Why should we as educators integrate technology into the curriculum?

Technology cannot be overlooked in today's classrooms. There are so many different and useful ways to incorporate it into the classroom that we would be doing the students a diservice by not attempting to utilize it. Also students are so advanced and comfortable using technology (especially computers and the internet) that it puts them into a comfort zone and already gives them confidence in their work.
Technology also gives such a variety of information at a moments notice. In many ways it saves time for students when researching and locating information. Many students can benefit from the technology by making their projects or assignments more appealing due to the multitude of options they have with access to the internet or other programs. It also makes presenting information much neater and entertaining. Technology can be utilized to keep students motivated and excited to learn by incorporating music or video clips. There are some teachers that utilize technology very well in their history classes and the students respong very well to it.
As teachers, we also want to differentiate learning and assessment in a variety of ways to incorporate all of the various learning styles and students. By using technology, so many strategies and different lessons can be utilized that touch base with many different kinds of learners. This enables students to realize their strengths and possibly weaknesses and promotes learning by teaching students those strengths.
Using technology and teaching students its uses may also introduce them to possible career options they may be interested in. When a student uses certain programs and realizes they may be very good at something or enjoy certain aspects of technolgy, this may steer them in a direction of possible career options. While other uses on computers or devices may also be preparing them for certain jobs or problems they may have in the future.
Technology is also utilized for students with special needs. Certain assistive devices can be used by struggling students that enables them to keep up with the pace of the class and feel included. Other devices will help certain students hear the lesson or be able to read the text independently. There are so many assistive devices based on technology that help students become productive with everday activities in school.
Technology is also utilized effectively in other ways besides teaching students too. Teachers use it to keep grades and print progress reports, make assessments, or even organize lessons and notes. Special Education teachers utilize technology to write IEP's and other documents. Even other simple things like keeping attendance is much easier when done with technology. There are so many ways we take technology for granted because we are so used to it now. It is also something that continues to grow with an overwhelming capacity of things we can generate and teach with it. Overall technology can be a very useful and powerful teaching tool when used correctly and students can benefit from it in many ways.