During the course of a century, we humans have come up with transcending technology. The first computer was built in the early 1940s, took up a whole room by itself. Whereas today we carry compact computers in our pockets with 1000 times more processing power. The idea of living in today’s world without technology is terrifying. Can you imagine living without technology for a single day? Without computers, phones, washing machines, dishwashers, microwaves, etc., our lives would be comparatively quite difficult.
Technology has seeped into almost all aspects of our lives. We have bullet trains, airplanes for transport, rockets and satellites for exploring space, Netflix and Crunchyroll for entertainment, and various other appliances for making our lives comfortable and effortless.
The same is true for the field of education. With the addition of computers to the classrooms and the easy availability of technology to both students and professors, the education process has advanced with time.
In the current situation of the pandemic, teaching would have been quite troublesome if not impossible without the availability of online platforms. Let’s examine the effects of technology on today’s education, the positive and the negative:
Benefits of Technology in Education
Technology in education enhances learning by providing access to a vast amount of information and resources online. This in turn enables interactive and personalized learning experiences. It also fosters collaboration through digital tools, promotes engagement with multimedia content, supports distance and remote learning, and helps develop digital literacy skills crucial for the modern world.
The following are some additional benefits of technology in Education:
1. The World on your Fingertips
The internet has initiated the globalization of information. However large your school library may be, it most definitely cannot contain all the books in the world. The books that it may contain might not be the latest edition. The internet is a limitless, constantly updating library. You can have live updates of any situation going on in any corner of the world.
Students can greatly benefit from the vast resources on the internet to compile and use the information for academic purposes. While students must always look for the proper credibility of such posts, many legitimate articles and research papers can be found online.
2. Online Learning
Learning courses online has never been so popular, especially because of this pandemic. This path to education achievement has been refined over the last few years due to growing demand. Online services like Google Meet, Zoom, etc. have popped up to supply this demand.
Connecting students and professors over long distances, along with education software such as Canvas which provides instructions and submission portals online, facilitates the education process. Such software provides an online classroom environment which makes it easy for both parties to accomplish their part.
3. Era of Online Exams
Major examinations conducted by national testing agencies are now being conducted online. Since it is not possible to conduct them physically. Anti-cheating software and monitoring of the examinees by administrators via webcam make the online testing environment more sterile.
Having a virtual platform makes the situation of the pandemic more bearable. It removes the space and time limitations for such an interaction. Most of the things that we can do today effortlessly, won’t be possible if not for today’s technology.
4. Better Ability to meet Special Needs
In the past, the academic structure was quite inflexible. As we know, each person has their own differences which were not met by this rigid structure. Some students could function well in the environment, while others had a hard time.
Online learning brings great availability and flexibility for its students. Differently-abled students who may have physical or body impairments can now receive a higher quality of education, thanks to the World Wide Web.
Students need not carry heavy books as they are available in digital formats. This also allows unlimited storage of information. It unlocks the potential of students to learn what they are passionate about and gives them international exposure for free.
5. Extra Skills
The internet doesn’t only provide academic learning. We can efficiently learn any new skill on the internet. With the help of millions of people sharing their work and skills on online platforms such as Skillshare, YouTube, etc.
A huge amount of content is out there to learn from, even you can share a skill if you are good at it. It is insanely easy to reach other people across the world, just through your screen! All this prepares the younger generation for a technologically driven world of the future.
6. Allows students to be ready for the future
Technology is ever-present and has integrated into our daily lives. Thus, it is expected that one excels at handling it, especially if he wants to contribute to society.
By allowing students early access to technology, we not only help their academics but also prepare them for the future, which will tilt more toward technological advancement. By familiarizing themselves with technology, students can develop new skills that will be beneficial for them in the long run, thus creating a foundation for eventual success.
7. Makes both students and teachers flexible
Education is no longer a rigid discipline. Now, both teachers and students can leverage technology not only to make their lives easier but also to create a better educational environment. Technology allows more freedom of choice, works around certain issues, and even affects the mindset and problem-solving methods of a student. Similarly, it helps teachers be more accessible and hands-on in their classrooms.
Drawbacks of Technology in Education
Technology in education has a lot of drawbacks such as the potential for increased screen time leading to health issues, and the risk of distraction from educational goals due to misuse of technology. Additionally, educators may face challenges in effectively integrating technology into the curriculum due to a lack of training or support.
These are some of the drawbacks of integrating technology in Education:
1. The Cost
Given that most of these services are free, the installation cost of the software, the hardware, and other devices is quite high. On top of this, if the teachers do not comprehend the basic structure and functioning of the provided technology, it might be abused by the students.
These high-tech devices can be extremely powerful but the cost of replacing them if broken and other maintenance costs are immense. All this contributes to the increment in the cost of education.
2. Misinformation
Jeff Orlowski’s “The Social Dilemma” clearly states we have far passed the age of abundance of information to the age of misinformation. The amount of misinformation on the internet is staggering.
Most of the global population who use the services of social media are ignorant of the psychological tricks they use to get them hooked. These platforms are free of charge because the users are the product. It is their attention that is being sold to the advertisers.
The algorithms closely monitor your behavior online. This information is then used to match your preferences with the advertisements of the products you are most likely to buy.
Spreading fake news is surprisingly easy. It is impossible to eliminate the sources of this news, as accounts are created in the blink of an eye. Misinformation gives rise to unneeded thoughts, ideas, and behaviors that can be destructive to oneself and society.
3. Cause of Distraction
Ben Parker’s words, “With great power comes great responsibility” apply perfectly to this situation as well. Given the immense benefits of modern technology, it also brings in major distractions. The availability of dopamine-inducing games, videos, and other apps makes it quite difficult for people to avoid their temptations.
Today, the internet is a major source of entertainment, with all the streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll, and gaming services like Steam, Epic Games, etc., constantly nagging for our attention. That is why binge-watching and gaming addiction is a major problem, especially among the young population. Creating preventive measures for such problems is a necessity that institutions and students themselves need to put up, for their betterment.
Technology has certainly made tremendous progress in recent years. Over time, it has been integrated into our daily lives, this integration is deepening further still as the days go by. If the benefits of technology are increasing as it advances, so do its flaws and shortcomings.
It is best to be aware of them and have preventive measures in place, in case it backfires. Education is a sensitive field, where even a minor change in the content and its delivery can have devastating impacts in the future. The presence of technology as a tool does have its benefits but its adverse consequences must not be overlooked.
4. Technology can negatively impact creativity
Yes, technology has made certain things much easier. Now, all the student has to do is click on a few buttons, and he can solve any question. He no longer wants to ponder a topic and find solutions by reflecting on certain points; rather, he wants to simply Google it.
If you go online right now, you can find a well-crafted essay on almost any topic, which is just one example of how technology can demoralize students from thinking on their own. In fact, the latest studies even show that technology has reduced creativity in children and made them reliant on it.
5. Promotes laziness and social isolation
Technology, in general, is not something that propels anyone into becoming more active. Its effects are much more severe on students who are rather impressionable. Reports have consistently shown how technology can breed social isolation and make us lack general social skills.
However, a case can be made that technology has made the world much smaller by promoting communication tools that can enrich social interactions. But, we should never forget how social media can be harmful to our mental health.
6. Health Issues
This brings us to one of the most severe impacts of technology on a student. Even if we discount everything else, the crust of the issue remains: that it is unhealthy for a person. And no, we are not even talking about the mental health aspect or the negative impact of technology. Rather, prolonged use of devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops has severe consequences ranging from bad eyesight to poor body posture and chronic pain.
Impact of Technology on Education
The following table highlights the impact of technology on education, both the good and the bad:
| Aspect | Benefit | Drawback |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement | Technology can certainly increase student engagement with methods like gamification | At the same time, it can be distracting enough to reduce their attention spans. |
| Information access | Much easier access to information | This degree of access can be harmful, as students can steer off the correct path and even encounter misinformation. |
| Feedback | Teachers can be more hands-on and provide critical feedback | But beware of automation |
| Personalized lessons | It is good for individuals, as they can learn more with a customized course that keeps up with them | Can slow down the overall development of the class and raise security and privacy issues |
| Skill Development | Can help students learn something new | But it can be addictive and make the students’ performance falter |
| Communication | Helps with team-centric tasks, overall communication and collaboration | It can be used for nefarious practices such as cyberbullying and social isolation |
Role of technology in education
Certainly, the advancement of technology has impacted our lives, for better or worse. But if there is one aspect where technology has done wonders, it is certainly education. Don’t get me wrong, the impact of technology on education does have glaring drawbacks, but keeping in mind the overall picture, we can safely assume that it’s mostly positive and certainly a way forward.
Technology has impacted students, teachers, and even the administration. If numbers are to be believed, the entire EdTech market has rejuvenated after COVID-19, where the effects of technology were made apparent. The industry was valued at $74 billion and is expected to grow to $288 billion by the end of the decade.
Technology does have a role in education, and it’s a pretty important one. If experts are to be believed, it is something that will change the way we approach education and learning forever. Below is a video that talks about the future of technology in education.