Being in a classroom with a large amount of students can be intimidating. This makes it easier for a student to fall behind in a classroom setting, since they may be too scared to ask a question. One may be thinking, ¨what if they laugh at me if I raise my hand?¨ Or maybe that student may need a different teaching approach, but they do not know how to convey this to them. There could be a solution to this problem. New technology uses a computer that ¨constructs a 3-D computer model of the face¨ (¨Making Mona Lisa Smile) it can be used to process the emotions that a student may be feeling. Meaning that technology reading emotional expressions of students in a classroom is valuable and beneficial.

Reading the emotions of students can help the teachers gather more beneficial data on them. As they constantly say that ¨they are not mind readers.¨ However many students may be embarrased that they are not quite understanding the content. To which this technology could provide some assistance. The computer could simply read and see what percentage of the class is confused. If it is a large percentage then that means the teacher can go over it as a whole class. Also working vise versa meaning that if it is a smaller percentage then the teacher can make smaller groups and provide the needed attention to them. This theory was stated by Dr. Huang, ¨´A classroom computer could recognize when a student is becoming confused or bored,´ Dr. Huang predicts. ´Then it could modify the lesson, like an effective human instructor´¨ (¨Making Mona Lisa Smile¨). Although the article refers to online classes the same can be applied to the human interative classroom. The teacher can look at the data during the lesson to check understanding along the way and then provide the extra needed support to those that need it. Then let those that understand it move forward. That way the children don´t fall behind, and the children that understand the content can be further challenged. Providing a more effective and rigourous courseload.

Another benefit that this technology presents is that it can read the distressing emotions of a student. Especially during the high school years which are very stressful in both the workload and character development. A teacher is able to see if that student is upset, angry, or stressed. Or even a combination of these emotions because ¨By weighting the different units, the software can even identify mixed emotions (as in da Vinci´s masterpiece)¨ (¨Making Mona Lisa Smile¨). If a student had a particularly stressful event go on in their household they may feel angry, frustrated, and sad. The teacher can then understand that they are going through a moment and be sure to provide some support. Also if the students are feeling especially stressed the teachers may even provide some kind of stress relief day, since prolonged stress can have some serious effects on the human body. This technology may even be able to detect mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety. To which the student can be provided with the support that they need. Possibly leading to the prevention of suicide attempts and anxiety attacks.

In conclusion, having technology in the classroom can be extremely beneficial to both the students and the teachers. It can provide useful data to the teachers. To which they can adjust their teaching plan accordingly, and effectively educate all the students. Futhermore it can help students dealing with mental health issues. Making sure that they get the help and support that they need in order to be the most attentive in the classroom as they can be. As technology continues to be implemented into the teaching program this computer software should be considered as well.