The use of technology in education
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1. Introduction
The use of technology in education has become a very critical point in schools, universities, and many other learning institutions. Despite all of the good things that are possible due to technology, some students use it in a problematic manner. They have become more and more dependent on technology to do their schoolwork. In the classroom, many students are armed with laptops, tablets and other electronic devices. Consequently, they get distracted and lose their focus in class. Yet teachers are working very hard to come up with other methods of teaching that will help these students to be more focused.
2. Digital natives
While the war is on between digital natives (young people who have grown up in an immersive computing environment) and digital immigrants (people who have yet to learn how to use a computer), thinkers are analysing the issue and come up with answers that will help to prove that technology in higher education can be misused and at the same time useful in higher education. To expand on the topic, the following sections will discuss the misuse of technology in education and the opportunities. We will also give some recommendations that will help student be more successful in their education.
3. Misuse
3.1 Hacking and online crime
First, technology is misused by some students hacking into the school servers or using email to intimidate or threaten other students. They are downloading music and plagiarizing information from the internet and using it as their own. They are constantly checking the cellular phones during class time, accessing pornographic web sites, and playing video games during in class.
Other forms of online misbehaviour include:
online bullying
illegal file sharing
disrespecting privacy
downloading inappropriate content
3.2 Less face-to-face communication
While the use of technology is supposed to bring changes in the traditional way that teachers used to teach, student used to learn but still doesn’t prevent some students taking advantage of these changes and use them as they want. Second, Technology in higher education has also affected human’s interaction in classroom. Since technology has been introduced as an alternative for teaching back in 1900s, it has gradually taken the place of the human teachers and now students mostly rely on computers, television and other electronic devices as another way to learn.
3.3 Laziness
They do not spend time in focusing in class because they have the computer at home that will help them do their work. Although this technology brings certain benefits in the classroom, it also causes some students to be unexcited and lazy to learn at school. They believe that learning by themselves using the computer is a much better and faster. However, these students are wrong.
3.4 Inaccurate information
Technology has unlocked the doors to an ocean of information, which is not always accurate. Therefore, they need to learn and look carefully through it all and get appropriate materials. This ocean of information has also allowed students to truly engage with fields that may interest them. When students take full responsibility and engage themselves in their own learning in order to reach his or her own ultimate goal, everybody wins.
4. Opportunities
4.1 Projects
A chemistry teacher might want his or her students to do a project. Each student could choose a specific part of the topic that tickles their interest. The assignment could then be diversified by allowing students to search for information from different websites and watch videos. They can then group together and create a wiki, for example. With this software, students can develop or design chemical models. Moreover, they have access to databases of their school where they can also look for more resources that are related to their topics. Finally, they can create a podcast which is video editing software that allows them to put to put together their findings and share it as a full-length video in class.
4.2 Distance learning
Another interesting and very important feature of technology in education is distance education, also known as e-learning. It is a method of education where students can study in their own time, at their own place (home, work, and library) and without an actual face-to-face interaction with a teacher. In addition, it is more flexible in terms of time and geographical position of an individual learner. They can be anywhere in the world and still attend classes in their own time.
5. Conclusion
Before technology, students were bound by the classroom and library walls. They had no alternative. They had to go to libraries to read those heavy books in order to do their homework. Now, thanks to technology, they have the choice to go to the libraries to do research or not. They have iPads, computers, and e-books. So, while there are some dangers of misuse of technology, it seems there are also wonderful opportunities to use it for learning and personal development.
6. Appendix
Survey results: How important is technology for the following activities?
Doing homework
Exam preparation
Research for assignments
Communicating with students
Communicating with tutors
Getting course information
Total number of respondents: 21