The world is ever changing and the things we do in our homes, workplaces or school have turned out to be dynamic. Technological development in almost all sectors has happened very speedily, which explain the numerous changes witnessed in society today (Crossley & McNamara, 2016). People are able to send electronic mails to each other, students engage with their teachers through online platforms, and among other things. Computers cannot be neglected in our present age, and it enhances the learning process in various situations in several ways (Balta & Duran, 2015; Hine, Ardoin, & Foster, 2015). With the heightening acceptance of computer technology, it is significant for administrators to promote as well as incorporate it into their educational systems. This paper is going to discuss the pros and cons of using computer-assisted education in the elementary school classroom.
Pros of Using Computer-assisted Education in the Elementary School Classroom
Computers are critical in our educational system since they enable us to reevaluate the manner in which individuals acquire knowledge, how they are encouraged, as well as the kind of learning and important materials to adopt. We cannot neglect the use of computers in the elementary school classroom since they cause the educators to reconsider the very nature of what to teach, as well as the different dimensions of teaching. In 2012, the department of technology assessment reported that almost 6.9 million computers had been distributed to schools across the United States or nine learners (Balta & Duran, 2015) were using an approximate one machine. The major benefit of utilizing computer-assisted education in the classrooms is that a computer help where the teacher did not teach well or the student missed. 1 Teachers will always help the learners in the learning process to some extent, but not conclusively. The students are obligated to do more research to supplement their knowledge in different subjects. Computers can also help teachers in supplementing their knowledge before they go to the classrooms to teach their students (Heift & Hegelheimer, 2017). Students, who are always falling behind when the other classmates are at par with the teacher, can depend on computers as their second tutor.
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A book labeled “The relationship among pre-service teachers' computer competence, attitude towards computer-assisted education, and intention of technology acceptance” indicate that with computers being tutors, no learner can be overwhelmed. The learner has the privilege to repeat the fundamentals of a lesson from their computers until everything is sufficiently understood and mastered (Baturay, Gokcearslan, & Ke, 2017). Teachers may not always have time to repeat lessons to their students. It is significant to accord all the students in the classroom the opportunity to grasp all the things they are taught, and with computers serving as tutors, this is made possible.
One of the worst challenges the world is facing today is the aspect of illiteracy. Every year, several learners step out of high schools reading at the elementary school stage or not opting to read completely. Each learner should be given the chance to receive extra assistance if needed (Zhang, Trussell, Gallegos, & Asam, 2015). Teachers are giving their best and ensuring that they solve all literacy problems among the students. 2 They are also facilitating the move to ensure that computers reach all the students whom they can reach themselves. The article titled ‘Computers as Tutors’ elaborates on how Annaben Thomas was illiterate in spite of being part of the New York City school system majority of her years (Golonka, Bowles, Frank, Richardson, & Freynik, 2014). After being through with school, she was taught by tutors, joined literacy courses and adult education programs with the effort to conquer her handicap. Unfortunately, after engaging in several things, she did not know how to read until she joined a computer literacy program that enabled her to learn how to read and write. Based on instances of success through embracing technology such as these, it is critical to encourage the utilization of computer technology in the elementary school classroom.
Education acts as a platform through which our thinking framework and anxiety can travel to the strange places and boost creativity. Baleni (2015) determined that the use of computer technology in our education system is very instrumental in helping the students to attain their complete development ability. Based on the position of education in helping the students to survive in the current world, it is obvious that there should be a link between the world and the education system (Baturay, Gokcearslan, & Ke, 2017). If the education system fails to display the world in which we live in, it loses bearing for the students. Therefore, through computer assistive technology, it becomes easier to understand the world in which we live and we can counter things with utmost diligence very successfully.
Cons Of Using Computer-assisted Education in the Elementary School Classroom
Even though the benefits of having computer technology in classrooms offset the drawbacks, the worries of the people opposing the technology in the classroom can be understood. Several individuals think that computer is not comprehensive as a system of learning as far as imparting knowledge to the student is concerned (Heift & Hegelheimer, 2017). They claim that the computers do all the things that the students could have done to learn by himself or herself. The students should be granted the time to digest what they have acquired through the tutoring process. Derakshan, Salehi, and Rahimzadeh (2015) debate that information technology could in the real sense make them irresponsible and thoughtless. They also propose that the computer does all the thinking process, which the student himself should have done. This makes the students lazier to acquire information.
Several individuals who were raised in the pre-computer period are worried that the utilization of computers will steal the emotions as well as hearts of students in the elementary school classrooms. Golonka, Bowles, Frank, Richardson, and Freynik (2014) expound that the pre-computer era generation is thinking of designing computer technologies that have the capability to take care of the emotional needs of learners. Their major debate against computers in the tutorial rooms is that instructors have to consider keenly the place of the emotions of students. They do not support the speedy advancement of computer technology to obstruct the learner’s necessity for the human input, which they get from the instructor-founded teaching (Foster, Anthony, Clements, Sarama, & Williams, 2016). The effects of incorporating technology in the institutions are the conviction that people have in them to offer solutions to several problems that the instructors may not. These involve helping the learners boost the regular test scores, essentially teaching learners the foundational subjects like reading and mathematics. It also implies that the teachers have to possess the necessary skills and abilities required to properly help the students with their computer usage.
In conclusion, the pros deliberated in this paper regarding the use of computer technology in the elementary school classroom are more important than the cons. Computer technology is a constructive complement to fill the space existing between education and the dynamic technological world today. Computer-assisted technologies in institutions provide students with a vast opportunity to access information. The students become motivated to learn, they gain marketable job skills that can help them survive anywhere in the world. The quality of class work is also ensured among the students. Therefore, computer technology should be incorporated into the entire education system because of its place in the learning of students .
References
Baleni, Z. G. (2015). Online Formative Assessment in Higher Education: Its Pros and Cons. Electronic Journal of e-Learning , 13 (4), 228-236.
Balta, N., & Duran, M. (2015). Attitudes of students and teachers towards the use of interactive whiteboards in elementary and secondary school classrooms. TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology , 14 (2).
Baturay, M. H., Gökçearslan, Ş., & Ke, F. (2017). The relationship among pre-service teachers' computer competence, attitude towards computer-assisted education, and intention of technology acceptance. International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning , 9 (1), 1-13.
Crossley, S. A., & McNamara, D. S. (Eds.). (2016). Adaptive educational technologies for literacy instruction . Routledge.
Derakhshan, A., Salehi, D., & Rahimzadeh, M. (2015). Computer-Assisted Language Learning (Call): Pedagogical Pros and Cons. International Journal of English Language and Literature Studies , 4 (3), 111-120.
Golonka, E. M., Bowles, A. R., Frank, V. M., Richardson, D. L., & Freynik, S. (2014). Technologies for foreign language learning: a review of technology types and their effectiveness. Computer assisted language learning , 27 (1), 70-105.
Foster, M. E., Anthony, J. L., Clements, D. H., Sarama, J., & Williams, J. M. (2016). Improving mathematics learning of kindergarten students through computer-assisted instruction. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education , 47 (3), 206-232.
Heift, T., & Hegelheimer, V. (2017). COMPUTER-ASSISTED CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK AND LANGUAGE LEARNING. Corrective Feedback in Second Language Teaching and Learning: Research, Theory, Applications, Implications , 66 , 51.
Hine, J. F., Ardoin, S. P., & Foster, T. E. (2015). Decreasing transition times in elementary school classrooms: Using computer ‐ assisted instruction to automate intervention components. Journal of applied behavior analysis , 48 (3), 495-510.
Zhang, M., Trussell, R. P., Gallegos, B., & Asam, R. R. (2015). Using math apps for improving student learning: An exploratory study in an inclusive fourth grade classroom. TechTrends , 59 (2), 32-39.
1 Students can always supplement their reading by seeking information through their computers. They can do more research or follow through tutorials that have been recorded online to understand different topics that had not been understood.
2 Teachers must begin by teaching the students on how to utilize the computer system. Students cannot benefit from computer-assistive education if they are not computer literate.
