How Technology Can Improve Education

How Technology Can Improve Education- One of the sectors in the society that benefits strongly from technological advancement is the educational sector. We are fast leaving the age of chalk and blackboard, pen and paper and advancing into something more interesting. In this post, we would show you how technology can improve education .

11 Ways Technology Can Improve Education

#1   Virtual classrooms are achievable with technology

With virtual classrooms, distance is no longer a barrier between teacher and students.  A teacher can reach out and interact with students from any part of the world . Virtual classrooms has a lot of benefits :

• Learning at your convenience
• You can learn from any part of the world
• You don’t have to uproot in order to study
• It’s a lot more cheaper than traditional classrooms
• Students get to learn at their own pace

The outbreak of covid-19 pandemic further brought to limelight the concept of virtual classrooms. So even though covid-19 is long gone, virtual classroom is a technology that has come to stay. Examples of platforms used for virtual classrooms include zoom, google meet, google classroom, etc.

#2   Teachers have enough resources to work with

Technology can improve education by making teachers have enough materials to work with. Teaching and learning is much easier when there are enough materials to work with. Google and some other search engines are loaded with a lot of useful educational materials. Technology thus saves money , time and energy.

#3   Parents can get more involved in kid’s education

Technology can improve education in the area of parental involvement . With technology, parents can be involved in the education of their kids. Before now, parents only get feedback as touching their kids’ performance only at the end of the term (via report card). Things are different now with technology . Even before your kids arrive from school , you are already updated with school events and activities via the social media channels.

Some of the platforms schools use to get parents involved in their kids’ learning activities include Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

#4   Technology provides a cost-effective way of marketing

On the part of the school owners, one way technology can improve education is provide cost-effective channels to promote/ advertise schools. Many years ago, only few schools could afford to publicize their schools via radio , TV, bill board and newspaper because the costs were huge. But with the development of the social media, it is almost free now to advertise your school.

#5   Technology allows for remote and self-paced learning

This is another way technology can improve education. You don’t have to shut down some aspect of your life  because you need to get some good education. For example, a nursing mother do not have to abandon her 3-months old baby with a helpless husband (who don’t even know how to change a diaper!) to travel to another state for a 6-month course. Such a mother can take up the course while caring for the tender baby and other family members.

#6   Self-paced learning is possible with technology

Technology can improve education by creating allowance for self-paced and flexible learning.  You don’t have to be in a physical classroom to acquire sound education.  Also, you can get to save up your lecture videos and audios and listen up later. You can choose convenient timings to attend lectures.

#7   Students get to interact with other learners

The process of learning also involve one interacting with fellow learners sharing ideas, asking questions, etc. Learners coming together in a traditional classroom to interact and sharing ideas may not be practicable . With technology, clasmates / learners  can meet at any time of the day to discuss , share ideas and trash out difficult tasks.

So, technology can improve education by bringing together fellow learners to interact, share ideas and solve problems.

#8   It reduces the cost of learning

Technology can improve education by reducing the cost of learning. Although, these technology devices can be a bit costly but it pays off. Technology reduces cost of learning both on the part of the students and teachers. These are some areas that technology reduces cost of learning:

• Cost of printing on papers
• Cost of buying books
• Cost of setting up a traditional classroom
• Cost of commuting to and fro school
• Cost of field trips, etc.

#9   Technology allows more of project-based learning

Another way technology can improve education is in fostering of project-based learning. Students can easily carry out projects whether in group or individually. Tools like google classroom , google docs really help students in making these available.

Skills such as critical thinking, team work, communication skills, etc, are built during some of these projects.

#10   Students can learn better

Technology can improve education by helping students learn better in a traditional classroom . Students learn from a printed material presented by the teacher. But in a virtual classroom, the learning method and experience is highly diversified. Students can learn through video tutorials , games, questionnaires and activities. Technology would ensure to create various methods which each student can at least fit into (one or two).

#11   Learning is more interactive

Technology can improve education by making the learning process more interactive. With devices like tablet, computer, students can easily participate in the class and also have some fun while learning.

5 Reasons Technology May Be Harmful To Education

1. It can be a source of distraction

Technology in education will imply students having to use devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc. These devices can be a source of distraction especially when students start exploring social media on them.

2. Technology can make learning more expensive

Technology in education implies that students are not going to be needing only pen and books. It will involve them getting some device. Some of these devices can be expensive and costly to acquire (especially for students from low- income families).

3. Learning won’t be effective enough

With technology, students do not pass through through the learning process properly. Students can easily find any answers they want on the internet without having to engage their mind and brains e.g students don’t really need to compose correct sentences, there is an online tool that corrects grammatical errors.

4. It encourages cheating during assessments

During tests and exams, technology makes it easier for the students to cheat. Students can thus get away with acquiring degrees on the ticket of cheating. These go on to become professional that wont be sound in the chosen field of expertise.

5. Technology can fail sometimes

Some of these devices, innovations and systems could fail at times, server down, errors or even get hacked.

Last Word

More interactive learning, availability of learning materials, flexible learning styles and creation of virtual classrooms are some of the ways technology can improve education. However, balance and control is needed in the use of technology in education as it may cause distraction or water down the learning process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Reference

• www. viewsonic. com- 5 Benefits of technology in the classroom
• www. dejaoffice. com- 7 Disadvantages of technology in education
• www. waldenu. edu- Top 5 benefits of technology in the classroom
• www. passnownow. com- Outstanding benefits of technology in education

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