Technology Meets Educational Challenges

Technology is a tool used to enhance education. It creates interesting activities to make learning attractive to all students. Through state learning objectives, teachers are being held accountable for the implementation of a variety of technological programs and teaching the skills needed for updated programs and machinery. Students must be prepared for future technological advances in education, which will take place in the future.

There is no dispute that many American students have not gained the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in college and the job force. In Using Technology toMeet the Challenges of Educating Migrant Students (2001), Mary Brown discusses three different projects developed to help meet the educational needs of migrant students.

Projects are being initiated to enhance all students learning. The discontinuous learning in migrant education is always a challenge. There is research that states when a student moves once in a 12 year period they are not likely to graduate from school. One project initiated to help with this is called The Anchor School Project. Technology is used "to help provide some continuity for migrant students and their families" (2001). Families participating in the project receive laptop computers. Parents learn to use the computers. This is necessary to help their children keep up with their studies. As families move between states Anchor staff goes into the school system and ready a mobile network to help the students connect to the internet. This program also helps provide services for the families such as after-school programs and obtaining their GED.

There are other challenges needing to be addressed for migrant students to achieve. An issue is that of attending two different schools within a year. Different districts require dissimilar course work, assessment, and requirements for graduation. Another challenge is the fact students work to help their family budget. Many migrant students do not know about educational and career opportunities. These challenges among others need to be met for students to succeed.

Another program mentioned is called ESTRELLA, which also provides students with laptop computers. It provides "professional development for teachers working with participating students to further their own technological skills" (2001). Because students migrate between states there is coordination to make sure continuous instruction. After parents and students agree to participate, the family gets a laptop and both parties go to training for the computer, and e-mail capabilities. Increased collaboration between home base and receiving state teachers; and even more opportunities for parents to learn to use the laptop and become full partners in their children's education (2001).

These are only two projects among many to help migrant students. Unlike generations before, today's students do not know life without technology. Ranging from entertainment devices like DVD players to computer driven games, and electronic toys, these have made student into promising users of technology. A popular program is PowerPoint which can be used across the curriculum. It can be used to present information to the students or have the students do the presentations themselves. Graphic organizers can be used in reading and writing. The internet can be used to have intercontinental pen pals through e-mail. To help migrant students demonstrate their knowledge, they can create an electronic portfolio, put it on a disk, and hand it to the new teacher. Over the next few years, a goal is to raise the rate of migrant students' graduation numbers. A student's motivation and engaged active learning has been enhanced through technology.Reference List

Brown, Mary. (2001). Using Technology to Meet the Challenges of Educating Students.

Education World. Retrieved on November 9, 2004 from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech085.shtml