Technological advances in education have been many over the last 50 years. As we look back just 20 years ago, computers were not common place inside the classroom let alone in the household. Imagine what students thought about using a word processor versus electric typewriter word processors or even using the archaic manual typewriter. In contrast, today’s students and children are considered "digital natives". According to Wikipedia, digital natives are described as having grown up with digital technology such as the internet, computers, cell phones and MP3 players. Having a computer in every household as well as every school has exponentially increased student’s awareness of technology and also broadened their horizons about the global economy. Students today use cell phones that can do almost anything imaginable such as getting real time updates on their bank accounts, download information off the internet, watch TV or even make a movie! Imagine going through our everyday life without the aid of a computer, it could be exhilarating and yet also cumbersome to juggle daily duties. 

                   Today, technology reaches well beyond the classroom to serve the needs of learners with disabilities, rural inaccessibility or being home schooled have more options open to them to learn and investigate. Through internet connection students and teachers have a portal and connection to every part of the world. Computers can open pathways that stimulate learning and help develop high order thinking skills, when technology is applied in a meaningful manner. Histories of technological developments have often shown links between innovations in industry and communications with improvements in educational methods. The proliferation and success of web based curriculum at all levels of education is just the latest example of the importance of technology to both students and teachers. The greater the reach of educational programs to a growing population of students via the internet continues to challenge educators, not only by adapting the latest technological enhancements in the traditional classroom to "distance learners", but also to discover additional ways for improving those students educational experience overall.

                   We live in a “high-tech” world and our students need to be trained in using technology to insure that they will be given all the tools necessary to successfully compete in this “high-tech” society and job market.   We must understand that technology is constantly changing and we must be prepared to evolve our educational technology practices when we find a better and more efficient way of educating both our teachers and students. 

                 I strongly believe that technology should be used as a teaching and learning tool in helping both students and teachers achieve higher levels of success in and out of the classroom.  

                      Technology is all around us, everywhere you look, and anywhere you go.   I believe if something is as prevalent in our daily lives as is technology, we need to look into ways in which we can incorporate it into our teaching and learning if it can be effectively done.   Teachers, students, administrators, parents and community members are bombarded with technology and as hard as one may try; technology is here to stay and we need to learn to make it work to our advantage and benefit.

                 Technology can have an extremely positive impact on teaching and student learning and should be used in our classrooms as a tool to improve both teaching and learning.  To ensure that this positive impact of technology is the rule rather than the exception one needs to become familiar with current research on how to use technology in a manner that promotes higher levels of success.   It is also important to keep in mind that students are not going to be students forever.  Our goal as teachers is to prepare them for the “real world” by providing the skills needed to successfully compete in an ever-changing job force and integrating technology into our curriculum is a huge step in accomplishing that very task.  If we really want our students to compete, we need to use technology in a way that meets our goals, increases learning, and helps move all students forward.