Impact of Computers on Education

An article on the U.S. Department of Education website emphasizes the importance of computer science instruction at schools. It points out that computers drive innovation and economic growth, and despite challenges faced by the national economy, computer-related job growth remains strong. A position statement by the National Science Teachers Association states that computers not only play a crucial role in the development of science, but also in its instruction. It further explains that computers offer teachers flexibility in the classroom and allow students to participate more actively in learning and research.

With computers in classrooms, teachers can present and demonstrate new material, provide illustrations and guide students to supplementary websites. Class websites can provide details of homework, grades, schedules and calendars. Students have the ability to create blogs and wikis as research projects. Online videos and other media can be integrated into classroom instruction. Since computers are already so much a part of students' lives, using them in classrooms offers relevancy as a motivation for learning.