This document summarizes three articles about computers in the classroom. The articles discuss how computer usage has increased dramatically in schools over the past 25 years, but that simply having computers may not boost test scores on its own. They emphasize that technology needs to be used appropriately and as part of a balanced learning experience. The articles also note the importance of teacher training and parental involvement to help ensure students develop well-rounded skills both inside and outside the classroom in the digital age.

2.  Article 1: Do Computers in the Classroom Boost
Academic Achievement?
 Summary 1, - Summary 2, & - Personal Reflection
 Article 2: Using Technology in the Early
Childhood Classroom
 Summary 1, - Summary 2, & - Personal Reflection
 Article 3: Computer in the Classroom, Then and
Now
 Summary 1, - Summary 2, & - Personal
Reflection
 Conclusion

3. Johnson, Kirk A., “Do Computers in the Classroom Boost Academic Achievement?”, The Heritage
Foundation, June 14, 2000, URL: http://www.heritage.org/research/education/CDA00-08.cfm
Summary: In the beginning of this article, it explains how
widely used and important computers are in the classroom.
It estimates that the number of computers used in schools
today is more than 8 million. Teachers find this to be a
benefit to students to keep them up to date with technology
and feel that this will only help them in the future. They
also talk about politicians and how they are behind getting
the internet into low income schools so those children are
able to have the same advantages. Even though
they feel this way, it is not proven that having a
computer and the internet will boost test scores
because they have found that there are so many
other factors that contribute to how students do.

4. Quote: “This explosion in the technology has increased efforts to
equip every classroom with computers and "wire" every school to the
Internet.“
This quote in the article talks about the growth of computers
in the classroom. Because of this growth, there has been a lot
of research to show if having a computer makes a difference
and they are finding that in most cases it does not. The
effectiveness has to do with the teachers and how educated
they are with computers and if they will be beneficial. Most
of them feel that they are not well educated
when it comes to computers and are not using
them to the full potential. This widely known
problem is what they are struggling to improve
to make the use of the computers a good thing.

5. 1. I was really surprised that the research they quoted in this article said
that children who have computers in the classroom to not perform better
on test than children who do not. In reading this article, I feel that it will
always be beneficial to use computers in the classroom regardless of the
findings. Computers are used at almost all jobs and starting at a young
age can only benefit people.
2. They also talked about the teacher‟s computer training having and
effect on the students learning. This is something that I really didn‟t think
of because I have used a computer in school since elementary school and
have forgotten not everyone has had that advantage.
3. The last thing that made me think in this article is that there
are so many other factors that effect students testing and that
having a computer is not the solution to the problems.
They talk about low income families, race, gender, parent‟s
academic level, and many other factors that will come into
play with test scores.

6. Perry M.D, Bruce D. and Kneas Moore, Kimberly, “Using Technology in the Early Childhood Classroom”,
Scholastic, URL: http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/bruceperry/using_technology.htm
Summary: In this article it explores the idea that young children „s
brains are not ready for technology and that you need to have
interaction to have a well rounded individual. The authors feel that
since the computer is interactive it helps with problem solving and
thinking skills. They also talk about how you have to introduce
children to technologies at the right time or they will not have a
healthy development of that device. There is also a section to
support the use of computers for special needs children in their
development as well. It also gives an example of how you cannot
put an infant in a seventh grade classroom and expect
them to have a good experience. With all of this
technology accessible to young children, parents
need to take an active part in their child‟s education
and act as a bridge between technology, their personal
growth, and the school itself.

7. Quote: “Technologies should be used to enhance curriculum and
experiences for children. Children have to have an integrated and well-
balanced set of experiences to help them grow into capable adults that can
handle social-emotional interactions as well as develop their intellectual
abilities.”
I think that this quote is one of the most power statements in this article. It
basically states that a child is not developed from one learning experience
in their life, but it takes a multitude of things to mold them into well-
balanced adults. I think that many people focus on one thing that they do
not like about a child‟s learning instead of all the things that they are
exposed to and the positive effect that it will have on them. I also think
that children do not have enough real life challenges because of too much
computer usage or television and not enough playing with other children.
I think that some parents use these devices as a crutch to
entertain their children so they do not have to be bothered
with them or can have a break from entertaining their
children. I do believe that these things are ok in moderation,
but you do have to make sure you regulate the usage.

8. 1. I really like how this article supports using technology to enhance
learning, but still holds parents accountable for their child‟s
development. I think that so many parents want to blame teachers for
the “lack of” in their child and do not want to take responsibility for the
fact that it takes more than a teacher to mold a child into a well-
balanced adult.
2. Another point that I found interesting is that there are programs out
there to help special needs children in their developmental learning. I
do not know enough about special needs teaching and am happy to see
that they are given the same advantages as the other children in the
school.
3. The last thing I had forgotten about with computers, that was
mentioned in this article, is parents being able to control
the content that is viewed. There are so many things that
are inappropriate on these websites on the Internet and
imagine it is difficult to trust your child or the installed
software that it will prevent them from getting on these
sites.

9. Kennedy Manzo, Kathleen, “Computers in the Classroom, Then and Now”, Education Week, April
22, 2009, URL:
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2009/04/computers_in_the_classroom_the_1.
html
Summary: This article compares computer usage from
an archived article that was published twenty-five years
ago to now. It said that there was about 1 computer for
every 125 students enrolled in the nation‟s public schools
and that 70% of the elementary schools used them. That
number is a huge difference from the statistics now
saying that there is 1 computer for every 3.8 students
enrolled in the nation‟s public schools. This shows that
computers are not going anywhere when it
comes to emerging technology in the classroom .
Just these statistics alone show how far we have
come in accepting this type of technology in the
classroom and using it to benefit children in the
development.

10. Quote: “No matter where a child lives in the country these days,
computers are a standard classroom feature.”
This is a fade that is not going away and it may be
difficult for some parents to grasp because most of
these parents did not have access to computers in
school. I know that when I was in elementary
school, we only have about 10 computers for our
entire school and then in high school they were
introduced more, but I still had a typing class in
1996. While computers can be a very good thing
for students, teachers need to make sure
that they are used properly so that they
are beneficial.

11. 1. I was born in the 80‟s, so it is interesting to see the number of
computers in schools now versus back then. I can remember in
elementary school how the computers were not user friendly and
the only thing I know that we did on them was our weekly game of
Oregon Trail.
2. I think that students are so lucky that they are being taught
computer skills at a young age and will not realize that until they
get out into the real world. Because computers are used in almost
all jobs in one form or another, they are starting out with an
advantage that most older people struggled with and are still
struggling with.
3. It is also hard to believe that computers are a
standard feature in most classrooms when I was
used to writing on the chalkboard and my teachers
using handouts or the overhead projector to go
over that day‟s lesson.

12. In conclusion, the three of these articles take a different
approach to computers. They all agree that they are
beneficial to learning if used in the right setting and at the
right time in a student‟s career. The moral of the story for
emerging technology is that you should welcome them in
your classroom, but make sure that you use them as one of
the many tools that students need in their development. I
think that as long as you are introducing students to many
technologies as well as human interaction then you will do
well with keeping them well rounded. As a teacher you
also need to make sure that the parents are on board with
the student‟s development outside of the classroom
and that they are getting the proper guidance and
support that they need outside of the classroom.