The Power of Technology: What You Can Find to Motivate Students

  

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I’ve mentioned in the past that my district has a limited amount of technology. While the administrators understand the value of integrating technology into the curriculum, the funding has not been available for such updates. Despite the minimal amount of technology available, we have been able to implement a few technology-based programs in Language Arts and Mathematics. Just this year, we began using an online program that enables students to practice math skills and play games when they are successful. The program has been well-received by teachers and students because the students enjoy working towards the goal of playing a game, and from the teachers’ perspective, the games are so short that they don’t take away from instructional time.

While this level of technology integration is minimal, it is a step forward for our district. It has helped our staff understand that games and other fun activities can motivate students to willingly practice skills until mastery. As a district, I am hoping we can use the success of such programs to slowly integrate similar programs for a larger breadth of subjects and grade levels. Students are so stimulated by technology in their daily lives, so it seems natural that their education would also be infiltrated with technology. Most students as young as Kindergarten are more comfortable managing technology than some adults. So, it’s important that parents and teachers let go of their fears about technology and recognize the benefits that such tools have for children.

For schools that are low on technology funds, there are options. Programs are available in a range of prices. Because the “printing” cost of web-based programs is lower than print programs, companies are often able to offer them at a low cost to customers. Also, keep in mind that there are some no-fee programs available. Be careful, though, some of these programs inundate users (kids) with ads and pop-ups, so be sure you screen them before permitting students to use them. So go ahead, start looking into educational technology programs. I bet you’ll find some tools that motivate students and inspire teachers to change the way they think about educational games.

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