There are many great tools that have been developed to teach students using technology. As there are areas of the country and even specific areas throughout states and cities that have the capabilities and resources to use those resources, there are many areas that are not as fortunate. Many schools do not only have the funding to purchase computer programs or other technology tools, but they do not have the quantity of computers to house such programs.
Computer labs are great resources, however are being used throughout much of the school day for whole group computer based classes. Having computers and programs available in the classrooms would be a wonderful asset to schools, however the budget and space restrictions prevent that from occurring.
Throughout my research I have found many success stories from teachers who use technology in their classrooms, however most have the luxury of having 20+ computer in their homeroom.
Another issue is if you assign work for the students to take home and research, you are then assuming that they all have access to both a computer AND the Internet. As most do, some most certainly do not. This opens up a new set of issues, as that student is then put at a disadvantage. There are way for some students to gain access (public library, friends, relatives), however depending on the students age or home life this is not always possible.
Technology can be a great tool to help us teach, however there are certainly disadvantages that need to be factored in before creating a lesson or unit that relies on technology.
