The learning experiences of students in modern times have changed significantly in recent years. Technology is the main factor which contributed to shaping up the modern education system. Wide range of gadgets such as tablets, headsets have helped to make the learning experience fun and engaging.
Teachers are relying heavily on using advanced technology to teach students in recent years. As per a recent survey conducted by the government of U.K., around 77% of the teachers used technology for teaching students during the year 2020. The number of teachers using educational technology to conduct classes is expected to increase in the future.
A sneak peek into educational technology sector
Technology used by teachers and students for educational purposes is known as educational technology. It includes use of elements such as audio, video, computers, tablets, mobile phones to improve the learning experience. Depending on the students and the level of education, teachers use different tools and devices to conduct learning sessions and help students learn innovative things everyday.
Advantages of using technology in classroom
Integration of technology in modern classrooms helps to make the learning experience fun and interactive for the students. Devices such as laptops, tablet among others helps students to search and learn new information and make meaningful contributions during discussion.
Technology helps teachers customise their study plans depending on the requirements of the students. Different students have different grasping capabilities. Using visualisation graphic tools, learning new concepts can be made fun and easier. Students also get the chance to use graphic tools to create presentations and exhibit their knowledge and understanding of the topic.
The use of technology increases collaboration among students. The frequency of helping each other while using devices like computers increases during classroom sessions. Furthermore, students who are technologically advanced proactively participate to help others who are less tech-savvy to complete the task. This makes learning new things easier in classes.
Learning new skills such as Powerpoint, Word, Excel also helps students prepare themselves for jobs in the future. Such skills are essential to land high-paying job opportunities in the market. Promoting students to take up courses such as C++, Programming, Java, Python and introduction of such courses in the curriculum help them prepare for the future.
Additionally, teachers are able to connect with the students easily. Lesson plans can be easily integrated and customised easily to help students learn new things. Furthermore, teachers can introduce live assignments to assess the knowledge of the students on a particular topic. Web-based platforms help students’ to research thoroughly on a subject matter and prepare high quality homework answers.
Lastly, technology helped schools to continue with their classes even during COVID-19 pandemic. It helped students to pursue education even during uncertain times.
Disadvantages of using online tools and technology for classrooms
There are certain disadvantages of using technology for conducting classes. We will discuss some of the negative effects of using too much technology during classrooms:
Use of devices increases the amount of time a student is exposed to digital tools. Too much exposure to the screen causes damage to the eyes and causes mental disorders. Hence, the teachers need to limit the amount of time students are exposed to the screen.
There are several distractions available in the online world. This includes pop-up games, news, fun websites, and social media among others. These websites are responsible for the students to get distracted easily. Hence, parents and teachers need to supervise the online activity of the children and set internet blocks to prevent them from accessing unwanted websites.
Too much exposure to digital tools and technology impacts the social interaction of children. Lack of social life impacts their ability to converse with people in the real world. Hence, teachers also need to focus on balancing the use of technology and offline mode of education for their students.
Additionally, not all students can afford to purchase gadgets and devices such as tablets and laptops. This unequal access to technology severely impacts their ability to learn new topics. In order to offset such imbalance, educational institutions provide monetary assistance so that they are able to use technology for learning.
How pandemic lead to growth of technology adoption in classrooms
COVID-19 pandemic forced governments worldwide to close public spaces to reduce the spread of the virus. Hence, physical classrooms were no longer conducted during that time. Instead, most classes shifted to online platforms. Due to this shift, users who were less proficient in using technology learnt to use various digital tools.
Remote learning platforms were used to conduct online classes for students. Moreover, schools invested in either installing or upgrading their existing technology to help students get better access to education.
A recent study conducted by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH), found that 95% of respondents among 1,200 teachers felt that technology helped them to learn new skills during the pandemic. Teachers also learnt to provide personalised instructions to students through remote platforms. Also 77% of the respondent’s believe that technology will continue to be effective in improving classroom experience after the end of the pandemic.
The use of digital tools such as virtual tutoring, video conferencing increased significantly during the pandemic. Students are accessing different platforms to learn new things and complete their homework and assignments. Hence, online assignment help services became highly popular among students.
Future of technology adoption in learning
Technology will continue to impact the education system and help it to evolve with modern times. A key role is being played by the software developers in this regard. They are researching and investing on developing new platforms to revolutionise the education system. Start-ups are coming out with innovative online platforms that enhance the learning experience of students.
Hence, technology is expected to impact the education sector in the future as well. Industry experts believe that a hybrid mode will be adopted in the future. More courses will be made available online so that students can learn new skills at flexible hours. Thus, technology will continue to play a crucial role in transforming the education sector.
