Role Of Technology In Education

Education plays a vital role in shaping tomorrow’s leaders. Education is the process of giving or receiving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university. There are many reasons why one would need an education. For example, having an education can help someone obtain an exceptional job, increase their knowledge, and even increase their earnings potential. Obtaining an education is not only learning math, science, or history, but it also teaches people about the world around them. Having knowledge about the world can teach people about other cultures and different types of lifestyles. People can also learn about different and higher paying jobs. Another way to gain knowledge is through technology. Technology plays a significant role in education. The role of technology in education is to enhance learning.

Technology has revolutionized the human experience by changing the way one learns. Technology can best be defined as a tool that supports and promotes human learning. This can be seen through the usage of calculators, tablets (example: iPad), Smart Boards, video cameras, and, of course, the computer. These are all innovations that can have a profound impact on classroom learning. Although there are some schools that have a strict policy that technology should be removed from the modern day classroom, other schools believe that integrating technology into the classroom helps prepare our students for the elaborate world they will face going forward. Throughout this essay, I will be focusing on the technology policy and how it has a positive

Technology is quickly developing as a method of communication and information for people everywhere. As technology becomes a part of education, it captures the attention of students in a special way of its own. Although technology is fairly new, technology draws the attention of students because it is interactive and offers many different methods of learning and information for students.

The production of technology as increased, allowing the output of information to exponentially increase, thus setting the need for 21st century skills at an all-time high. In the past, there have been two sources of information, the encyclopedia, and the dictionary. Our education system’s foundation has been built through the knowledge, and information handed down by each generation. The learning, and memorization of facts was the ultimate goal in a child’s education. As a country, it is important to evolve as our culture evolves. Everything must continue to grow in unity, and progress together. Having the technology that produces a vast amount of information, but no students who can decipher the information, ends up being a waste of time, and resources.

When implemented technology properly, the tech can produce substantial gains in student achievement and increase engagement among students most at risk. Replacing teachers with technology is not a successful formula. Instead, strong gains in achievement occur by pairing technology with classroom teachers who provide real-time support and encouragement to underserved students. Technology has made a positive difference in the learning outcomes of students at risk of failing courses and dropping out.

What once was a 4.0 student is now a person facing D’s and F’s on his next report card. Vishal Singh is a typical 17-year-old at Woodside High School, he was considered to be a motivated young student, until like most other kids in this century, he got increasingly captivated by the internet after getting his computer in sixth grade. Since then it's been late nights, and GPA downfalls (Richtel). The increasing screen time that teenagers are exposed to leads to distractions that often always lead to school becoming a their second priority. Students are constantly distracted by social media, when they should really be focusing on broadening their education, in order to create a better future for themselves, and to set better goals for the education systems we have today. Technology is controlling teenager’s education, but education is not controlling their technology, and this causing students to be encapsulated in the cyber world in the classrooms, and halls of almost every twenty first century high school. Knowing this, we need to limit electronic use and students must shut off their devices during studying hours and limit computer use to school related topics, in order to create a brighter future for our educational systems.

As the educational system is expanded and altered, so is our students. For a school system to work, the students must be able to show improvement from one grade to another. The teachers are required to demonstrate how their teaching method is affective compared to others that are qualified for the job. Although one teacher could have more experience in education, another might be able to display the knowledge better. Along with history, education has been shaped primarily on the invention of technology. Without computers and cell phones, the world would not have evolved as it had. The same can be said about education.

The United States education system has evolved a remarkably since there were minute school houses on the prairie. In modern times, today the school systems continue to evolve in various ways. This includes the integration technology into the curriculum and instruction of the schools. However, this can come at a great gain and cost so the factors that contribute to technology in school should be taken into account.

Supporters of technological advancements and advocates of expanding the use of technology would have us believe that the continual expansion of technology and support of its usage in school systems is a clear betterment of humanity. They explain its effectiveness and ability to level the playing field for millions of civilians. However, these advocates fail to acknowledge the obvious downfalls and stagnation, or even reversion of societal advancements. Technology diminishes skills, encourages the demotivation of children, and steals away precious time. What is often viewed narrow mindedly as an obvious good that solely progresses nations is concurrently becoming an inhibitor and its implementation in educational curriculum should be viewed with a wary eye.

Many are misled regarding technology in schools because they fail to realize the difference between technology usage and technology integration. Technology usage focuses on the physical device, delivering information, and majority conduct comes from the teacher; whereas, technology integration supports the physical device to promote learning objectives, constructs knowledge, and allows students to operate it themselves (Harris 7). This is what separates technology efficient schools from the rest, technology is not their goal, education is (Levin and Schrum 51-53). Instead of taking a “one size fits all approach”, schools are able to succeed because they make learning relevant, provide opportunities, and promote important skills by integrating technology with curriculum. After using that method, and providing a laptop for every student in the school district, Mooresville, North Carolina dramatically improved high school standardized test proficiency from 68% to 88.5% (Levin and Schrum 51-53). However, Robert Kozma argues, ‘“What are the actual and potential relationships between media and learning?”’ (qtd. in Harris 2). Other critics have also stated concerns that technology does not influence achievement, teachers need training to effectively administer usage, and making sure every student has access. On the other hand, proponents of classroom technology say it allows creativity and is better fit for today’s society. Public schools across the United States, from low to high

How important is technology in this day and age? I am sure we all agree that technology is one of the most important resources in this day and age. Now, how many people actually took more than just a basic typing class in K-8th grade? Or maybe even up to 12th grade. If you went to school more than 10 years ago, I am sure that all you were able to take was a basic typing class. So my question to you is, why is it so hard to implement technology into the school system? Teachers not willing to be trained? Parents thinking technology will be a distraction? Governments not willing to do away with standardized tests? Everyone pretty much uses mobile phones, tablets, and laptops on a daily basis. As digital natives, today’s students have grown up with technology integrated into every aspect of their lives. Education cannot be an exception. Yet, we are trying to fit 21st century students, into a 19th century system. We need to implement the effective use of technology into all of our education systems. I know this is not something that can be changed overnight. However, if we can get the educators, parents, and the government all to agree, then the effective use of technology should, and will be implemented in our school systems.

As a teacher, we must learn how to achieve academic success in the classroom and with our students. The educator philosophers Borich and Wong have different points of view of how learning should be taught. Borich focuses on how technology integrates in the classroom, also on how questioning strategies help with targeting inquiry, and how teacher directed strategies help improve learners to actively respond. On the other hand, Wong focuses on everything you need to prepare for when you as the teacher have your own classroom such as: having a well-managed classroom, how to introduce yourself to your class, seating arrangements, grading systems, discipline plans, and how to achieve opportunities to learn. Consequently, the teacher should be able to balance the way the classroom acts expressively, and the same time encourage them to be culturally responsive to learning.

A child’s mind is always growing, with the advancement of technology, it will raise to new heights. Finding the most efficient way to teach and learn, has been an ongoing debate since the beginning of education. Since then, education has gone a long way. Students have gone from learning on chalkboards and memorizing all the information they learned, to having individual computers where they have access to tools to write, learn and communicate. But with all these new tools, many essential skills may be lost. Being reliant on online communication means that real face to face interactions will be gone. Children will not learn the valuable social skill that they will need when they grow up. Although this may be true, incorporating more technology into learning can lead to a more efficient and passionate education. Environmental technology will hugely enhance future technology.

In the last several years, college, administrators, faculty, and staff have observed the growing number of adult students enrolling in classes. Since these nontraditional students have recently come back, they are struggling more with technology-dominant classrooms compared to their traditional counterparts. These institutions have initiated methods to work with this problem, such as implementing beginner computer courses and encouraging them to be proactive in practicing their new found skills. Contemporary education research has observed numerous obstacles that adult student encounter returning to school. There is a learning gap that educators must close between traditional and adult students. While adult students bring valuable life experience and practical skills, they lack a background in modern programs and navigating access to technology tools. Working together hand-in-hand adult students and instructions through training in technology and time management, adult students will have a better outlook on achieving their goals and dreams.

Online classrooms and their effects : One way that would change the way we turned in class work would be google classroom. As it would allow classrooms to have a virtual classroom where they could have access to assignments and class information that would provided by their teacher. Teachers would be able to create assignments with a specific due date which would alert the student via email. The introduction of google classrooms and other online homework submission services it would mean that the students would have to have access to computer from home or school. This would mean that schools would soon have to include access to computers and wifi into their classroom. Exposing the students to not only google classroom but applications that are widely used in the world outside of school, such as microsoft word , power point presentations and many more. Not only would online classroom submission applications added to public schools but also colleges with the use of blackboard.