Integrating technology into the classroom and teaching allows teachers to deliver the content for their subject in more creative and engaging ways than previously possible, such as giving students a virtual tour of a data centre, something which would not have been possibly to do in person. Another example is virtual excursions to places such as Antarctica, Rome and Pompeii. These experiences help to engage students by providing real life examples of what they’ve been learning in the classroom (Tuthill & Klemm, 2002, p. 453).
I see BYOD as being a challenge to the successful integration of technology in the classroom, as the teacher now has to ensure their lesson will work across multiple devices, platforms and configurations. This extra demand on the teacher could encourage some teachers to abandon technology integration as they may see this extra work not worth it, despite the rewards for students.
A benefit for technology integration is allowing students the opportunity to explore what other features their device may be capable of other than playing games and surfing the internet eg. Some students may not have otherwise explored the video editing software on their device, unless required to by their class teacher.
Utilising these new features, the students will be able to find new ways to creatively present their work, collaborate with their friends and engage in their learning.
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