Students today have essentially grown up with technology all around them and want to use it in every aspect of their lives – including education. That’s because students have an expectation that the same technology they use at home should also be available at school; and thanks to a large amount of information available on the internet, students have become the most enthusiastic and tech-savvy users on these mobile devices.
If you’re a teacher or education official for that matter, you probably won’t be able to remember the last you walked on a campus and didn’t see students on their mobile device. Students enjoy having their beloved devices on them at all times, and they aren’t just using their phones to check their social media accounts, text friends, or download music. As a matter of fact, students have not only begun using technology to study but begun using it to help them with their homework assignments as well. The theory behind this method is if students can master how to use the latest technology, they’ll also be able to improve their academic performance in the classroom, increasing their career opportunities – specifically in the STEM field.
So now comes one of the most important education questions to date. Can students really benefit more in STEM education by including their own devices in the lesson plan? Although this topic might leave some room for debate, here are some of the pros to introducing this new learning style into the classroom environment.
The future of education is brighter than ever because technology continues to evolve and develop. Because of so many advancements, education is now available to more individuals throughout the world. Education can now be offered to not just a few privileged in the populated communities, but connects people of all statuses from all over the globe.There are several advancements in technology that have drastically changed education. Perhaps one of the factors that has influenced education the most might be the availability of devices. Inexpensive mobile phones now have more power and potential than desktops of just a few years ago (Solomon and Schrum, 2014). Not only do they have more power and potential, but they are also more convenient
Phones are easy to use and very accessible by both students and teachers. “Smartphones allow us to take down notes any time, any place.” “smartphones allows you to access resources and material quickly before an exam.” “not only can we make videos, but we can also edit them, add text, filters, effects and more.” This is true because smartphones really do work in a way that is helpful to students and teachers. This evidence is supporting it by just stating that there are many cool and useful ways to use them.
Technology is a relatively new thing and has come a long way in a short amount of time. Just a couple of years ago, most devices seen in schools were found in a computer lab. Today, with wireless networking, there are electronics virtually everywhere in the school, from projectors, projecting a teachers computer screen to iPads, and cell phones, in every students hands, used for everything possible. Although millions of dollars have been poured into American schools for technology, research has shown less than impressive results. Using a computer does not require a high level of thinking, and education
Many people now understand the benefits of teaching students how to be proficient with technology. There are many new jobs that came about with the rise of technology. But there are also downsides to the quickly growing online community. Terry Heick of teachthought, a website that promotes itself as being informational to “21st century teachers” says that technology can be a distraction among students that can be hard for teachers to restrict “It may be difficult for a teacher to monitor her students so closely in class as to determine whether they are utilizing educational apps on their tablets or browsing Facebook.”(Heick 1). Many schools also provide students with their own computers or tablets for them to use while they are in attendance. This can be a problem for many schools because of the huge financial commitment this can be. Many schools choose to provide students with Apple products. Apple products can be extremely expensive to supply children with, the most inexpensive Apple computer is the MacBook at $1299,
Many of our students have smartphones, laptops, and tablets they use throughout the school day for school work. While some students depend on their devices to look up the current fashion trends and football stats, we feel that technology has also enabled students to think in a different way. Many students are quick on their feet to Google information to prove their friend wrong, send texts and emails in less than 10 seconds, and get excited when they are allowed to use their
The biggest problem with today’s education is how rapid technology is advancing. So rapid, in fact, that schools are attempting to keep up, but are sadly falling short. Teachers are being required to incorporate new technology into their everyday methods of teaching. The use of IPads or laptops in classrooms can be helpful to both teachers and students(edreform online classes)”. If a teacher is not overly familiar with the new devices, then the students will lose what little time they have to learn. As a teacher is attempting to fix technical problems in one class, the class that has a tech savvy teacher will be advancing far ahead. On the other hand, if a classroom is full of students who are very unfamiliar with the technology will have to be taught how to operate it, which wastes valuable time. In today’s society technology usage is so much more widespread than it was just five years ago. The new toys can allow schools to broaden their curriculum. Since most work can be done on a single device, kids can work at their own pace and potentially reach heights they could never reach with book, pen, and paper. The benefits of this new tech greatly outweigh the downsides. The biggest problem with technology in classrooms is their lack of use. So few schools have jumped on board with these programs, and therefore are holding their kids back. These products are readily available, but “the use of new technology
Alfonzo Porter, a publisher for The Washington Post, is a strong believer that technology has caused massive problems when it comes to educating students. The publisher mentions that student are losing interest in school and becoming more distracted with their cellular devices. In the newspaper, Porter writes, “76 percent of teachers believed students are being conditioned by the internet to find quick answers, leading to a loss of concentration.” Alfonzo Porter believes that students are not taking advantage of technology, instead, they are manipulating it. In today’s modern society, there is a higher percentage of students using their cellphones to find answers, compared to students that are properly reading a book to find solutions to their problems. This issue is leading students becoming less interested in expanding their knowledge.
Most people know the feeling getting in their comfy clothes and sitting down to watch a new episode of their favorite tv show on the laptop. The popcorn laying by ones’s side. Their butter fingers across the keys, while each image is illuminating your face. Their phone is buzzing from the Snapchats. In this generation, people cling to some type of electronic device. “According to the US Department of Education and studies by the National Training and Simulation Association Technology-based instruction can reduce the time students take to reach a learning objective by 30-80%”(ProCon.org). In a classroom, teachers are able to take their class around the world electronically to look at the development of civilizations in Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Latin America. Also, students are able to take virtual trips and collaborate with other students around the world and research in the best libraries
Books and face to face learning have started to dissipate as technology has taken over. The internet has taken over the teaching world. Apps have been on the rise since iPads and laptops have been introduced into school districts around the country. Applications like Notability, Desmos, and Quizlet have made it easier for kids to study on their own. Online classes are also growing more and more popular since students can double up on classes and get more credits in less time. Younger students don’t use devices for the same reasons, but to catch up on things they may miss in school due to absences or other extenuating circumstances. The school issued electronics are also great for reviewing materials at home, in the instances of an upcoming test. Most classes and teachers have the added help of being able to teach and or use devices for students benefit. Other classes, like art or gym do not benefit. Visual and physical classes are more difficult in the sense that they require full participation from students. Devices can serve as a distraction in these instances. Especially in cases where material is not
However, using these mobile technologies in a classroom environment has both advantages and disadvantages. Learning with these mobile devices enables students to engage in their study and clearly understand the lessons. At the same time, these mobile devices may be disadvantageous to students if they were used in wrong ways, i.e., to play games and go to inappropriate websites. Both teachers and parents have to guide their children to properly employ tablets in the right way and at the right time. The following are comments from two teachers regarding the use of tablets and smartphones in teaching and
Education is ever-changing and students need to be confident, creative, connected and active lifelong learners. Digital technologies are very important to our student’s world as they use them to connect with each other, learn new skills and pursue their interest. Luckey (2009) stated “For students in particular, technology is almost an extension of themselves. They use it to communicate, to discover the world, to play games, to collaborate, to create things, to write, to read, and to organize their lives. Nothing can be more foreign to them than school without technology or where technology is relegated to its own special place.” Mobile devices with the power of digital technology are being placed in every student’s hand in schools around the world which equips them with the personal technology needed to learn and communicate in the 21st century. While these programs can be very effective for students, they can be challenging for schools. Some educators believe that digital technology in the classroom may cause more of a distraction to students; however integrating digital technology in the classroom helps students become more engaged. In the digital world, data is at students’ fingertips 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Technology is everywhere and many students have adopted practices
Not every student is comfortable with technology, and many do not have an interest in it beyond using their smartphones to text, watching videos on YouTube, or playing games. Furthermore, it is rather assuming to think
There is a widespread belief among teachers that students’ constant use of digital technology is hampering their attention spans and ability to persevere in the face of challenging tasks, according to two surveys of teachers being released on Thursday.
As an educator, one might acknowledge that there are several technologies that are asserting their way into mainstream education. Since the emergence of technology use in the classroom, learning technology can be found in every discipline imaginable.
And the total number of internet subscribers has reached 29415.693 thousand at the end of July 2012 (http://www.btrc.gov.bd). Now-a-days students all over the world are “digital natives”. They are growing up in a decidedly digital world. Digital learning educates students using the same technology they use for communication and entertainment outside of school. Also the teachers are very much engage with technology. They provide their class materials through internet. Many studies (Attewell, 2005; Murat et al, 2008) have already shown that mobile technologies have considerable potential to enhance teaching and learning across all education sectors. Their impact on student behavior, enthusiasm, motivation and progress is well documented, especially in some conventional schools in the UK (Cook et al. 2007). The National Training and Simulation Association and the U.S. Department of Education studied that, technology based instruction can reduce the time and students take to reach a learning objective by 30 to 80 percent. According to a meta- analysis and review of online