Teachers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area are exploring the use of technology in their schools by students.  About 80 teachers from the school district spent six months researching and analyzing the use of electronic devices by students and how technology could best help their learning.  They presented their findings last month.

The hope was that by using teachers for this research, ways to incorporate technology so that it was the most beneficial for students would be a top priority, as opposed to simply how to use technology to teach.  I was impressed with their guiding question -- "What concepts and skills have historically been difficult to teach?"  They began there and built on how to use technology to assist teachers in areas they felt there was the most need.  For example, helping students learn math facts seems to be universally difficult.  These teachers discovered that using iPads for this purpose boosted scores significantly.  The students were engaged and learning, despite the "fun" aspect to it. 

Another teacher uses a tablet to record her students' fluency, allowing them to listen to themselves.  Their reading rates have improved.  There are many instances cited where students have been helped by technology.  While every school can't possibly supply every student with a personal iPad or laptop, we seem to be moving in that direction.  Technology is here to stay, so isn't it wise to use it to our advantage?

Read the entire article at http://www.twincities.com/education/ci_22743548/burnsville-eagan-savage-schools-teachers-assess-technologys-role