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July 2019
Today, people carry computers in their pockets, cross continents in hours, and receive medical treatments that improve the quality of their lives. But how has technology changed the modern classroom?
Not very much, according to Sydney Boyer, an elementary-education major who researched how teachers integrate technology into their curriculum to engage students in meaningful learning.
“Often the in-service teachers are very nervous and hesitant to use new technology,” says Boyer, “especially since a lot of them are experienced teachers—they already have their preferred methods.” Under the guidance of Professor Jennifer Wimmer, Boyer focused on interactive whiteboards, the 21st century’s version of chalkboards.
Boyer embraced being a researcher, says Wimmer. “She conducted a literature review and helped with data collection and analysis.”
Boyer says, “There is a gap between the classroom and the real world. The gap just gets bigger and bigger, but technology is a way to bridge it and bring that real-life aspect to the classroom.”
Electronics mean that teachers have to compete for students’ attention like never before. Sydney Boyer, an elementary education student, observed teachers integrating technology into their lessons. She saw firsthand the struggles that teachers face in navigating this new world.
At BYU, Allyson studied how students have mathematical epiphanies; now, she’s making them happen.
Postgraduate student Molly Michaels was named Special Education Teacher of the Year while researching trauma-informed care in early childhood education.