The Importance Of Technology In Modern Education

Education as we know it has changed. We are entering a new age of learning at school. Soon, physical books, pencil cases and whiteboards will be a thing of the past, as we approach the inevitable distant future.

Pros Of Technology In Education

You might be thinking to yourself, “Zeus, how are people supposed to study without any of those things you mentioned, they have been part of every school’s curriculum for basically forever, and for good reason too. There’s a reason why it has never been changed, because it works.”. And you’d be right, it does work, which is why I’m not suggesting that they would completely disappear from the face of the earth, rather, they’d be replaced by their digital counterparts.

There are multiple reasons why this seems plausible, in fact, it seems definite. Because as humanity grows–the world goes with it, which is just one of my arguments.

Sometimes, the things we are looking for lay in plain sight, it’s just that we can’t see them. Because, as I was writing the paragraph above this I was thinking of an example for basically hours on end, I was imagining some fancy rich kid school from Denmark or something even though the only thing I had to do was look at my–our school, Kusuma Bangsa. At our school, we use, in fact we need tablets for school.

Tablets and gadgets at school will be the new norm in a few years. Maybe not just tablets, gadgets in general will be the new norm because of lots of reasons. First of all, they look sick, and under that there’s still a whole bag of pretzels to uncover. Gadgets bring more freedom to both teachers and to students. Tablets and educational games like kahoot and quizizz turn boring classes (I’m looking at you maths) into fun classes that bring the class closer together.

Another example is something that has been around since the 2010s, with online classes and tutorials. Aside from studying in person, some students (like me) prefer studying alone with a pre-recorded video, especially if we don’t understand something, because it’s just easier to do than waffling to a teacher and asking the most ridiculous question like, “How do I multiply big numbers” (a question I actually wanted to ask).

I believe that watching educational videos on YouTube single handedly prevented me from failing science.

Cons Of Technology In Education

I could go on and on about the pros of implementing technology into education, (even though that would probably be the best outcome for both sides), I don’t think it would be fair if I didn’t talk about the cons of implementing technology into education.

Technology in education, as good as it is, would introduce a new era of digital divide. Because those in rich and developed parts of the world would have a much bigger chance of succeeding than per say a student from an undeveloped country with poor parents. The students with the best devices and or faster internet would be able to access far more educational opportunities than those whose device can barely open a game for 5 seconds.

Something that has made parents and schools not want to add technology into their curriculum is distractions and over reliance. Imagine this, you give your stupid child an Ipad in the hopes that they will use it to study and to invest in their interests, as it turns out, they’re only interested in violent games, so interested that they play them in class, opening a whole new can of worms.

As it turns out, they’ve also used their Ipad to cheat on homework, school assignments, tests and everything that comes in between. This is the modern dilemma of school and parents when they try to introduce children whose brain hasn’t developed to advanced technology like phones.

Even when they use their Ipads for good like studying or dwelling in their good interests, (not the violent games idiot). They would probably still lose at least a few days of human interaction. Some kids, (including me), spend way too much time on our gadgets and in doing so, make us look like an alien when talking to someone. It’s annoying sometimes, kids who spend way too much time in front of screens tend to know less about how to act in public, and they are especially worse when it comes to face to face conversations.

Another con is that not everyone could afford devices, whereas everybody can afford notebooks and pens. But like, that isn’t even guaranteed. I’ve seen people who can’t afford notebooks and pens, and you expect them to be able to buy tablets or laptops?

Nice things shouldn’t be gatekeeped for just the rich, the poor also deserve the best they can get. Which is why it would be unfair to them if every school required a gadget just to study.

In conclusion, the role of technology in modern education is multifaceted, offering numerous advantages while posing significant challenges. By leveraging technology effectively, educators can create inclusive, engaging, and personalised learning experiences that prepare students for success in the digital age. However, addressing challenges such as the digital divide is essential to harnessing the full potential of technology in education. As we navigate the evolving landscape of education, embracing emerging trends and leveraging technology responsibly will be key to shaping the future of learning.

 

By: VII.F

29 April 2024