Technology in High Schools

Technology in high schools now is much different than it was 10 years ago. Once a student enters high school a lot is expected from them, the reason being high school studies and performance will decide the future and career of the student. It would not be an overemphasis to say that high school is the ladder to a student's success and future.

Besides the students who have to study, equal pressure is on the teaching staff as well. Here comes the role of technology that can act as a stress buster for both the students as well as the teachers.

Just like students are under paramount stress, teachers also face abundant pressure to prepare students for college admissions and entrance exams. Everyone wants to achieve high goals and this achievement can be improved by use of robust technology in high schools.

As soon as the student enters high school, they have to appear for all kind of tests that means every teaching pattern here revolves around test success. The question, which bothers many of the parents of such students - which pattern, is more beneficial - technology infused lessons or traditionally taught curriculum?

In high schools, technology is still under developed compared to colleges. But still use of technology is gaining steam. For teaching, blackboards as well as white boards and smart boards are used depending upon the geographic location. But PowerPoint and OHP also supplement them.

Students like it and the teachers can grab their attention and keep it using this technology. For example, it is so easy to display maps and other charts on projectors using the new high school technology.

Some teachers do argue that it is difficult to implement technology in high schools, where there is already a tremendous pressure to push for entrance exams and they feel that implementation of high tech is disruptive. At the same time there are others who think just opposite.

In high schools computers are basically used for word processing and research. The usage of computers in the school would depend upon teacher's technology interest and skills. Use of computers and laptops can be justified in various ways. First, it is era of Gen Y, so many students want to use computers not just for note taking but for everything, such as social media. Second, use of technology can improve the skills, which are needed for entrance tests.

The key to success in these tests is that a student should have the knowledge beyond the regular syllabus and this can be acquired by the use of technology as it facilitates creative and new thinking in the students and keeps their knowledge updated. Technology has given them the freedom of real-time learning.

Technology in high schools does not stop at OHP and PowerPoint but goes much beyond it, for example note taking software, online quiz, online database, blogging, online classes and for those with reading or writing disabilities an application such as Dragon Naturally Speaking can work wonders.

Thus at the high school level technology can influence every aspect of teaching from curriculum based software in the classes to specialized applications for extracurricular activities. This integrated technology does bring positive changes in school environment.