This document discusses how technology is changing roles in the classroom. It notes that students are now teaching teachers about technological skills, as students are more tech-savvy. The roles of passive student and leading teacher are shifting, as students can now take a more active role in their learning through technology. Students are demonstrating technologies for teachers and helping them incorporate tools into lesson plans. As technology advances rapidly, some teachers struggle to keep up, causing a reversal of traditional roles where students now demonstrate technological proficiency to teachers.

1. Technology Effects
Classroom
Roles
By Carlie Taylor

2. MENU
• Teacher-Student Roles
• Students Teach
• Reverse Roles
• References
• Conclusion

3. Teacher-Student Roles
I took this opportunity to look up information on how
classrooms were changing because of technology. I
found a few interesting articles that focused on the
idea that the roles of students and teachers were
changing. Many older teachers aren’t tech-savvy and
students are teaching teachers their technological
skills. When students use technology to communicate,
an active role is being set into place for kids. With
technology, the old passive school system is being
thrown out the window. Students are involved and
actively thinking about the information being
presented to them.

4. Teacher-Student Roles
Students can be actively making
choices and executing skills by
using technology rather than
passively sitting in a teacher-lead
lesson. Because technology is
rapidly making its way into
classrooms, the teacher’s role
changes. Teachers are no longer
the center of attention during the
lesson. Rather, they are a
support system and suggest ideas
to students. Technology in the
classroom allows students to
work in teams and build
cooperative learning through
project-based work.

5. Teacher-Student Roles
I found this article to be very interesting. I never
thought of the many effects technology would have on
teacher’s roles in the classroom. “When technology is
used as a tool to support students in performing
authentic tasks, the students are in the position of
defining their goals, making design decisions, and
evaluating their progress.” Technology in the
classroom can make students more independent with
their work. They can make decisions and design their
own education. (The Office of Educational Research
and Improvement U.S. Department of Education).

6. Students Teach
This article talked about the Generation WWW. Y
program. This program is a group of students
who help educate teachers about technology.
They show them the best ways technology can
help with their lesson plans. Most people who
sign up for a teacher education course most likely
did not grow up with technology. The best
people to teach them this new technology are
those students who are growing up with advance
technology.

7. Students Teach
In this article, MIT (Masters
in Technology) college
students meet with middle
school students. Here, they
explore technology together
The young students
demonstrate technology
tools and answer questions
from the college students
about kids, teaching, and
learning. (Sara Armstrong).

8. Students Teach
This article was great because it showed how
much kids know and already understand
about technology. Like the first article, this
article proves we can use students to teach us
about technology. “Students are helping
educators learn how students learn and how
to incorporate technology into the lesson
plan.”

9. Reverse Roles
With all the new technologies, students are
eager to use them in the classroom, but teachers
are falling behind in technical education. Because
of lack of training, teachers are struggling to cope
with the demands for new technology that
challenges student intellect in the classroom.
Students are more comfortable with alternative
deliver methods including turning assignments in
through e-mail, tests online, and podcasts of
lectures.

10. Reverse Roles
Technology is taking
over, which is good for
tech-savvy teachers, but
not for those a little
behind the times.
Classrooms no longer
contain just books and
paper—computers and
technology have become
major component in
education today.
(Heather Johnson)

11. Reverse Roles
I agree that technology is definitely making a
change in the classroom and many teachers are
falling behind the times. I like this article because
it talked about the needs of students and their
demand for technology in the classroom. It’s a
very realistic article that shows the struggles
some teachers go through when it comes to
technology in lesson plans. “For education to
grow, schools need to train instructors and staff.
They need to know how to use technology and be
experts in providing guidance for students on the
road to self improvement.”

12. References
Armstrong, Sara. (September 1, 2001). Students teach
technology to teachers. Retrieved April
13, 2009, http://www.edutopia.org/genyes?page=1
Johnson, Heather. (July 31, 2008). A reversal of roles- teaching
teachers technology. Retrieved April
13, 2009, http://ecarson.wordpress.com/2008/07/31/a-
reversal-of-roles-teaching-teachers-technology-by-heather-
johnson/
The office of educational research and improvement U.S.
department of education. Change in student and teacher
roles. Retrieved from
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectss
tudents.html

13. Conclusion
I found some really interesting information from
these articles. As a future teacher I want to use a
lot of technology in my classroom to keep the
students involved and interested. I know
technology can be implemented into almost
every subject. It will be important for me as a
teacher to stay technologically advanced. I think
it would be a great idea for me as a teacher to set
aside one or two days out of the month for my
students to share their knowledge and
discoveries about technology.