Our modern day today has been exposed to technology thus it is becoming a huge part of our daily life activities. Technology has variety of scope hence focuses more to teaching and learning process. Using technology as supplementary teaching device in the
instruction is a priority in most schools today. When teachers started to use computers in theclassroom, schools evaluate whether the use
of educational technology had a significant and consistent impact on the part of the student.
Majority of the students’ feedback
are about the blessings or
advantages that technology can
bring to everyone. But still, to have
a balance in nature, there will
always be a negative to
complement the positive.
Technology can also be a curse or
a boon to everyone. But the
question is, what are the
consequences of the use of
technology on relationships,
learning and life?
When people hear the word
“technology”, the first thing people
think are the computers. But we
should bear in mind the we should
not limit our idea of technology as
computers alone but consider the
other different types of technology
that can be used to improve
student learning. There are word
processing programs that
encourage communication and
writing skills, the use of
spreadsheet and database
software which help teachers in
mathematical calculations.
Ask Yourself: As students of the 21st
century can you consider Technology as a Blessing or a Curse?
In my case, during our class when we
see our teacher incorporating new
technology and trying new things, we
become more and more engaged and
interested in the discussion because
technology allows us to see the whole world
or we can even go to places even without a
cost. It also benefits us students because we
have choices and opportunities to explore
and share information to a greater extent
compared to the traditional classroom
setting.
Here are the list of the advantages that technology can bring to us
students:
It is without question that the
introduction of a new medium of
instruction like technology would
have an enormous impact on the
traditional classroom.
Technology should be integrated as
a tool to promote and extend student
learning on a daily basis.
Technology use allows us to create,
problem solve, research,
collaborate, and interact globally.
We have the ability to learn and
express ourselves in our individual
learning style too.
When technology is introduced into
a classroom, things change.
Instruction through computers give
us more control over our learning
Students are too confused or
embarrassed to ask questions
because they don’t want to show
their ignorance but with
individualized computer
instruction, students can always
immediately request help if
something is unclear. Computers
in classroom help to make it more
interactive. They are extremely
effective with the struggling
learners because they have
unlimited patience. The computer
can also be used to educate the
smarter students who easily get
bored in a traditional classroom
since they reach their goal faster.
With computers, students that
finish a unit can go to the next one
Technology has completely changed mankind in many different ways. Most of them are through integration in the instruction or the so called
“Educational Technology”. There is the development of skills and capabilities through the use of personal computers, online video, the World
Wide Web and others. The technology can allow a great development of the class, because we can find information for class activities, also play
videos, listen to recordings and so on . The use of video, audio, and computers in the classroom also helps us better understand and listen and
improve our English speech. If we give good use of this technology can help us learn in a more dynamic and easy.
Technology in the classroom improve the teaching and learning process because we students become more engage in activities that are presented. Many students find school tiresome and technology gains the attention of
youth leading to a higher degree of motivation. When students daily activities are so repetitive, technology recaptures their interest and pulls
them back into learning in a more interesting manner.
Before, students had to visit the library and sort through books to search for information. Now, through technology, we can gather all needed knowledge instantly; with the internet, we can accumulate more information quickly and efficiently because we have variety of resources while teachers can incorporate more into their lesson plans.
When students are using technology as a tool or a support for communicating with others, they are in an active role rather than the passive role of recipient of actively making choices about how to generate, obtain, manipulate, or display information. Technology use allows many more students to be actively thinking about information, making choices, and executing skills than is typical in teacher-led lessons. Moreover, when technology is used as a tool to support students in performing authentic tasks, the students are in the position of defining their goals, making design decisions, and evaluating their progress.
In my opinion I think the advantages concerning computer technology in the classroom outweigh the disadvantages. Computer technology is a positive supplement to bridge the gap between education and the technological world in which we live. It promotesindependent learning to most students and appears to be more fun and lively.
The use of smart phones are helping us to translate any word that we cannot understand, in a short time.
I've also seen kids helping each other a lot at the computer. The ones that pick it up faster, they love teaching it to someone that doesn't know it yet. -
-Fifth-grade teacherThe ones who have used it from the beginning have become peer
coaches. --Fifth-grade teacher
We can notice that students' ability to collaborate and interact with one another can be further enhanced through the use of the software
applications from the computer.
It's a much more facilitating atmosphere because the kids help each other so much on the computer. It changes the style and the tone of the
classroom a lot. --Elementary school teacher
Another advantage of new technology information can be presented in such a large variety of ways (visually, orally, differently sized fonts, and different colors) that almost any type of learner can benefit and learn through the new technologies. The internet and other forms of technology give students access to a huge wealth of knowledge that previously was not as accessible to students.
Technology, especially the internet, allows for equality within education. The information and the technology that students use are available for everyone, they just have to go get it. Of course, this is referring more to the use of the internet because certain educational technologies are too expensive for less fortunate people to afford access to.
Distance Learning is also one product of technology which has a big impact on the part of both the teacher as well as students. This helps us in our busy schedules, freedom to work at home on our own time. It also helps to
decrease paper and photocopying costs, promoting concept of “Go Green Project"
In the past when students had to use type-writers or hand write their papers, they would have to re-copy
their whole essay if they made a mistake. Now, editing of written works is possible and we can digitally
modify our papers while reducing our frustration by decreasing the amount of time spent with this task.
Although there are many advantages to technology in the classroom there have been testimonies as to whether technology is what is doing all the work and not the students.
There is a loss of communication skills and the ability for people to interact with each other. Since a fairly large amount of the new technology is made for an independent uses there are valid concerns about the loss of interpersonal and cooperation skills that students usually develop within a classroom setting.
In our case, some of students in lower income situations do not have as much access to modern technology.They can’t access even the more common technologies such as a computer on a regular basis because it costs a lot.
Because information can be accessed quickly and displayed through multiple mediums through the use of the Internet, there are fears that students might not remember information because they can now look it up elsewhere. We are somewhat losing the basic knowledge and reading skills because we become more dependent on the information we can get.
The technology in the classroom can be a distraction for students, that decentralizes its attention to social networks and othersespecially when the technology used isn’t related to the class or when teachers use it without having anything to do with the topic that is being developed . Also the technology does not allow students interact and relate with their peers, making it not can realize a group learning process.
Some of my teenage learners equate the use of social media and
blogging with something that is done with their friends, and not
something that is done with their teachers as part of the curriculum.
Some learners from less-privileged backgrounds might feel left out and
inferior. They might not be as familiar with certain online platforms and
styles of games because they do not have easy access to a computer or a
game at home. They might not have a smart phone and have to share a
classmate’s.
Some learners simply don’t have the time to participate outside
of classroom hours. Class participation is extremely hard to maintain
under such circumstances.
So we know that we can’t force students to use or participate in the use
of these digital tools.
With the advent of technology in the classroom, teacher’s role changes as well. Teachers become “coaches” and less as lecturers. They become facilitators and spend more time individualizing their instruction. As a result, students are given much more individual attention due to the nature of some technologies.
Classrooms with the use of technology have students with positive attitudes, and a greater inclination to learn, and an increase in student achievement too.
At the end of the day, perhaps the
issue is not whether to use
technology in the classroom or not.
Or is it truly a blessing or a curse?
For what really matters is the way we
use it, the context that we use it in,
and the learners who we use it for. If
we use them properly for better result
then it is a blessing but if we abuse or
misuse them, they become a curse.
Technology has many
advantages when it’s used
for the development of the
class, but also, it has a
disadvantage when it isn’t
used in this, because it
distracts us and impede us
learning. But I think that there
are more on the positive side
because it is very important
and useful for all class of
people, it is portable and
with many applications that
serve as help to the persons.