Technology. It’s everywhere. It’s here. It’s there. It’s even in classrooms. However, Mr. Joel Williams is taking technology a few steps further to try and improve the way he teaches and how students learn.

“Technology could work equally for all classes, and it’s not going away. I’ve been putting it off for so long but now I’ve decided to just embrace it. Most students already use technology, so I’m trying to make it more to what they’re used to. There’s still formal communication, but even using things like Snapchat and Instagram to help their understanding of math is useful,” Williams said.

This is all part of a plan Williams is trying to incorporate into the classes he teaches, like AP Calculus AB. Even now, when the plan is not fully finished, he tries as hard as he can to make it interesting for the students in his classroom.

“He always likes to incorporate a lot of fun ways to help us learn. He hasn’t explicitly told us how he’s going to incorporate it [in the future] but I’m sure he has some sort of way because he always tries to get us involved in everything we’re doing,” Alex Martinez said.

Martinez is taking AP Calculus AB right now and although he believes the technology can help, he believes it can take only take people so far.

“Personally, I think since it’s a math class it should be about doing math by yourself and a lot of computing can be done on technology, but actually solving it out is a really big part of calculus so I think less technology would be better. I think there’s only so much that you can do with technology and then still consider it as learning because calculus isn’t just about computing numbers all the time,” Martinez said.

Although technology can help students learn more quickly and efficiently, studying and getting better is just about practicing. At the same time, this learning can be applied not just to math, which is often used in technology, but in most core classes and even electives.

“Technology can only help us so much. I would assume more visual things that allow you to see concepts instead of him having to explain to us because it’s not easy for everyone to visualize what’s going on. If we’re talking multiple subjects, all of the sciences could use more technology and that’d be the main one I could think of,” Martinez said.

The change from simple pen and paper to computers is changing with teachers who are having students now use tools such as Google Docs, Turnitin, Schoology, and even using Chromebooks.

“Other math teachers are so far ahead and I’m just playing catch-up. Most of them know how to use things like Google Docs and Slides but I’m still figuring it out. I’m trying to learn how to use social media and different kinds of technology to integrate in year long logs and discussion boards for AP Calculus students,” Williams said.

Integrating technology into the classroom isn’t just about buying new computers or programs that the school can use, but having students being able to access and use technology for all facets of homework and classwork. Mr. Williams hopes to reach the goal of total integration as he learns more about how to apply it in the classroom.

by BENJAMIN KIM