in the past, Today, your cell phone

has more computer power than all of NASA back in 1969, when it placed astronauts on the

moon (qtd. in A Modern Smartphone or a Vintage Supercomputer: Which Is More

Powerful?). Consequently, in this age of cyber dominance, there are some drawbacks to
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technology, especially in the learning environment. With the increase of smart technology comes

smarter viruses, malware, and other harmful programs that an untrained student could and would

fall prey to. If technology is to be brought into schools, then proper training needs to be given to

the students to prepare them.

Computers are created to be used to help humans process information quickly, and the

same concept applies when they are in a school environment. Computers can give students

opportunities to view reading material at any time, or give teachers access to an unlimited supply

of worksheets and lessons. Not only will computers help students with basic subjects in school,

but they will also help them in their success later in life, as most jobs are implementing more

technology in their position. The students that use technology and are proficient with it will be

able to adjust to future technology in the workplace more effectively than students who did not.

Students who are geared toward technology will profit in the future, as explained by Kelly

Friedman, If students learn word processing skills and how to navigate computers and the

Internet early on, they will be prepared later in life to utilize computers for more complex

assignments. Computers grant access to the Internet, which hosts academic research and offers

educational support. Students can also communicate with professionals always across the world

from them, instantaneously. Students are no longer held back to their local communities and

workplaces for information; Students and teachers are now able to communicate with educators

and other students anywhere in the world easily and instantly. This new phenomenon opens up

opportunities for collaboration that did not previously exist. (Friedman). The potential for this is

unlimited. For example, high school students can get an personal lesson from a esteemed

professor, and not just read his words in a textbook. Not only is this collaboration for students

but also, Computers offer teachers the unique ability to collaborate with other educators and
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professionals opening up worlds of understanding to them and their students. (Friedman).

Computers may be used for educators to communicate with others in their field, share lesson

plans, and discuss problems. Computers add incredible potential and speed to the classroom,

letting teachers teach easier and quicker, with vast amounts information.

Smartphones in the education environment are the biggest point of controversy, with the

ability to use them at any time. A smartphone is similar to a computer, but mobile and with

stronger communication abilities. This means that they can be used in the classroom for things

like group note taking, group learning, and electronic activities. The app Evernote is a group note

taking app, used usually in the business environment. Jody Passanisi and her coworkers use it in

their workplace, We sat through a recent staff meeting with our smartphones in our hands. As

the presenter went through her deck, we took pictures of the slides with the Evernote app, adding

our own notes as we went along. The ability for students to take synchronized notes with other

students is incredibly powerful if used right. One student may pick up on something another did

not, or new ideas and discussions may happen over a certain fact. Students who missed school

could easily be synced up, they would just have to read over the notes. Jody Passanisi states that

smartphones are not the problem, but the educational community: It just happens that the

smartphone carries with it the burden of the education community's anxiety about technology.

The smartphone is the newest item on the market that carries with it the intelligence of a

computer, it is an unknown variable in the educational equation. Naturally, the educational

community is scared about the uses of this device, and excited about its uses for education.

In the learning environment, technology can be used to accelerate students learning by

providing more opportunities to discover various types of information. They can access different

types of educational material via web, smartphones, tablets, etc. Students can engage in creative
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activities easier as well through technology, without the need for a physical copy (Passanisi).

With the mobility of smartphones and power of computers, the uses are unlimited for student

learning. Papers could be sent instantaneously, teachers could have discussions from home, and

help students individually from the comfort of home. Students also gain access to quick and

unlimited communication, Students can connect with their teachers via text to clarify

assignments, video chat with teammates who may be in another class or absent from school, and

share ideas on Twitter and other social media. (Passanisi). If a student is absent from school,

can get sent the classroom notes from other students. If a student cannot show up to class, but

would be able to be present, they can use a video system like Skype to join the classroom

anyway. This would eliminate many absences in the school environment, and also keep students

kept up on their work. Electronic items like E-Books and online articles are also good in the

student environment, cutting costs and allowing students to do research independently. Most

importantly, students gain unlimited support, with online tutoring becoming more and more

available. Programs such as E-Mail and Skype allow students constant communication with their

instructors and counselors. Gaining the ability to get constant help whenever needed is a major

benefit to the student at teacher, raising test scores.

With the need of computers in modern day careers and home life, a technologically

illiterate person will struggle to succeed in applying for jobs and using computer skills in the

workplace. Not only are computers ingrained in modern life today, but also in modern culture,

signifying the millennial generation and young people in general. In a few years, the old

culture will be gone, and technology culture will be in. People who frequent technology and

are gifted in it will be ahead of those who are not. Effects of this are already seen in the modern

world, with senior citizens owning smartphones and fully embracing modern technology.
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Technology culture is extremely important, and denying a vital component of the modern

student's life to them in their education could have drastic results: two things are happening

simultaneously: culture is impacting technology, and technology is impacting culture. (Berset-

Price). As technology further impacts the world, there will be more and more of a need for

technology oriented people. As other countries speed forward with technology, we must fall in

line as well. Giving students time to adapt to technology and prepare to use it fluently is again

vital, as well as making sure educators are well versed in the tools of technology.

Although a student's technological prowess is important, problems can still arise from

more technology in the classroom such as cheating, abuse of social media, and other distractions.

A recent study has shown that students who use technology too much have lower test scores,

"Those that use the Internet every day do the worst," said Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director

for Education and Skills, and author of "Students, Computers and Learning: Making the

Connection," the OECD's first report to look at the digital skills of students around the world.

(Computer Use in School Doesn't Help Test Scores.). The worry was that if students copy and

paste, they would be more inclined to plagiarize in the future. If students were given only pre-fab

worksheets, they would not know how to think for themselves in the real world, or at college.

Students would want to look up the answer to every problem they run into, which is not viable in

the real world or a college environment. Voices in the study rallied against this statement,

however: "Lots of technological investments are not translating into immediate achievement

increases. If raising student achievement was as easy as giving every student a device, we would

have this solved. It's not easy," Friend added. (Computer Use in School Doesn't Help Test

Scores.). The argument stated that adding technology into schools and just walking away was

not the correct approach, it takes time. Teachers need to be trained for this different way to teach,
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and students need time to adapt to a more electronic classroom. Treating the situation as black

and white is not the correct way to go about fixing test scores in schools. Students need more

time to adapt to their schools changes, but parents do not want to sacrifice the time students

need. Another worry about technology in schools is social media, and it is a very strong deterrent

to technology in schools. If students are distracted when they should be learning, or asking their

friends for answers, or using apps like Snapchat or Twitter, then students will not be learning

what they should be learning. Cheating, social media, and not enough time could possibly deter a

school from bring more technology into a student's day to day life.

Lower test scores are a major fear in the educational environment and with multiple

studies showing that test scores do drop from increased online usage, tensions are high, but

US.News says we should differentiate between print and digital tests in these studies. Skills like

digital reading and computerized math are important subjects in modern days, and frequent

computer use familiarizes students with these skills, U.S. students, it turns out, are much better

at "digital reading" than they are at traditional print reading. The U.S. ranked among the group of

top performing nations in this category. In math, the U.S. was near the worldwide average on the

digital test, whereas it usually ranks below average on the print test. (Computer Use in School

Doesn't Help Test Scores.). With digitalized tests becoming more and more common in schools,

and digital skills becoming more common in the workplace, things are looking up for pro-

technology educators. However, opposition is still strong, Interestingly, there wasn't a positive

correlation between computer usage at school and performance on the digital tests. Some of the

highest scoring nations on the digital tests don't use computers very much at school.

(Computer Use in School Doesn't Help Test Scores.). Technology education is a dangerous

area for educators, students, and parents alike. The school system must take care of these
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problems quickly and efficiently to properly introduce technology into the educational

environment.

In regards to incorporating technology in the school environment, the pros greatly

outweigh the cons. Technology provides the ability to decrease costs, have more cooperation in

classes, gain unlimited educational support, and increase cultural stability for students. Teachers

also benefit by being able to communicate with their students or colleagues instantaneously.

There is, unfortunately, still strong opposition lurking out there with worries that students could

cheat or be distracted, and that a strong technological influence can ruin independent thought.

Tension runs thick amongst parents and educators due to the controversy. Parents and educators

alike would greatly benefit from understanding two concepts that would help tremendously with

incorporating more technology in the classroom successfully: time and patience. With all great

strides in education comes the need for the time and patience it takes to implement a lifestyle

change for educators and students. It is imperative that this issue is addressed to show opposition

that technology can better everyone involved. To affirm, the education system would benefit

enormously with more technology, potentially leading to stronger test scores and fewer in class

misunderstandings due to technology having the ability to help educators and students alike

stretch their knowledge to its limit. With technology growing stronger by the day it is proving

the need for shades: our future is bright!

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Works Cited

Berset-Price, Valerie. From Pop Culture to Global Culture: How Millennials and Technology

Are Influencing Our World. The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 9 Dec. 2015,

www.huffingtonpost.com/valerie-bersetprice/from-pop-culture-to-

globa_b_8765928.html.

Computer Use in School Doesn't Help Test Scores. USNews.com, U.S. News & World

Report L.P., 22 Sept. 2015, 8:30 a.m., www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/09/22/study-

students-who-use-computers-often-in-school-have-lower-test-scores.
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Friedman, Kelly. The Benefits of Computers In The Classroom. The Benefits of

Computers In The Classroom, PC Wholesale, 30 Dec. 2013, www.pc-

wholesale.com/articles-the-benefits-of-computers-in-the-classroom.html.

Invention of the PC. History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2011,

www.history.com/topic

s/inventions/invention-of-the-pc.

Passanisi, Jody. The Powerful Computer in Your Pocket: Using Smartphones in the

Classroom. Education Week Teacher, Editorial Projects in Education, 29 Apr. 2016,

www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2013/12/10/fp_passanisi_peters_smartphone.html.

A Modern Smartphone or a Vintage Supercomputer: Which Is More Powerful? Phone

Arena, PhoneArena, 14 June 2014, www.phonearena.com/news/A-modern-smartphone-

or-a-vintage-supercomputer-which-is-more-powerful_id57149. (qtd. in)