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The technological revolution is, and has been underway for quite a while now. The speed is only increasing, making developers of new coursework having to be more and more creative, as well as remembering to keep updating their original content in a matter of months before it becomes close to obsolete. The rapid technological changes happening can be seen and experienced all around the world in almost every field, some would say especially within education. This because the educational system usually revolves around the younger generations, who also happen to be those most in touch with all that is new. The first big difference these technological changes bring to the classroom is the increased use and appearance of smart tablets, smart boards, games online and animations as part of the teaching / learning sphere. With children spending hours each day in front of a screen from as early as infancy, teaching them anything using a simple blackboard and chalk simply will not do the trick. They are used to bright colours, interactive learning, constant sources of entertainment and a high level of independent involvement. We, as teachers, must bear this in mind, and adapt our classes accordingly. This we can do by for example making use of smart boards and engaging the students in a more modern way. It is proven that this constant supply of entertainment and impressions leave children with shorter attention spans. This forces the classic classroom teachers of today to have a higher activity frequency, or to spend longer time disciplining students, as they are not used to being bored or to focus on one thing for an extended period of time. To look at this on the brighter side, the increased use and development of technology provides endless online resources, where new activities, fun flash cards and lesson plans are only a click away. On top of this, online teaching has gained popularity, and you can teach students from across the world in the comfort of your own home. Even this, taking courses or finding valuable teaching resources online is gaining popularity, much due to the efficiency and easy access. Many experienced teachers I have spoken to, told me that with the rise of the internet, they could spice up their classes that much easier; With a click of the mouse they suddenly had access to ten new nursery rhymes, and with three taps on the keyboard, they could look up points of grammar an eager student asked for. Efficiency is a key word, but some of them complain that they feel like they have to reinvent the wheel every so often. As soon as they got comfortable with using the Overhead, the smart boards were introduced, and the learning curve had to start from the beginning again. In conclusion, learning has gone from monotone, blackboard lecturing with the same songs and activities repeated year after year; To quick, slapstick classes filled with fun, new activities, trivia and grammar games. Sure, classes are more engaging and "fun", but there can definitely be too much of the new, and it also only encourages the negative side effect of the shortened attention span. A good middle way, which I believe this course prepared me for, is to keep the predictability of the old school with ESA and structure, but make sure to keep up with the new by switching up the curriculum every once in a while, and being aware and proactive when it comes to students of the digital age.
