Technology and Education

Technology in Education

Since the introduction of computers, technology has slowly been working it’s way into the classroom. Many years ago it was hard to adjust to them, but now, I’m not sure whether or not most teachers and students could function without them. All levels of education all around the country have been implementing more and more technology use.  This blog entry will analyze how the media has been covering the use of technology in the classroom.

For the most part, the media has really been covering what kind of an effect new technologies are having on education: Is it positive or negative? Along with that there is a lot of coverage about what is being done with technology in the classroom and where the support for technology in the classroom is coming from. 

In a March 8th article written by Lesa Jansen of CNN,  it’s evident to see that technology has had a very positive effect on students and their education. TechBoston, which is located in a heavily populated, low income region of Boston received a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation when it opened and showcases several forms of technology in the classroom. 

Its mission is to better educate kids using technology as an integral part of that education. Every student enrolling at TechBoston receives his or her own laptop. Forget chalkboards, each classroom has its own SMART board, a high tech, interactive white board.

The article also reported that  95% of the student consistently get accepted into college.

On March 9th, Deborah Becker of WBUR radio of Boston also reported on the positive effect TechBoston is experiencing with it’s students. However, her report was geared more toward  President Obama and his  push for technology in the classroom. The article described that President Obama will proposing a $90 million grant program to get technologies in the classroom and in turn improve education.

President Obama visiting TechBoston.

The San Fransisco Chronicle wrote on March 10th about some other organizations jumping on the bandwagon in support of technology in the classroom.  This article explained how AMX, an organization that helps organizations to use technology effectively,  has partnered with Consortium of School Networking. Together they are hoping to help education leaders address the key challenges that may be arising with the use of so much technology in the classroom.

To end, I have added a video that outlines some of the very positive effects teachers are feeling technology is having within the classroom.

The iPad 2

After a long wait, it's almost here; the new Apple iPad! This new and updated version is supposed to be better than ever! During the months before it's release date (March, 11th) the media has been keeping us pacified with several updates about what was to come. This blog entry will cover the overall media coverage before and after the announcement of this fresh, modern gadget.

The New York Times has been very active in the buzz about the iPad 2. Several bloggers among the technology section of this news source have been actively writing about what to expect from this fresh gadget. On March 1st,2011 New York Times blogger Nick Bilton wrote about what we might be able to expect for looks. The article, "What will the iPad 2 look like?", highlighted possible features such as two built in cameras with outstanding capabilities, larger built in speakers for better listening, and finally the gadget is expected to be thinner and even lighter than the first iPad.

On the morning of March 2nd, the day of the Apple announcement, the Chicago Sun Times wrote an article that featured the opinions of technology columnist Andy Ihnatko and that also explored several other rumors of the iPad 2. Some of the rumors included that the iPad 2 might include an SD card slot, dual core chipset for enhanced speed, a smudge resistant screen, and a smaller 7 inch version of the iPad.

Apple announced the iPad 2 at a press event in San Fransico. Several news sources including The New York Times, Chicago Sun Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times took part in live blogging. These live blogs kept readers up to date minute by minute during this announcement.

Los Angeles Times technology reporter David Sarno started blogging this March 2nd announcement event at 9:38 am. He continued blogging and revealing announcements to listeners until 11:18 am. Every minor and major update was recorded to expand the news that was disclosed at this announcement. Viewers were able to put rumors to rest immediately and find out what really was in store for the iPad 2. Some of his updates included that the iPad 2 would have an A5 chip with a CPU that makes it twice as fast, and that it would also have the predicted front and rear cameras.

Below is a video from Apple that walks through all the new features of the iPad 2. So now you can check it out for yourself and decide whether it was worth all the hype.