Technology For Education - A New Perspective

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Introduction
Technology has expanded exponentially and we find its use in almost each and every sector be it automobile, IT, healthcare or education. In the education sector, technology has shaped many developments. Online test preparation and distance learning programs are some of the most recent developments that have taken place because of technology. 

The rise of technology in education
The rise of technology in education is an amazing journey. I started from computers and internet used in schools and universities, microphones and speakers used in classrooms, projectors and screens, scanners, printers and now it has moved to study entire courses online and getting academic degrees and certificates. Because of the developments in technology, many ed-tech startups have blossomed and are doing wonders such as Byju’s and online platforms such as Coursera and Udemy. 
Such technological movement in education has strongly impacted it and no doubt that it has made it much easier for learners to both learn and have fun. And like everything in the world, using technology in education is considered a double-edged weapon, as it could be used as a facility to learn and improve and it could be used for cheating, distraction and laziness. 


Following is a list of some of the pros of using technology in education.


  1. It made the world an open source for everyone-  In the past, you had to spend many hours in my prayers and had to flip cons of books to find such information. Now, due to digitization and the presence of free online e-books and journals, you can get whatever you want with just a mouse click. The internet has become a very good source of research papers, articles and books, all of which is available for you wherever you are.


  1. Environment-friendly behaviour of independence on papers- Using tablets and software for example in schools has saved millions of papers and tons of ink which in turn saves millions of trees and environment as a whole. Adding that it reduces the weight that a student has to carry from and to school helps reduce the student’s burden.


  1. Enhance of focus and concentration- Most of us in schools used to listen and write down each word the teacher says in order to have it later as a reference to come back to when the class is over and when we are at home. However, I can remember that moment when the teacher is about to start an important part of the lesson saying “pens down and concentrate”. At that moment we are apparently into listening but are very worried and hesitate to take notes of this important part. With technology, we can fully concentrate on what is being taught as the course matter and lectures are readily available for future use.


  1. Elimination of geographical barrier in education- One of the great impacts of technology in education is that it made it available for EVERYONE to study online, take courses, volunteer and even undertake an academic degree from the best universities like Harvard and Stanford. So, no one now has an excuse for not being able to learn. It is great! Imagine how many online courses you can take while you are in your night suit! 


However, some may see using technology in education as a disadvantage and list out many negative effects of the same. Here are some negative effects that technology-enabled education has.


  1. Bad user experience- The increasing number of users using online means of education is increasing and as a result of this, the online platforms face several issues such as site crashes, low quality of videos etc. which results in bad user experience.  


  1. Effects on mental and physical health- Overuse of laptops and other gadgets affect the mental and physical health of students. Laptop and mobile screens emit radiations which have a direct effect on our brain and can also cause several eye, skin and brain-related diseases. 


  1. Weakening of basic educational foundations- Students, because of online ready-to-use tools facilitating calculations, and other educational tools like cheat sheets, students feel it a waste of time to attend lectures which strengthen their basic skills such as calculation speeds. For Example- Because of all the formulas available online, students don’t consider learning the different formulas and rules a necessity which ultimately hampers their efficiency and effectiveness in their career. 


  1. Lack of social interactions- Technology creates a virtual world where you connect and interact with others only via chats and online discussions, instead of gathering and discussing with other classmates. Technology has reduced the effectiveness of peer-learning. 


  1. Increased distraction for students while studying- We use our mobile phones and laptops for learning but within 5-10 minutes, we shift from the educational platforms to our Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram accounts to chat or just scroll through the feeds. This ruins the effectiveness of learning and we end up retaining less than what we generally do. So, instead of making technology in education productive, we end up using it for our fun and waste a lot of time because of it. We should be very strict with our priorities and we should follow our schedule without getting distracted.


Conclusion
To conclude, every development in the world has its taxes. We have to accept its cons to benefit from its pros. The situation is the same for technology in education. As long as it is within the normal limit and under control and supervision, it can be said as one of the greatest developments which have shaped educational growth, but as soon as the negative effects start overshadowing the positive ones, its use becomes doubtful and debatable. 

Written by - Asmaa Shaheen
Edited by - Purav Nayak


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