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Chromebooks Enter the Classroom
The use of Chromebooks in U.S. schools began with a pilot program at Google in 2010, launching a new age of technology use in the classroom. This is an important change, as the use of technology was transitioning to individual use, and now over 40 million Chromebooks are in use in public U.S. schools. -
Technology Use Scrutinized
As technology advanced quickly in the 2000s and early 2010s, more questions arose concerning the effects of technology use by children in the classroom and the future of parent involvement. There was even criticism that school websites with access to grades allowed parents too much access to their student's academics, according to a 2011 CNN article. -
Schools React to Social Media
As the use of cell phones among teens rises, so does the use of social media, creating a new distraction in the classroom. Research by Pew Research Center shows that 31% of teens had cell phones in 2012, and eight in ten teens were using social media. -
Integration of Cell Phones
Research from the Pew Research Center shows that "73% of AP and NWP teachers say cell phones have become part of their classroom teaching and assignments." At this point, there are still debates in the education world over the role of cell phones and different technologies in the classroom, but this statistic reveals that a majority of teachers in the U.S. are leaning into technology use and prioritizing technology literacy. -
Google Launches Google Classroom
In August 2014, Google led another stride in the development of educational technology by releasing the application Google Classroom, which was designed to "help students and teachers communicate, collaborate, organize and manage assignments, go paperless, and much more!" This application was the first of many designed by Google to aid teachers and students in their organization and connection to the classroom. -
Every Student Succeeds Act Passed
In December 2015, Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act, which authorized a national digital learning resources study to "tackle digital iniquity", discovering the reality of students' habits in online learning, especially outside of the home, and discovering how many students do not have internet access outside of the classroom. -
A Future for Virtual Reality in Classrooms
In 2016, with the rise of immersive games like Pokemon Go, educators are looking forward to the potential uses of games and immersive technology in the classroom. A survey done in 2016 found that 85% of teachers believe that Virtual Reality is beneficial in the classroom, though only 2% were using it at the time. -
Online Games Improve
A study done in 2017 surveyed teachers, of which 92% said that they would use games in their classroom again, and 54% strongly agreed that games were helpful. Games have, of course, been present in the class for many decades, but online games are on the rise in 2017. -
Cloud Storage Becomes Necessary
As schools continued to integrate laptops, tablets, and more advanced presentation technologies, storage quickly became a challenge as there was a mass of information that required expansive physical space in which to store it. As a solution to this, cloud storage gained popularity, and cloud computing became necessary for efficiency in school technology. -
AI Interrupts the Traditional Classroom
As technology rapidly develops and changes schools across the country, AI takes another step and enters the scene. AI programs like Duolingo emerge with programs designed for classroom use and allow students to chat with AI bots for the purpose of practicing material. -
eLearning and Apps
With the separation of quarantine, students were forced into the world of eLearning and the utilization of education apps on cell phones. In April 2020, 38% of teachers said that they interacted with their students daily, compared to November 2020 when 76% of teachers said they interacted with their students daily. While interaction was at a low, technology in the classroom was forever altered during 2020, with a dramatic increase in the use of mobile learning.