I am incredibly fortunate that my school embraces and assists teachers in integrating technology into the curriculum.  We have a plethora of technology tools, both to share and to use individually.  We are allowed to have students use their phones for instructional purposes.  We have consistent wireless internet throughout the school.  Students are always eager to use technology in the classroom.

The greatest resistance to technology in my school comes, oddly, from parents.  I think that many parents expect school to be like they remember it, and they may perceive anything involving technology as frivolous or fun (which sadly they equate to not serious learning).  Parents may also feel that their students are at a disadvantage if they do not have the technology tools at home that we have at school.   Students also tend to have a lot more “learning curve tolerance” than their parents do, taking the time to struggle and trouble shoot with a new piece of technology until they learn how to use it.

One of my greatest challenges in created a technology-driven classroom is helping parents understand that their children will need to be technology literate in order to succeed in the workforce.  As cliché as it is, the world is changing and it’s hard for the adults of today to imagine the world the younger generations will eventually inhabit.