Technology is gaining an increasing share of daily life. Beyond social purposes, it is now commonplace in academic and professional settings. It is something both I, as an educator, and students are expected to use regularly, but that is accompanied by both benefits and drawbacks.  

Pros of Technology Usage 

I am a firm believer that schools should prepare students to function and excel in society. Since we are in a digital age, that means making sure students understand how to ethically use technology, how to evaluate sources, and understand how to use it to maximize productivity. Technology can be beneficial in that it may increase student engagement, allow for quicker feedback to be given, permit individualized learning paths, and modernize collaboration (Niyibizi, 2025). It also can be great for assessments. Students can zoom in and out of text features, flag questions for review, and receive immediate scores. It can also be a tool for exploring real world problems, conducting research, and exhibiting creativity.  

Cons of Technology Usage 

The cons of technology usage in the classroom are centered around how technology is used in the classroom. Technology should be used in innovative ways to enhance student learning, not to replace it. One issue is the “one-size fits all” approach to technology. While districts implement programs that educators may be familiar with (such as Google Workspace) there is a lack of professional development provided to ensure teachers are aware on how to utilize those platforms to maximize student learning (Daniels et al., 2013; Niyibizi, 2025; Sharp, 2014). So, while the programs may be used in the classroom, they may not be used to their potential or with an understanding of the purposes behind the activities. Another issue is accessibility. Some schools do have the funds to supply each student with a laptop, which is a great start. However, at home accessibility is not equitable amongst all students. Even at schools that do allow students to take the technology home each school day, that is only beneficial if those households have Wi-Fi or the resources to visit a library.  

Overreliance on technology can pose a different problem. Technology usage should be intentional. Sometimes technology is viewed as resolution rather than a tool (Daniels et al., 2013) and can even be used as time fillers. Overall, computers are underused in the classroom, but that could result from a lack of training. Nonetheless, Jimenez et al. (2026) ascertains that it is the quality of technology usage rather than the time spent that has a greater impact on student achievement.  

Personal Belief 

At my elementary school, each class was assigned a day to visit the computer lab, but by the time I graduated high school, schools were starting to assign computer carts for each class. By the time I entered college, I had to create lesson plans that included a section dedicated to how I planned to integrate technology into the lesson. So, technology has always been a part of my academic (and professional) career, and I understand that it will always be a part of the lives of my students. Instructional technology is beneficial, but it requires effort from the educators to train students on how to use it responsibly and with purpose. It may aid greater engagement, not only within the class by giving a voice to students who may otherwise not engage, but with the community as well, but that should be encouraged simultaneously with digital safety. While my school district champions the idea of technology integration, it stops short at recommending meaningful applications outside of suggesting apps for small group instructions and platforms that host educational videos. More should be done by the district to discover inventive ways to use the technology and extend student learning.  

Conclusion  

Technology is a tool, and when it is used as a tool to support student learning rather than replacing it, I think it can have positive effects in the classroom. For instructional technology to work most effectively, explicit training should be given to both the teachers and students. Awareness of certain applications or technology features does not automatically mean users are aware of the academic applications of those features. Additionally, school districts should ensure that their technological decisions reflect current research. The needs of each school/district are different, and those needs should be supported by the instructional technology pushed by the district. The digital age is not going away anytime soon, so while it is important for technology to be a part of the curriculum, it needs to be used intentionally.  

References 

Daniels, J. S., Jacobsen, M., Varnhagen, S., & Friesen, S. (2013). Barriers to systemic, effective, and sustainable technology use in high school classrooms. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 39(4), 1-14. https://ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/barriers-systemic-effective-sustainable/docview/1651857914/se-2 

Jimenez, S., Berg, J., Ilievski, I., Robinson, A., & Schechter, R. (2026). ObjectiveEd buddybooks efficacy study report: Performance on staar and i-ready in reading, academic year 2024-2025. (). Retrieved from ERIC https://ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/reports/objectiveed-buddybooks-efficacy-study-report/docview/3336903129/se-2 

Niyibizi, O. (2025). Optimising teaching proficiency in the digital age: Integration of effective E-Learning tools in schooling. Journal of Learning for Development, 12(2), 403-412. https://ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/optimising-teaching-proficiency-digital-age/docview/3257416885/se-2 

Sharp, L. A. (2014). Literacy in the digital age. Language and Literacy Spectrum, 24, 74-85. https://ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/literacy-digital-age/docview/1651857743/se-2