How Technology Has Improved Education
Positive Effects of Technology on Modern Education
Today, technology has become an integral part of our everyday lives and has drastically changed many areas of society in positive ways, including education. Technology has revolutionized the processes of teaching and learning and made them more easy, interesting, and enjoyable.
Technology Enhanced Teaching and Learning
Technological developments like computers, mind training software, digital cameras, 3D visualization tools, PowerPoint presentations are great tools for teachers to help students develop their cognitive skills such as critical thinking, visual intelligence skills, and problem-solving. Visual explanations of serious scientific concepts make learning fun and students really enjoy it. Technology advancements give teachers better chances to make their classes more interactive and reach more students simultaneously. Students improve their attendance and become more attentive at the lessons.Recent studies reveal that students learn more in a shorter period of time and develop more positive attitudes to studies when they are taught with computer-based instruction. Besides, students score more in their tests. Teachers report that students who use a lot of information available on the web to complete their research projects develop better analytical and research skills.
Technology Makes Life of Students Easier
Computers help students of all academic levels with their classwork and home assignments. High school and college students use the internet for in-depth research when completing their written assignments. A lot of good academic content can be accessed online so students can easily find credible sources for writing any essay or research paper. If young people have problems with writing any type of academic paper, editing or proofreading, they can use Google search to find different writing and styles guides, such as, for example, MLA style guide or Argumentative Essay Formatting Guide and feel more confident in the outcomes of their work. They can also use special software to check and fix their grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors and check their papers for plagiarism.Students get great tools to express themselves and are not limited to use of just a pen and paper. They can use software to create amazing presentations and projects. They become more interested in the subjects that they learn and remember information better.
No Geographical Limitations
With a fast development and wide extension of online courses and introduction of online degree programs, there is no need to be physically present in the classroom to learn new vital skills. Online education and distance learning have become an integral part of practically all educational systems in many countries of the world. Students can take advantage of accessing reference materials on their University website, interacting with their professors over the internet and earn their degree online from anywhere in the world. Distant learning becomes very easy with modern internet technologies. Differences in time and geographical distances are no longer barriers to learning and teachers and students can communicate online anytime they need. Students can meet with their counterparts and teachers through video conferencing and they can also take part in webinars from different institutions like different museums or, for example, NASA that offer students a special program where they can talk with an astronaut in space.Collaboration
Education has become collaborative because students can access any information they like and become a part of the teaching process when sharing it with their friends and teachers. Besides, students can seek for information anywhere in the world and find subject experts to get some advice. Teachers across the globe can collaborate as well to develop courses in different subjects, design assessment models, and make the process of teaching better. Education becomes customized to meet different learning needs and interests of students and to fit their abilities.Students can take advantage of networking options and participate in student forums where they can get valuable advice, discuss topics, get inspiration and make friends with students who study the same course.
When we speak about younger children, a lot of high school teachers have noticed an interesting fact that the introduction of internet technologies in classwork has greatly increased peer-to-peer collaboration. Students who are skilled at computer technologies are ready to offer a helping hand to their classmates who have some problems in doing good research on the web and working on computers.
There is no doubt that technological advancements have a great positive impact on the entire system of education.