CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION
Despite recent efforts in innovation, the rise of technology and the consistent changing of pedagogy, a range of studies have recently shown that students may be exiting the schooling system because of the disconnect between this system and the new digital world which ‘digital natives’ (ref) have become accustomed to in their formative years.
A number of papers have pointed to the disconnect, disassociation and discontent of students and their perception of the provision of education and its quality in relation to digital transcendence and pedagogy (Dede, 2005a; Denham & Gadbow, 2002; Geraci, 2005; Howe & Strauss, 2000; O 'Neil, 1995; Oblinger, 2003; Strauss, 2005; Zemke, 2001).
So what has changed so dramtically? How have we come to a point where students feel so disaffected that leaving the learning environment altogether seems the only viable option? Recent deficits in student outcomes in traditionally held values of literacy and numeracy have led some schools across state, private and international sectors to adopt new focus on these areas, under very traditional measures, but with little success or improvement in educational outcomes. (ref needed) (Sawchuk, 2009).
Some studies have suggested that schools have perhaps shown concern of the proliferation of technology, and in some cases, a perception by staff that the technology is little more than a simplistic tool and that the educational outcomes have been limited or non-existent. (ref
There was a time when America’s education system was top-notch according to the culture and society. With time, a myriad of things has changed, but unfortunately what has not evolved is the American education system. The country is still following a system which was not designed for the current global economic climate. Equality, as positive as it sounds is not as sufficient when it comes to education. The system treats students equally yet expect a similar culmination and outcome. Every child has his individuality and distinct abilities; one cannot judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree. Conversely, a few of the prominent reasons why the education system is failing are overcrowded schools, the rise of technology, and following the same old school hours.
Modern technology has penetrated every aspect of our lives and made great impacts on our daily activities, especially in the area of education. The continuous infusion of technology in education has become an unchangeable tendency. Given the increased use of technology in education, much research has been done on the value of technology in education. However, none of the studies have answered all of the questions that are essential to determining whether continuous infusion of new technologies in education can improve the quality of education. Since a clear answer to this question is vital to help educational organizations to make decisions on how much
Since children today have become digital natives; they will never truly know a world that is not touched with technology. This means that the educational paradigm has to shift in order to keep up with the needs of our young learners (Jo, 2016). In the last thirty years, technological advances
Cathy N. Davidson suggests an innovative education system, providing an emphasis in today’s digital era, and claiming that the existing education system needs to be renewed according to the new expectations of the digital era. Davidson states that,” In the last half century, many changes have occurred in the technology field, however, classrooms and educational methods have remained fairly steady for the past years as well in consequence students are not being prepared for the future advances of society.” That being said, it is important to improve and to give a change to the current educational methods, adjusting them to the existing demands of the era that we are living and taking advantage of the resources that it provides. “What if we continued to the lesson of internet itself,
Technology has many attributes and applications that improve livelihoods. As a student myself, one of the most obvious advancements is in the field of education. Educational technology has slowly been integrated into classrooms over the last decade. Today, the basis of technology, digital literacy, is a crucial skill for academics. “Students who are digitally literate know how to effectively use technology to collaborate, create original content, and conduct in-depth research for academic purposes” (Dotterer, “Fostering Digital Citizenship In The Classroom”). Some worry that the use of technology will encourage people to “cease to exercise their memory and become forgetful” (qtd. In Carr, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”).
For some of us, it is difficult to comprehend why our education systems have not yet made the transition to technology-based forms of teaching especially when we are in the era of technology. To others, the reasoning is clear and they support the original, dated usage of textbooks in a “traditional classroom” setting. The changes in our society are undeniable with the innovation of technology and social media. Although some authors, such as Neil Howe and Jean Twenge, argue that technology is deteriorating the minds of Millennials, technology is also providing Millennials with a way to create connections across communities.
This paper reviews four important trends in our educational system today across America and discusses the impact of these trends on our future educational system. We live in an ever evolving world with constant changes that are affecting every aspect of our lives daily. Our educational system has not been immune to these changes and shouldn’t be since these changes and our ability to adapt to these changes will determine our future academic success and our place in a global society.
He then reminds us that, in spite of prevailing belief, one cannot simply presume that students function the same way their teachers did when they were in school. As a result of this, he enters the debate whether “students should go back to their old ways or if teachers should have to learn this new language” (Prensky, Mark. Digital Natives, Digital
The more education and technology makes phenomenal strides and advancements, the more obvious it is that not every student learns or retains information in one specific manner. According to Marc Prensky in his essay “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” (2001), “Today.s students have not just changed incrementally from those of the past, nor simply changed their slang, clothes, body adornments, or styles, as has happened between generations previously. A really big discontinuity has taken place. One might even call it a “singularity” – an event which changes things so fundamentally that there is absolutely no going back.” (1) To summarize Prensky’s point, modern pupils simply learn and view things differently. This is neither good nor bad, it is just a matter of
In the article, “Technology Instruction: Fixing the Disconnect,” the authors state that schools that do not adapt to teaching with these new technologies that surround students outside of the classroom reflect “a decline in school’s relevancy to students’ futures” (Larson, Kuhn, Collins, Balthazor, Ribble & Miller, 2009, p. 55). In order to prepare teachers to meet the needs of today’s students, schools need to provide teachers with support from a technology specialist who also understands “the art of teaching” and how to transform curriculum with technology (p. 56). Teachers need to not only learn how to use the technology but also be willing to rethink how they teach and manage the classroom (p. 57). Allan Collins
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
The education system around the world has progressed and changed in a plentiful amount of ways, and the concept of knowledge and learning has changed in modern day. For example, certain schools around the globe are moving on to implementing technology in classrooms because it provides many benefits and statistical research that states how students are improving their academic readiness because of the instant access to information, a greater engagement and interactive process in learning, and the personalization that instructors can do towards the educational experience that students receive. The benefits of technology in class can be rather debatable, for there are people who think it's a distraction, but it certainly seems to be beneficial according to the increase of passing percentages in schools.
It seems that technology is growing, improving, and changing at an exponential rate. Technology now affects every part of our lives from the time we get up to the time we go to bed, and even as we sleep. One of the major areas that has been affected by technology is education. At one time, the only option for students to complete their education was in a traditional classroom setting. There has become a major need for non-traditional education because there has been a growth in the amount of non-traditional students that exist in our society. The advancement of technology has
On a daily basis, both businesses and individuals rely on technology. It cannot be denied that technology has become part of our everyday life. As individuals, we all depend on technology, either for education, health purposes, transportation, communication, romantic relationships, and/or business growth . It is impossible to explore how each advancement in technology has impacted our lives as well as how it will impact the future, but we can briefly explore the major advancements. Technology impacts the environment, people individually, and the society as a whole.
John Dewey, a leader for the progressive movement in education in the United States once said, “If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.”