4 Innovative Ways Technology Has Changed K-12 Education
|
Posted By: Anica Oaks on December 05, 2017 One of the areas where technology has always held great promise is in education. Teachers and parents have always been enthusiastic about the potential for fast-moving progress among students interested in math and science, but technology is more than just numbers. People are making great advancements across the educational spectrum, and those advances are not just limited to standard technologies like the web and mobile devices. The most powerful feature of educational technology is its ability to build upon itself. The more students learn about the tools made available to them, the more likely they are to improve and expand upon those tools and then make their progress available to the next class. This is the primary means by which education works in the first place, and it is an exciting way for both teachers and students to participate in the gradual march of knowledge. Here are some ways technology is having a practical effect in the K-12 classroom. Search It goes without saying that any child who has started school in the last 15-20 years knows how to use a search engine. This technology alone is likely responsible for a massive surge in general knowledge among students who otherwise simply wouldn’t have access to the information they can find in a web search. Granted, students should still learn how to use and learn from standard reference sources, but instant access to generalized and specialized information through an easy-to-use interface does more than just provide citations for book reports. Information inspires curiosity, which is one of the pillars of a quality education. A student who is not curious will more often than not view “book learning” as a chore rather than an opportunity.If it is nothing else, search technology is a curiosity engine, especially for younger students. Wikipedia The world’s largest encyclopedia is a click away from any classroom on Earth.While having such voluminous information available in a form that can be freely used for nearly any academic purpose is an accomplishment worthy of Alexandria’s legacy, one of the key features of any wiki is the ability for individuals to contribute to its completion. Wikipedia is available to both home school and public school students, and is often used as a staple source for organizations like Connections Academy that provide remote educational opportunities for traditional K-12 and homeschool students. This kind of participatory involvement is another of the major pillars of the classic liberal arts education that gave rise to nearly all human advancement after the Renaissance. Combined with a healthy curiosity for specialized subject matter, participatory learning gradually conveys the authority to teach to a student, and there can be no doubt any teacher would wish nothing else than for his or her students to become so proficient at their subject they could pass on their knowledge to others. Open Source Software Alongside Wikipedia sits GNU and the Linux operating system, which is yet another of humanity’s greatest accomplishments. Any scientifically or mathematically minded teacher should avail themselves of what is available to them and their entire school at no cost. The GNU project and the Linux operating system combine to form a publicly-licensed, community-developed set of PC, mobile and microprocessor technologies that contain the El Dorado of educational resources for any classroom that teaches math, science, computers, radio communications, digital art, digital audio, 3D design and modeling, robotics, programming, web development, network technologies or digital publishing.There are already classrooms making use of the some 20,000 applications contained in the GNU and Linux projects, and their students are getting an opportunity to learn from the very same developers that helped build Bell Labs, IBM, Sun Microsystems, Oracle and dozens of other technology enterprises. They do so by simply studying and using the software those men and women developed. The number of students interested in technology and programming in particular speaks for itself. The Electronic Book The digital publishing revolution is still in its infancy, but its promise has already found its way to the classroom. There is no longer any reason for students to carry enormous printed books from place to place. For the cost of dinner for four, a student can be equipped with a device that can not only carry thousands of books, but also provide them with Internet access, the ability to play music, play audio lectures and video lectures and store huge amounts of notes and classroom materials. The more one examines the educational world, the more one realizes we haven’t begun to tap the true potential of technology. There are numerous other examples of the rapid advance of technology in schools. The future is likely to bring even more exciting examples.If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
 |
Anica Oaks
Freelance Writer, Freelance University of San Francisco class of 2012 Member Since November 2016 |
Comments
More From This Author
Latest Blogs
 |
S.P.I.T. Spoken Poets InTellectualizing™ Honoring Nikki! -Call for Submissions-S.P.I.T. Spoken Poets InTellectualizing™ Honoring Nikki!
-Call for Submissions-
Gumbo for the Soul Publications is in the process of developing our first “strictly poetry” publication by the vision ...more
Beverly Johnson • 16 Views • February 1st, 2026 |
 |
JCSU Unique Courses “ LACTATION CONSULTANT TRAINING PROGRAM (CERTIFICATE)”The LCTP is a comprehensive, CAAHEP accredited Pathway 2 training program administered through the College of Business and Professional Studies Health and Human Performance Department at Johnson C. Sm ...more
How May I Help You NC • 62 Views • January 29th, 2026 |
 |
Nation’s Oldest HBCU Football Rivalry Returns in 2026 with 102nd Turkey Day ClassicThe nation’s oldest HBCU football rivalry will return to the field in November 2026 as Alabama State University and Tuskegee University face off in the 102nd Turkey Day Classic. The historic Thanksgiv ...more
Reginald Culpepper • 165 Views • January 28th, 2026 |
 |
🔋🪫🔋🪫🔋🔋🔋Gifts to recharge my BatteryREADY TO EXPERIENCE A MAYWEATHER WORKOUT? TRY IT FOR FREE
Some time is all that’s needed to get on the MAYWEATHER Fitness Treadmill
Have fun meet new friends get close to perfection https://may ...more
How May I Help You NC • 88 Views • January 27th, 2026 |
 |
Enjoy over 5,000 Free E-Cards!In HBCU communities, connection matters, and small gestures go a long way. That's why I offer 5,000 free eCards to help you stay connected and celebrate moments like thank yous, birthdays, and graduat ...more
Shykeria Lifleur • 85 Views • January 27th, 2026 |
Popular Blogs
 |
Divorce in America in 2009 – What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
Join Brother Marcus and the cast and the crew of the Brother Marcus Show live this Sunday evening on February 1, 2009 @ 8:00 p.m. for another hot topic in our community! “Divorce in America in 2009 ...more
Brother Marcus! • 70,795,078 Views • January 27th, 2009 |
 |
VISINE ALERT!!!Seemingly innocent medication such as Visine eyedrops are used by people to concoct a mixture with similar effects as a date-rape drug.
When mixed with alcohol and taken orally, the eyedrops can l ...more
Siebra Muhammad • 118,089 Views • May 23rd, 2009 |
 |
"Chain Hang Low" check out the real meaning of the Lyrics!Recently there is a new artist out of Saint Louis that goes by the name JIBBS. Jibbs debut single "Chain hang low" has a history that most people are not aware of. The particular nursery rhyme that th ...more
Tyhesha Judge-Fogle • 74,389 Views • November 9th, 2006 |
 |
HBCU Marketplace Gifts: Divine 9 Premium Fraternity / Sorority Playing CardsVendor: Charles Jones
Item Price: $20.00
Price Includes Shipping: Yes - Shipping Included
Item Description:
Pantheon Series - Divine 9 - Premium Playing Cards (choose Gold Series or Silve ...more
How May I Help You NC • 61,378 Views • December 2nd, 2018 |
