DUNCAN — Area students have traded in blackboards for Smart Boards and notepads for iPads.

Many students have noted an impact on education caused by the introduction of more technology into schools.

Several schools are even planning to head toward paperless classrooms by including online textbooks and computer-based assignments.

“I think it’s much needed,” Kelsey Bridgers, Duncan High School senior said. “It makes it easier for research.”

On a daily basis, students encounter a wide range of technology.

Computers continue to be the most common form of technology students use, especially since most classrooms have at least one computer and all schools tend to have computer labs.

But Smart Boards are becoming more prominent in classrooms throughout the county, too.

In fact, some schools have moved toward adding Smart Boards to all classrooms to enhance student learning. Smart Boards connect to teacher computers but allow for student interaction with a touch of the screen or even the use of an iPad.

Students feel the introduction of more technology could even be a more cost efficient move for many schools.

Schools seeking grants for some of the technology, including laptop computers for students in the Duncan Middle School STEM program.

But there is also a move toward doing away with traditional textbooks.

“Next year, we may not be getting books,” Jordan Tinney, Marlow High School junior, said. “We might be using iPads. And we will email stuff to school.”

Chris Totty, DHS junior, said technology is the way of the future for schools. When it comes to text books, it could be cheaper to update computer software and upload textbooks online than to purchase new textbooks every few years.

Totty said this would allow for the most up-to-date information for students.

“Our school does not get very much money,” he said. “Any time we can put money to the best use, we should. Financially, it’s a lot cheaper.”

He said by having textbooks on computers, it would not only allow for students to use text books at the same time, but they could be access anywhere. It would also allow students to work at their own pace, instead of waiting on others to catch up or struggling to catch up with the rest of the class.

Some classes are already putting assignments, instructions and various other information on class websites. In recent years, teachers in some districts have faced paper rations. By having online assignments, the amount of paper used could be greatly reduced, Totty said.

One bit of technology some people may not realize students use for school work is a cell phone.

Some students use the Internet on their cell phones outside of class to do research on a topic or to use the phone’s calculator to help solve math problems.

Duncan Superintendent Sherry Labyer and other administrators have said in recent years there is a push by the school to better incorporate iPads and cell phones because those are devices students use daily.

By using those pieces of technology, students can get a better understanding of their school work.

“I use my phone to research,” Jacob Archer, MHS freshman, said.

Archer said there are many forms of technology regularly used by students. The most schools can tap into technology, the more efficient classrooms will become.

“It makes it easier to understand,” he said. “We get to see it.”

Tinney said technology makes classes more fun and more hands on. She said some classrooms use technology to play games, and students don’t even realize how much they’re learning.

Although students are excited about the change in technology, each realizes there are drawbacks.

“It makes things easier and harder sometimes,” Bridgers said.

She said technology can make it easier to do class work and connect students better with teachers. But it also can make it easier to plagiarize and for teachers to check plagiarism.

Some phrases could even send up warning flags when an essay or paper is written in a student’s words.

Archer said having information at their fingertips could result in some students not going above and beyond when it comes to doing research.

“It could make people lazy,” he said.

And by using cell phones for school work, teachers and counselors worry about the distraction of text messaging.

But students feel the positives outweigh the cons of technology is classrooms.

“Students who want to excel can excel,” Totty said. “Some students won’t do homework because they have questions. But if there was a website where notes were posted, that would be beneficial.”