By Alecia Caroll
Technology has become an integral part of our daily lives. Even the most modern and advanced educational institutions continue to talk about the role of technology in education. What are the benefits of the new tablets and smartphones for children? Do they serve only the purpose of entertainment? Are there benefits of modern technology?
Our lives are facilitated by technology in every way we can think of, from opening our eyes to taking our first breath. The advancement of technology has helped us in all areas of our lives. It has transformed the entire horizon into a new space, incorporating business, lifestyle, technology, and quality education. We cannot ignore the positive impact that technology has on education, since it is booming and becoming an indispensable part of our lives.
Technology helps children considerably in their overall development and growth as it provides them with many opportunities for exploration. It helps you save both time and money, and it develops technology skills early on so that your child has the best chance of succeeding in the highly competitive world of today. Through technology, children are able to express themselves and show their creativity. A child’s mind is vivid and their imagination is vast. Their future is in their hands, provided that they receive adequate resources and support.
The promise of education has enabled growth on the individual and professional levels throughout history, but not for all. In this regard, an increasing number of education organizations are recognizing that technology can have a positive impact on education, and that utilizing the right tools and methods can have a dramatic impact on marginalized students.
Impact of Technology on Education
In discussing how technology affects education, one of the first points that comes to mind is usually the nearly unlimited accessibility to information. As an alternative to physical books or the ones found in nearby libraries, students can access an abundance of e-books and audiobooks at their fingertips, which make it easier to buy and to rent, as well as putting less strain on their backs.
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There is a huge variety of information available online today, from virtual books to videos to blogs. Education organizations and other sources publish podcasts, videos and blog posts on a variety of topics. Together with these options and a wide range of field-specific tools, education organizations can make it easier for students to engage in experiential eLearning, where they are no longer dependent on graduation to go beyond theory.
Tech-enabled student collaboration and communication offer students an opportunity to communicate and help one another offline, which might have been too risky, or not considered, before.
It is another amazing aspect of technology to know that its use can help us to build and maintain social relationships and to collaborate with others. With the use of technology, kids are now able to connect with one another through social media, games, and to participate actively in interactive activities, all with just one click of a button. Live chat and other active mediums are available for them to communicate remotely, sitting at their homes. Technology is essential for a child’s growth as an independent and self-reliant individual. YouTube and Google’s powerful search engine have answers to every question and query, so there is nothing a child couldn’t know. Your five year old probably has a better understanding of flora and fauna than you do and that is just one example of how the internet has made this world smaller.
It is important for individuals to be able to solve problems and think logically from an early age. The use of gaming systems by children fosters qualities such as problem-solving skills and aspiration by empowering them to develop perseverance throughout their lives. As a result, they are helped in their real lives to better develop these abilities. Additionally, it increases concentration and alertness. Technology enables your child to learn anything and everything he can never learn in a closed four-walled school. Helping him grow with the right values as well as the right skills.
The use of technology can enhance the educational experience of every student, as it can enhance learning experiences not only through information, but also through a dynamic and interactive mode. It is only because of technology that now we have online K-12 schools that allow students to study at their own pace while earning a certificate from an accredited school and save a lot of time. The future will be about tech jobs, and that’s why educational technology has the greatest impact on each child’s development, as well as ensuring his position in the future. Almost all future jobs will be highly technical, so it’s time for your child to embrace technology for a better and more promising future.
Learning is enhanced by technology. Technology promotes student engagement, which leads to better retention of information. Technological change is relevant to students due to the fast-paced evolution of new technologies. Meaningful learning experiences are provided by technology. Moreover, technology provides students with opportunities for hands-on learning that can be integrated into all school subjects, including mathematics.
What does the research say?
The use of technology in the classroom has been shown to have many advantages. Technology can be used to engage students in thinking critically and addressing problems through meaningful projects. Restructuring and redesigning the classroom with technology is one way to produce an environment which promotes higher-order thinking skills. Collaboration among students is also enhanced by technology. Collaborating is an effective method of learning. Through cooperative learning, students create projects or read each other’s work in order to learn from each other.
A study which evaluated the benefit of using Wiki technology for students’ writing skills in a college English as a foreign language writing class found that Wiki technology was beneficial in improving students’ writing skills. Participants of the activity joined a Wiki page where they posted passages and responded to other classmates’ passages. The instructor’s immediate feedback was said to be beneficial to the students participating in this study. Study participants also reported that reading their classmates’ work helped them improve their vocabulary, spelling, and sentence structure.
An examination of Pre-service Teachers’ experiences integrating technology into math classes was conducted in another study. The study showed that students learnt mathematics more effectively. It was noted that there were different levels of mathematics activities available on the internet, permitting students to choose the level at which they are most comfortable. Based on study findings, students responded to math lessons using technology and discussed lessons later in the day. Students remembered the lesson well, surprising their teachers. According to some students, the computer made it easier for them to understand what the teacher was saying. It is possible to create meaningful math lessons through technology.
A study showed that peer-led discussions of literature infused with technology can increase student motivation. Wikis, online literature circles, and online book clubs are among the technology methods used in these small group discussions of literature. Students were able to connect with students from other schools, states, and even countries using these technologies. Exposing students to other ideas and cultures through technology is an assessable and motivational method. A sense of community can be created and positive social interaction fostered through these online literature discussions.
Positive Impact of Technology on Education
1. Access to a huge informational background
People are connected through the Internet, and therefore it can be used to gain knowledge. Search engines will prompt users to a search result list containing millions of search results if they enter specific search information. There are various informative websites and web directories out there offering information on a wide range of subjects. Students can access the Internet to increase their knowledge base through additional information. Providing academic support worldwide is a perfect example of how the World Wide Web can be effectively used for learning.
2. Increased engagement
Engaging students in the lesson can be a challenge for teachers. Teaching traditional methods makes it difficult to create interactive learning experiences. The use of technology improves interaction within the classroom. Students are more likely to pay attention to a lesson when it is richly illustrated with images and videos.
3. Provides ease of access to information
Technology has eased access to information in the field of education, which is one of the most obvious advantages of technology. Easy access to information, along with access to updated information. Both students and teachers can benefit from updated information. Online research is a great way for teachers to find current and recent information that will benefit both students and teachers. There are several educational websites providing adequate resources and materials to help students to acquire knowledge regarding several subjects in an interactive and fun manner.
4. High degree of visibility
Using a computer at school helps teachers combine a wide variety of tools that can contribute to more effective learning, save time on lessons, and allow for individualized instruction. Training computer programs are an example of using technology in education. The use of these methods enables the most important concepts of objects to be illustrated in a way that provides qualitative advantages over traditional methods of studying. Their effectiveness relies on a significant increase in visibility, the activation of cognitive activity, and a combination of verbal, logical, and imaginative mechanisms. Traditionally, teachers used to strive to teach knowledge (remember, be able to reproduce) but are now more likely to focus on basic information skills such as knowledge search (finding and solving problems).
4. Easier distance learning
There is nothing new about distance learning. It’s been around for a while. There was only one problem: it used to take a long time and was complex. The course content would be mailed directly to the student, and the assignments would be mailed back directly to the student. Because of the delays that occurred, the back and forth process caused confusion and frustration on both sides. In the 21st century, universities are using technology to enhance their learning processes. Distance learning takes place entirely online. It is possible to study from anywhere and at any time. Alternatively, professors can directly issue and receive assignments via email or through the university’s academic software.
Conclusion
Learning in school prepares children for the future, especially in personal money management, so incorporating technology in the classroom is essential. Throughout the years, technology has advanced tremendously, and it will continue to do so. Those changes should go hand-in-hand with teachers’ lesson plans and the learning methods of students. The use of expensive classroom technology solutions does not always translate into effective teaching and learning. Simple solutions can generate impactful teaching, which can positively affect learning. Young children gain tech skills and knowledge to serve them in the modern world by using technology in the classroom.
Teaching and learning have been completely altered by technology. Now, it completely depends on how we use it. It can be positively or negatively used. The ways in which technology has changed our lives are truly admirable. Using technology to improve education is a positive development. Technology benefits teachers by making their classrooms more efficient. In addition to making lessons more engaging to students, it will also simplify classroom management for teachers. In addition, it prepares your students for the inevitable future where the ability to utilize technical skills is a huge advantage.
About the Author
Alecia Carroll is a wife and mother of twins. She is a parenting expert, and her parenting journey led her to write content on parenting to help other parents with their children’s digital wellbeing.
