How technology influences on education? Is it needed or not, and does it have a positive or a negative effect? Different people – different views, though…

Technology in Education: Is It Good or Bad?

Education is, probably, the most conservative part of life, and it is not surprising. Pupils, then students shall learn not hypothesis and assumptions, but something clear and established. They shall get knowledge, on which they will base later their life, career and who knows, maybe in future, some of them will change the entire approach to science completely.

Though to do so, they shall know what is already available – teachers would say and yes, they are 100% right. Though how to present that available knowledge? One uses a blackboard and paper only, another one brings a lap and diversifies the lesson with a video… One believes that school books have all that a student needs to know, another gives the links to reliable sources, like articles, scientific papers, even a UK essay now or reports of such organizations like NASA, or asks to prepare a creative task say, in collaboration with students from Peru or other faraway country… Approach matters, and in the modern world, it is about technology.

Though the world isn’t static, it is moving and changing. Things that were used 100 years ago will, most likely, not be used nowadays. New approaches, new methods and new technologies are coming in the classrooms to give our kids more chances to survive and to be successful in the world. Some of them come and go, but some technologies are changing the way students learn, open new ways, new opportunities, new options.

Which technologies have influenced the education most of all? Which of them opened so many new options that older methods seem to be obsolete?

Here, we would like to mention those, that matter most.

Mobile Devices are not Only for Communication

Mobile devices, even though their primary function is communication, also play their role in study. Students use it for communicating with peers, including the communication about tasks and games. Sharing information, taking screens of book pages, of schedule, even recording presentations or lessons – just a few tasks to mention.

Personal Computer

Personal computer changed the quality of education. Just imagine that students can make beautiful bright presentations, full of images, graphs, even audio and video. Lesson passes usefully, in the most interesting way. And if a teacher prepares a lesson in such a way? Most likely, students will not suffer learning the topic but will look for details, as they will be interested, they will love it! a lesson can be fun – this is what the PC states. And those who can use it, make such lessons, that they will stay in the memory of students for ages.

Internet Has Changed the Complete Approach to Study

The internet has changed many things in our lives, and education is one of those things. Earlier, knowledge was available only from a teacher, a person who specifically studied to teach in some field. Hence, the world of a teacher was something like a law, and yes, students or pupils believed a teacher more than, say the parents.

Now, everybody can get access to unlimited knowledge, thanks to the internet. You just open a browser type in the topic, and you have plenty of articles, scientific papers, books from the best libraries of the world… Have you ever had a feeling that you know the topic better than the teacher?

In such circumstances, it is important to be able not just to give the knowledge to students, but to teach them how to get the knowledge they need.

Just imagine that now, students as well as teachers, can communicate globally with their peers and colleagues, share experience and ideas, widen their views.

Here are just some ideas of what you can do with a PC and internet access:

• Developing a virtual model with peers or colleagues and demonstrate it in a classroom. This can be very useful when we speak about science studies, something, that involves facts. Students creating a virtual model of an atom will remember the material much better than those who read a passage about atom in a book.
• Getting knowledge globally, from the best and the most reliable sources. Both students and teachers can use those numerous sources that are available online. There are so many of them, that a human life wouldn’t be enough to just look them through.
• Access to best libraries of the world, in any language – a dream of any scientist in the pre-internet era. Just think how much time, efforts, probably, credentials and even money was needed to get a book from, say, a London library. Now, just some clicks – and all is at your service.
• Lessons are just different when you use them.
• Educating & developing games, interactive lessons. Even kids start learning in a different way when you tell, that a computer is needed for that. Though this is just about motivation. When speaking seriously though models simulation, etc. – without a computer, most of that would be impossible.
• Quality control of students` success – online reports on scores & success of each student. Electronic diaries, report, if needed, personal communication with a teacher, with feedback, without the fuss of a classroom, in full confidentiality – this all is possible with the internet.

Technology is changing the way we live and study. We would agree that there are both negative and positive sides, but regarding education, positive influence outweighs any possible negative effects. Hence, welcome technology in a classroom!