For many of us, technology plays a crucial role in day-to-day life. Whether checking emails, texting friends or even running an online business from home, the fact of the matter is that this digital transformation is here to stay.
Its role is also very prominent within the educational sector. However, do these changes represent progress or could they come attached with additional issues that need to be addressed by teachers and similar professionals? Let us take a look at both sides of this coin in order to gain a further understanding of what might be in store.
Digital Transformation: What Benefits Can Students Enjoy?
While teachers have always attempted to make the learning process a great deal of fun, this is often a tough challenge to overcome. Difficult subjects and highly technical topics can quickly bore students; leading to lower levels of performance that will inevitably impact their educational future. One of the first main advantages associated with modern digital technology is that it provides teachers with an entirely new spectrum of tools. Many of these utilities are likewise capable of encouraging a greater degree of interaction. Some examples which are now being employed in countless classrooms include:
- Wireless technology.
- Interactive point-and-click screens.
- Dedicated smartphone applications that can be used in conjunction with traditional materials.
- Digital presentations to capture the attention of students.
Regardless of the type of tool being implemented, the goal is simple. Teachers need to be provided with ways to better capture and maintain the attention of their students. The good news is that the younger generation has already grown accustomed to such technology and in some cases, they might even be more comfortable with it than the teachers themselves.
Another lesser-known benefit is the flexibility associated with digital education technology. In the past, many books and similar materials were designed with a “one-size-fits-all” mentality. This would present a problem for students who needed more help as well as for those who had already mastered the subject at hand (they could quickly become bored). Educational applications are now able to be adjusted based around the needs of individual students. This allows teachers to adopt a more targeted approach and as a result, each student will feel that his or her needs are being catered to.
Now that we have quickly examined some of the benefits attributed to digital educational technology, might there be any drawbacks worth noting? Let’s take a look at some potential pitfalls as well as how they can be avoided.
Digital Technology in the Classroom: A Blessing or a Curse?
Many parents are concerned about the growing influence of this technology in regards to the behaviour of their children. Kids now spend hours at a time immersed within the virtual world; some even developing social coping issues as a result. In terms of classroom settings, there are some worries that students may become overly reliant upon digital aids; all but abandoning traditional learning methods.
One example of this trend can be seen in the use of the humble calculator. Many adults can still remember having to perform laborious tasks such as long division and multiplication without the aid of these devices. While inconvenient and frustrating at times, the fact of the matter is that students in this era were forced to understand the mechanics behind such equations as opposed to simply plugging numbers into a calculator. Some have argued that these traditional methods allowed students to develop important skills such as deductive reasoning and patience to a much greater degree.
Another issue involves the roles of the teachers themselves. Might they someday be completely replaced with artificial intelligence or similar digital technology? Although this is more fiction than fact, there is no doubt that some teachers have become too reliant upon the digital aids they are given. This could arguably affect how they interact with their students and counteract the ability to build personal relationships.
However, the exact impact of digital technology within the educational community has yet to be fully appreciated. Regardless of how much we come to rely upon these systems, there is no doubt that students will still need to be provided with access to personalised assistance on occasion. This is the very same reason why the demand for qualified tutors in Warrington (and throughout the United Kingdom) is undoubtedly here to stay. These talented individuals possess the capability of bridging the gap between digital learning aid and real-world applications. This is why tutors represent invaluable assets within the arsenal of education.
There is no doubt that digital technology is here to stay. The main question is how it will be leveraged within the world of education and if it will take the traditional process of learning to an entirely new level.
