Does the use of computer/technology in class benefit the educational process?
USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
Teachers are responsible for weighing between knowledge of where
students are academically, where they need to be and to somehow gain insight
into the special needs of students’ and their progress. Teachers also have to
contend with the choice of co-curricular activities and the rules that govern
student’s participation. The expectations from parents, the community and in
general the teacher’s code of conduct make the profession interesting. The
addition of technology in education further complicates the equation and
presents a host of many new questions.
Technology slowly seems to be taking over many aspects of human
society. Education has gradually evolved to incorporate technology in the dissemination of information. This advancement has
revolutionized the classroom environment leading to improved grades and
learning experiences. While a small group of conservative-minded individuals
remains skeptical about the use of technology in the classroom, the merits are
self-evident. The question now remains, how is technology best utilized in the classroom
and what are the potential advantages?
As tablet computers and other smart devices slowly replace textbooks, we
must also examine the challenges facing implementation of technology in
education. The main argument for incorporating technology in classrooms is,
students should be able to apply classroom concepts to daily life with ease.
Since a large part of daily life involves technology, using it in classes only seems right. Many learners today are apt at
using tools such as tablets, laptops, and smartphones. Technology has become
second nature. Eliminating the technology factor from the learning equation
would, therefore, in a way be alienating a critical part of the students’
capabilities.
Top 6 benefits of using technology in the classroom
It is important to acknowledge that students are already
interested and engaged in using technology, this creates many amazing
opportunities for schools and teachers to benefit from integrating some forms
of technology in the classroom and to make teaching and learning more
effective. Here are some of the main benefits of using technology in the
classroom.
Improves engagement
When technology is integrated into lessons, students are
expected to be more interested in the subjects they are studying. Technology
provides different opportunities to make learning more fun and enjoyable in
terms of teaching same things in new ways. For instance, delivering teaching
through gamification, taking students on virtual field trips and using other
online learning resources. What is more, technology can encourage a more active
participation in the learning process which can be hard to achieve through a
traditional lecture environment.
Improves knowledge retention
Students who are engaged and interested in things they are
studying, are expected to have a better knowledge retention. As mentioned
before, technology can help to encourage active participation in the classroom
which also is a very important factor for increased knowledge retention.
Different forms of technology can be used to experiment with and decide what
works best for students in terms of retaining their knowledge.
Encourages individual learning
No one learns in the same way because of different learning
styles and different abilities. Technology provides great opportunities for
making learning more effective for everyone with different needs. For
example, students can learn at their own speed, review difficult concepts
or skip ahead if they need to. What is more, technology can provide more
opportunities for struggling or disabled students. Access to the Internet gives
students access to a broad range of resources to conduct research in different
ways, which in turn can increase the engagement.
Encourages collaboration
Students can practice collaboration skills by getting involved
in different online activities. For instance, working on different projects by
collaborating with others on forums or by sharing documents on their virtual
learning environments. Technology can encourage collaboration with students in
the same classroom, same school and even with other classrooms around the
world.
Students can learn useful life skills through technology
By using technology in the classroom, both teachers and students
can develop skills essential for the 21st century. Students can gain the skills
they will need to be successful in the future. Modern learning is about
collaborating with others, solving complex problems, critical thinking,
developing different forms of communication and leadership skills, and
improving motivation and productivity. What is more, technology can help
develop many practical skills, including creating presentations, learning to
differentiate reliable from unreliable sources on the Internet, maintaining
proper online etiquette, and writing emails. These are very important skills
that can be developed in the classroom.
Benefits for teachers
With
countless online resources, technology can help improve teaching. Teachers can
use different apps or trusted online resources to enhance the traditional ways
of teaching and to keep students more engaged. Virtual lesson plans, grading
software and online assessments can help teachers save a lot time. This
valuable time can be used for working with students who are struggling. What is
more, having virtual learning environments
in schools enhances collaboration
and knowledge sharing between teachers.
