Importance of technology in education.

Pros and Cons of Technology in the Classroom

The pros and cons of technology in the classroom need an in-depth examination in light of the controversial arguments you may often hear against the benefits of technology in the classroom.

The importance of technology in education can be gauged from the fact that with the advancements in information and communication technology, classroom education has now moved to another level. The majority of our young people are now getting access to the internet through their smartphones, tablets, or home computers which is opening up to them a huge wealth of educational opportunities.

According to a study of the benefits of technology in education, by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), around 75 percent of educators think that technology integration in the classroom has a positive impact on the education process. The educators are of the opinion that the benefits of technology in education are clearly visible after the adoption of new classroom technology in the studies of the students.

While it is true that there are many pros of technology in the classroom, both for the students and the teachers, it also has some negative implications in certain areas. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the teachers to make the right balance between the pros and cons of technology in the classroom while integrating technology into the classroom studies of the students.

Importance of technology in education

Many people believe that the use of technology in education is hindering students’ ability to think for themselves and changing the way they think about their work.

Then again, people who believe in the importance of technology in education, argue that in the current age when information is one of the most vital components in the world economy it has become essential that instead of following solely textbook-based instructional methods, students need to be mainly taught a variety of approaches through the adoption of new classroom technology. Some examples of classroom technology tools are – Projectors, Smart-boards, Laptops, Tablets, digital textbooks, networked learning, big data analytics, etc. They believe that the use of these classroom technology tools would help to obtain, process, and make use of information in the achievement of academic goals, which would eventually prepare the students for the future. It is felt that in order to arrive at a well-rounded and informed opinion on the subject, a true understanding of all the pros and cons of technology in the classroom is absolutely necessary.

Pros and cons of technology in the classroom

Before we go into the cons of technology in the classroom in certain areas let’s first look into the pros of technology in the classroom, to comprehend the importance of the adoption of new classroom technology.

Pros of technology in the classroom

Here is a list of major benefits of technology in the classroom:

1. Prepares students for the future

With a shift to the global economy, business is becoming more and more dominated by technology. A different process of career preparation is, therefore, required for today’s students compared to those of yesterday’s generation. Technology integration in the classroom plays a crucial role in enhancing the skills and knowledge of the students to adapt to the changing work environments. It plays a vital role in preparing the students with the necessary skills required for their careers of tomorrow.

2. Improves engagement

The use of classroom technology tools can boost students’ engagement and motivation in ways that traditional classrooms cannot. The students become more interested in the subjects they are studying as digital tools engage and challenge students with totally new and interactive methods using online learning resources. This is one of the key benefits of technology in the classroom education.

What is more, the use of technology tools encourages more active participation of the students in the learning process, which can be hard to achieve in a traditional lecture environment.

3. Improves Retention Rate

Improving the retention rate of students is also one of the major pros of technology in the classroom. Besides engaging students and helping them to remain active in their learning, new classroom technology helps students to retain information and what they learn, more easily. According to a study the lessons supported by digital presentations or other technologies, help students better grasp new facts and enable them to remember difficult concepts much better.

4. Promotes independent learning

One more importance of technology in education is that it gives students access to different modalities of learning as against the traditional lecture environments.

When students are using technology as a tool, they are in an active role rather than the passive role of recipient of information transmitted by a teacher or textbooks. Using various classroom technology tools like smartphones, tablets, and computers students can gather online materials including the most current and pertinent information themselves to explore a topic or solve a problem necessary for the completion of any given project at their own pace without the physical presence of their teachers. This eventually helps them to learn the best strategies for themselves as individual learners. What is more, such an approach to personalized learning is far more challenging and interesting for the students. Thus promoting independent learning is one of the major pros of technology in the classroom.

5. Encourages collaboration

Collaborative learning is also one of the major benefits of technology in the classroom. It helps students to develop collaborative and communication skills that will stand them in great stead in later life when they enter the working world.  Whether you want students to work together in the same classroom, same school, or even with other classrooms in different locations, technology tools, and apps offer a unique setting to foster their collaborative learning skills by sharing ideas and resources with other students online or getting engaged in a group project. Facilitating collaboration between teachers and students remotely has also never been easier than it is now. With several digital tools at every teacher’s fingertips, students can at any time get connected virtually with their teachers and get extended support for learning.

6. Radically changes the art of teaching

One of the significant benefits of technology in education is that it can fundamentally change the learning process and the art of teaching by teachers. Technology integration in the classroom has greatly improved the way teachers manage their classrooms and present new materials to their students.

Gone are the days when the only tools for teaching were limited books and blackboards. It need not be emphasized that visual illustrations make learning much easier for students. By using classroom technology tools teachers can now incorporate images, videos, and other graphics when delivering lessons. Interactive simulations and illustrations with the help of technology tools can create a greater depth of understanding of any subject with real-world examples. The teachers can demonstrate how things work or explain any concepts far more easily with the help of digital simulations and models than through lectures in a traditional classroom. The way we look at textbooks has also undergone radical changes. The textbooks are no longer limited to just text and pictures. Today’s books often contain web-based sites that include additional materials such as videos, animations, and other materials to support the learning of new content.

7. Students can avoid heavy backpacks

In the traditional system, the backpacks of high school students are loaded with textbooks and other study materials that they are required to carry each day in school. Because of technology use in the classroom the students, instead of carrying a bag full of books, can now just carry a laptop or a tablet that contains all their study and project materials in digital format. This is undoubtedly beneficial for the students and is one of the major pros of technology in the classroom.

Let’s now look into the major cons of technology in the classroom which would help the teachers to make the right balance between the pros and cons of technology in the classroom studies of the students.

Cons of technology in the classroom

Here are some of the major cons of technology in the classroom:

1. Technology could be distracting

One of the strongest arguments, why technology in the classroom is bad is that it opens the door for many more distractions, such as games, text messaging, email, and social media. Despite several benefits of technology in education that can help both students and teachers, students are easily distracted by social media like Twitter, Facebook, or WhatsApp, which is one of the major cons of using technology in the classroom. The use of social media through mobile devices in the classroom by students for non-educational purposes can disrupt their learning and focus on classroom study contents. It is also a matter of concern that relying too heavily on social media can negatively affect the learning capabilities of the student’s social skills, which face-to-face communication could teach. If they are not able to express themselves effectively in the real world, this may result in adverse effects on their performance at social events in the future.

2. Online Security and Safety

Another point why technology in the classroom is bad relates to the security and safety of students. Pornographic, violent, and other inappropriate materials can easily be accessed and viewed by students through online tools.

Cyberbullying has become a real threat among young people today because of such easy access to the internet by students. This harassment has no end, it takes place in all educational institutions from grade school to college. It is due to security reasons that most search engines are providing facilities for filtering and removing unwanted content on websites.

3. Easier to deceive teachers on tests and work assignments

One of the often discussed major cons of technology in the classroom is – how easy it has become for students to cheat on their tests and homework assignments. Students simply search online for an answer to a question to find an instant reply. They can easily access others’ work i.e. essays, reports, class notes, tests, etc. online, making it difficult for the teachers to know if the works submitted by the students are original.

4. Develops poor study habits

Another potential argument against using technology in the classroom is that it can result in the development of poor study habits among students. The internet makes it so easy to find answers to anything that students barely have to look for them. Because everything is now accessible online or through data saved in a computer or mobile device, students are likely to develop a lethargic attitude toward gathering information by searching textbooks.

5. May cause an increased social disconnect

Students are now spending too much time with their digital devices. This is already causing disconnection of students from face-to-face social activities and family communications. Incorporation of technology in the classroom would probably lead to an even greater of such disconnection as classroom technology tools would allow the students to have access to social networks and other websites during school hours.

It is hoped that after going through all the pros and cons of technology in the classroom education explained above, the parents, teachers, policymakers, and students alike should be able to weigh and argue all the detriments and benefits of technology in the classroom regarding the adoption of new classroom technology

Frequently asked questions

Before I conclude the discussion on the pros and cons of technology in the classroom, let me also address some of the frequently asked related queries.

How does technology hurt students learning?

Many students are experiencing their grades are falling as they spend more time using technology. Increasing usage of technology means the students are giving less time on homework, like reading and writing which is causing their falling grades.

Does technology affect studying?

Technology in the classroom has the ability to make students’ activities and the learning process more engaging. It boosts their self-confidence and motivation in attending classes. In addition, technology influences critical thinking by assisting students in applying what they’ve learned, to real-life situations and developing problem-solving skills, both of which are essential components of critical thinking.

How does technology influence education?

Technology plays a large role in several aspects of our day-to-day life including education. It is rapidly changing the way students learn and how teachers teach. As technology continues to evolve, it will bring new opportunities and challenges for educators and students. Social networking is a great example of how technology can help or hinder education depending on how it is used and integrated into teaching strategies.

Does Technology improve education?

Technology can be utilized to extend education in another way. Using technology students can access online resources to get assistance on demand beyond the physical reach of their educators.

What are the negative effects of technology?

Experts believe that although technology makes our lives more convenient, it has a negative side also. Technology can be addictive and can hurt our communication skills. Extended screen time on the computer and mobile devices can also result in health ramifications like eyestrain, increased anxiety, and depression.

Conclusion

The importance of technology in education can be clearly understood from the above in-depth examination of the pros and cons of technology in the classroom.

Nevertheless, while there are many benefits of technology in the classroom studies some of the cons of technology in the classroom mentioned in the post also cannot be ignored altogether. Therefore, teachers need to balance the pros and cons of using technology in the education system for the benefit of the students.

It is the responsibility of the teachers to talk with their students and guide them about the need for responsible use of the resources available to them through use of the classroom technology tools. They are to figure out the best way to use the available tools so as to take full advantage of the several pros of technology in the classroom for the overall well-being of the students.

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