Modern Technology at Schools and Colleges - Essay Example

Introduction In the modern world, technology and traditional room teachings work together for development of children at schools and colleges. Modern technology has huge impact in the social and academic advancements of students. There are many people, who believe technology is better than traditional classroom teachers because it provides opportunity for students to learn a wide-variety of things in depth. Moreover, students can share their knowledge with the help of social media, which enhances their technical skills from a very lower age. Experts believe that modern technology has the potential to develop the social and economic life of people. With the use of technology, people can obtain information very easily. Social media allows people to stay in contact with each other virtually and exchange information. However, there are many people who believe that development of technology can destroy social life of people. Traditional classroom teachers are very important in the life of children as they are role model for children. Classroom teachers help students understand about a subject in detail. Textbooks and traditional blackboard education helps students understand and learn subjective matters in an appropriate manner. Teachers believe that modern schools install projectors in class room that makes education process simple and teachers need to work less however there are some students, who pay less attention and are unable to cope-up with the teachings. This essay will discuss about the positive and negative impacts of technology and discuss whether they are a threat to classroom teachings. Discussion According to the present education system, the influx of technology means that there would be a greater need for teachers. Technology has various positive implications in the society. It is believed that with the advancement of technology people will have a comfortable and safe life whereas some people dispute the fact and imagine growth of technology can lead to extinction of human life. In the modern classrooms, teachers are expected to use technology while teaching. Almost a decade back, classroom education was mandatory and students were taught about subjective facts via textbooks only. Teachers used blackboards to explain students about subjective knowledge. In the modern classrooms most of the knowledge providing equipment is digitalized. Usage of projector instead of blackboard is one of the most common examples that students experience while they are taught in classes (Clemmitt 14). Moreover, introduction of social media and obtaining information from internet are some common practices followed by many schools and colleges. Teachers are trained to handle technologically advanced equipment while teaching. There are several computer programs that teachers are constantly adapting in order to teach students efficiently. The most important concern for people is, whether teachers will be eventually replaced from classroom teaching by advanced technology. Advantages of Technology There are many advantages of technology over traditional classroom teaching. With the implementation of technology and replacement of teachers the school and college authorities would have to invest less. In the present education system schools and colleges pay salary and pension to teachers. Though teachers are believed to be role model in the life of children but authorities emphasize on cost-cutting in order to reduce the expense and earn more profits from their institutions. (Blake 24) Technology can also help educational institutions overcome teacher unions and lawsuits. In many cases disputes arise between administration of educational institutions and teachers, which can be saved if classrooms are operated without the interference of teachers. Classes can be operated by computers and knowledge can be obtained from information available from effective educational web-sites. This would reduce the cost of operating in schools and colleges and students can be exposed to wide variety of knowledge materials, which would help in development of psychological, theoretical and practical skills. In schools, apart from subjective knowledge; games are equally important. With the implementation of technology students can learn different type of sports through computerized equipment in appropriate manner without scope of any error. Discipline can be maintained if students are exposed to technology from very beginning instead of traditional teaching methods. The most important advantage of technology over teachers is that legal headaches can be reduced. There has been occurrence of many cases that has brought media’s attention on teachers. Crimes and inappropriate behaviours of some teachers have let the moral of several educational institutions go down. Therefore technology is useful because with the help of computer education the chances of litigation would reduce (Raths 39). Technology is useful in many ways, while shaping future of students. With the implementation of technology students can learn the use of complex programs by themselves, which would help them to work in an appropriate manner in their work place after they grow up. Technology has many uses in the world and implementation of technology in educational institutions is justified however there is some importance of teachers that can-not be replaced by technology. Importance of teachers over technology There are many people in the world, who believe that technology does-not change they suppress humans. With the advancement in technology people are becoming relaxed and their physical activity is going down. The average life of humans has reduced from 85 years to 65 years within a century. Technology has increased the comfort of people and made people prone to modern equipments. In the educational sector technology has certain limitations that can-not be fulfilled without teachers (Savio 79). Technology can definitely provide error-free study materials but it can-not provide the knowledge of life experience that a teacher brings in a classroom. A teacher has the potential to make real-world connections in subjective perspectives. There are many people who believe that teachers are responsible for shaping the career of children. In schools as well as colleges teachers are the people, who influence students regarding their subjective knowledge. The traditional classroom does not only consist of textbooks and black-boards (Ryan 52). The traditional classrooms also include lectures from teachers, which help students to understand about complex and critical subjective matters. Hence it is believed that teachers are the role model for students. Most of the students are tempted to study and learn because teachers have the ability to make subjective facts interesting for them. Teachers not only teach students by delivering lectures and explaining in black-board, they also make the classroom alive by cracking jokes and sharing life-experiences when students feel exhausted. Undoubtedly technology can-not do make a classroom alive. Unlike technology teachers can present their explanation in variety of ways for proper understanding of different students. Moreover, classroom teachers use several ways to evaluate their students understanding. Teachers conduct tests, essays, quizzes, etc. to check the understanding of their students (Wu 19). Different students have different capacity of learning and technology can-not make differences while educating students. With the use of technology, standard assessment procedures can be implemented, which are not useful for student development. Technology is no compare to classroom teachers because technology does not have the ability to think before taking action. Technology can replace teachers Technology allows students become more independent and this attitude of students would help them make their own decisions from a very beginning in their life (Clark-Wilson 28). Technology helps students to learn even if they are not able to attend their institutions. With the help of technology educational institutions can develop such systems wherein students would not have to come to their schools or colleges regularly. Students would get more time for their own study purposes. With the help of internet and social media students can gain knowledge through educational web-sites, peers, professionals and other sources. Students would definitely get a chance to perform better because they would get opportunity to use computers and study online. Technology is also beneficial for the administrative department of schools and colleges because they can implement education curriculums without much expense. With the implementation of technologically, advance equipments the expenses over education would reduce and students could be benefitted with multi-skills. Technology has already taken control over many sectors, such as corporate sectors, defence organization and research institutions (Barron 92). Hence implementation of technology in education sector would allow students cope with equipments that would benefit their future. Scientists and researchers believe that technology would not replace classroom teachers, it would just facilitate teaching. In the modern world the implication of technology is more due to the need of diverse education. Technology can-not replace teachers It is significant that technology has many uses in educational sector however constant increase in technology will gradually replace teachers. Technology has some demerits when it comes to real-time education. Students can sit in their home and obtain knowledge but it would not be justified because students might not be able to solve their queries properly. The worst effect of distance education is that students lack interest in their subject and try to find amusement in their study time. Teachers play important role in classroom because they keep track of activities of students and maintain the discipline of institutions. Teachers are strict and they have emotions, which make the learning atmosphere positive. Another important concern is that if technology completely replaces teachers then students might suffer during break down. Electronic products are not reliable because they can stop working in case of power failures, loss of internet connection etc. Teachers do not require power back-up or internet connection while they are teaching. Students can always learn from teachers because they are knowledgeable. Moreover, fixing the problems associated with technologically advanced products might take long time and huge capital, which is unfavourable for educational institutions (Cheng 12). A teacher can even continue teaching if a projector is not working. Classroom teachers are very important while shaping the future of students. There are many people who wonder whether the present form of education system replace classroom teachers with technology. Though there are many disputes but from the present implications it seems that technology would not replace teachers, instead teachers and technology would work together for betterment of students. While the role of technology is steadily increasing in education, it is more likely that technology would act as a supplement to teaching methods instead of replacement of teachers. Though implementation of technology has increased the burden on teachers but it has proved to be beneficial for students. Educating students with the help of computers is essential because students are required to face the challenges from very beginning of their career. Technology is an aid, it is not a replacement. The role of classroom teachers is very important and it can never be changed. There are concerns and disputes regarding the implementation of technology in schools and colleges because technology has reached great heights in-terms of education. Introduction of social media in classroom discussion is one of the best examples of implementation of technology in educational institutions (Morella 87). With the use of social media students can learn from peers and it can help them develop their technical skills. Use of technology in educational sector is suggested by many people because it has the potential to enhance the learning environment. Conclusion From the above discussion, it is clear that technology plays a very important role in the social and technical development of students. The influx of technology means that the requirement of teachers is greater. Teachers are the mentors of schools and colleges and implementation of technology would require teachers to learn them and use them for teaching students. Computers and self-operating programs can-not provide students the amount of knowledge required for learning. Many people believe that technology is deteriorating the learning capacity of students because students are exposed to wide-variety of web-sites. Students might use internet and social media for their entertainment purpose instead of learning from them. Hence teachers are required to observe and guide them. Even if educational institutions try to remove teachers and incorporate technology completely, they would face challenges. Students can learn from internet sources and implement their knowledge in their course-works but in case of any queries they would need help of an expert, who could make them understand about the subjective matters. Teachers are the main facilitators in an educational organization because they can teach, observe, examine and judge students based on their performance. Teachers are the role model of students studying in schools. Hence it can be concluded that teachers are very important for an educational institution and they can-not be replaced with the implementation of technology. Works Cited Barron, Ann. Technologies for Education. New Jersey: Pearson, 2002. Print. Blake, J. Robert. Brave New Digital Classroom. New York: Springer, 2013. Print. Cheng, Yin. New Teacher education for the future. London: Sage, 2001. Print. Clark-Wilson, Allison. Advanced Technology in Teaching. London: Cambridge University Press, 2013. Print. Clemmitt, Marcia. Digital Education. London: Sage, 2011. Print. Morella, A. Constance. Technology in the Classroom. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007. Print. Raths, James. Teacher Beliefs and Classroom Performance. London: Routledge, 2003. Print. Ryan, Kevin. Those who can, Teach. Stamford: Cengage Learning, 2012. Print. Savio, Marlo. Power On. London: Kogan Page, 2012. Print. Wu, Waren. The Mathematics teacher in the digital era. New York: Springer, 2013. Print. Read More