With the advent of cell phones, the Internet, MP3 players, DVDs, and more, what should be used in the classroom, and what should be left at the schoolhouse door? Many school administrators, teachers, and parents are pondering this question these days. Like many other complex conundrums, there is no easy answer. There are clear advantages and disadvantages to using new media in the classroom.
If you are a parent, it is up to you to say how much new media should be used in your child’s classroom. The prevalence of both benefits and disadvantages warrants finding the right balance of media in the context of learning.
This video discusses the pros and cons of using technology in the classroom.
Learning Advantages of New Media
Less than 30 years ago, fewer than half the households in the United States owned a personal computer, and the Internet was still primarily used by scientists to share information.
Today, the “new media” of learning has leaped off the pages of books and onto the web pages online. For example, volumes of encyclopedias are becoming more obsolete, as this knowledge is easily accessible through the internet and CD-ROMs. Elementary school children are learning to use new media more fluently than their parents, with applications ranging from PowerPoint to Excel. Subsequently, with the potential for learning enclosed in new media, these technologies have found a place in the classroom. While some may
