APBP Article Oasis

Can Our Schools Afford to Teach the Latest Technology

Technology, especially over the last two decades, has had a profound effect on almost every industry. When it comes to education, however, the effect has been muted by multiple factors, many of which stem from the availability of educational funding. From public elementary schools to state universities, the number of students is growing exponentially while the resources to educate them seem to be dwindling year after year. While higher education providers can raise tuition or divert funding to pay for the inclusion of technology, public schools are at the mercy of a predetermined budget that allows for little in the way of added expenditures.

For those who create the curriculum used to teach our nation’s students, the challenges are mounting. Curriculum and instruction master’s programs for educators preparing to go into education management are designed to help faculty create an inspiring environment conducive to learning. Unfortunately, they don’t cover budget stretching or fundraising, which some schools must resort to in order to keep their curriculum current.

At one time, having a computer center was a mark of advancement. Today, most schools are struggling to meet the demands of a student body who has grown up in the computer age and will rely on technology for their livelihoods. Educational technology and interactive learning are more important than ever, as it’s in the educational environment that students will first be introduced to technology as a source of information instead of a source of entertainment. Educators are not only fighting a losing battle to introduce technology to the classroom, but to impress upon students the importance of technology, which can be difficult when the resources students have in their own homes are far superior to those available at school.

The world wide web is a prime example of an area where a student’s early introduction can have a profound effect on their future. The internet is fast becoming the marketplace of the world, and if growth over the last decade is any indication of things to come, millions of students will be involved in internet based businesses in the near future. While the world wide web is certainly a source of commerce and expanding industry, the way in which students view the internet may determine their future in regard to what it has to offer.