blog # 1

Today students think, take in and communicate in ways different from previous generations. This is partly due to the increasing use of computers in their everyday lives. Students are constantly bombarded with the latest technology and the pressure to keep up with the newest gadgets. These "digital" kids would benefit from education most if the computer were integrated into the classroom through digital media, personal computers, and other computer forms that can hold the attention span of these fast-paced children. Computers enable students with the aid of teachers to work on skills, problems solving, interactive learning and discovery learning into a plethora of ways. Computers allow both students and teachers to be more flexible in their curriculum and meet the needs of various types and levels of learners in one classroom. Schools can use computers for communication, for research, organization, and assessment. The ARCS motivational model stands for attention, relevance, challenge/confidence and satisfaction/success. Keller, who developed this model, reasoned that children will only learn if they are motivated. With the speed of computers students can remain stimulated and on task with better ease. Computers are highly relevant to today's society which encorporates some degree of computers into every job in the market. Many students are familiar with computers, which continuous use will prove to raise their confidence on knowing the material. For those that are not fmailiar it poses a necessary challenge that they ought to partake in order to succeed later in life. Finally, with understanding and mastery of computer skills comes a feeling of satisfaction and knowing that the student acheieved a certain level of success. Thus computers and technology in the classroom encompasses every aspect of the ARCS Motivational Model.