Technology has revolutionized education in when it comes to the delivery of education. Teachers now have to learn new ways of giving instructions while students are taking up extra roles of not only being viewers and listeners, but also active participants. Online learning platforms have enabled individuals to study remotely thereby allowing them the opportunity to achieve a balance between and among work, school, and social life. While there are positives associated with the integration of technology in education, scholars alongside other stakeholders, have identified a number of setbacks. For some teachers, it is a challenge to acquire full knowledge of how to use technological instruments during teaching thereby undermining their ability to provide quality education. For students, the challenge is that one might be tempted to visit non-school related websites when taking courses online. Nevertheless, while the challenges can be managed an understanding of the overall impact of technology in education is warranted.
Devaux, Belanger, Grand-Clement and Manville (2017) noted that digital technology in today’s society promotes development of skills among students in a connected global environment. Their approach was that technology has surpassed geographical boundaries thereby promoting the emergence of a connected world. The continued and increasing use of technology has revolutionized the labor market creating a need for upskilling of the current workforce (Devaux, Belanger, Grand-Clement & Manville, 2017). In the context of education, the authors explained that schools should prepare students for today’s and tomorrow’s jobs which demand individuals that have skills to operate in an already digitized world. The implication is that teachers should be well equipped to use technology effectively when delivering instructions. Grand-Clement (2017) confirmed that digital technologies have and continue to disrupt the role of the education. She explained that “… teachers who have been in the profession longer” are finding difficulty in “… keeping up with the fast-paced changes in technology” (Grand-Clement, Devaux, Belanger & Manville, 2017, p. 9). The problem persists due to the fact that training to upskill instructors is not a mandatory requirement thereby explaining why the current teachers’ continuing professional development (CPD) does not include technology skills. The implication is that the labor market demands individuals who have knowledge and skills in technology. While that is the case, there is no sufficient support for teachers when it comes to acquisition of technological skills to prepare students for today’s and tomorrow’s jobs.
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Additionally, one other area of focus involves how technology influences the nature of or rather the learning experience. The United States Department of Education (2016) compared the experiences of learning through an e-book and a physical book. Some of the noted differences were that when using a device, a student can explore other content related to the book hence enhancing their understanding. Furthermore, there is ease of use whereby one can highlight words and sentences alongside experiencing other interactive features within a particular text (U.S. Department of Education, 2016). The implication is that technology has allowed students to acquire new learning experiences thereby making them more engaged. Montrieux, Vanderlinde, Schellens and De Marez (2015) noted that technological devices have great potential in reshaping learning experiences. The authors explained that students can now browse the internet and work together spontaneously while using multimedia tools to enrich their understanding of course content. Thus, being in a media-rich environment provides students with the opportunity to interact with different technological devices. Through integration of technology in schools, students are now finding it easy to carry out research, share knowledge with both peers and instructors, as well as expand their own individual understanding of course content.
Scholars and interest groups have also sought to address various issues associated with integration of technology in education. Demonstrating the use of the internet in education, Simon, Graziano and Lenhart (2001) found that 78% of the respondents confirmed that the internet is a useful tool when it comes to schoolwork. 41% stated that they used instant messaging or email to contact their classmates and teachers about coursework given. However, 18% of the respondents stated that they knew someone who used the internet to cheat in exams (Simon, Graziano & Lenhart, 2001). Thus, the findings demonstrate the issue of academic integrity whereby students’ access to the internet is an incentive for them to engage in examination irregularities. Such an issue raises concern over the extent of and the nature of technologies used in education which prompt students to cheat. Purcell, Heaps, Buchanan and Friedrich (2013) focused on the integration of technology in the classroom. They found that 45% and 43% of teachers stated that their students used e-readers and tablet computers to complete assignments. Thus, one could argue that the fact that students can access course content easily increases the likelihood of exam irregularities. Therefore, there is a need to address how technology undermines academic integrity and what measures can be taken to solve the issue.
An emerging theme towards successful integration of technology in education involves an evaluation of already existing goals in schools. Kimble (1999) advised that educators need to determine the goals of a particular school and decide how technology can be used to help achieve those targets. The idea is to, for instance, identify the different needs of students alongside those of the school. Through such an exercise, the management can determine the extent to which technology is integrated into the school. The U.S. Department of Education (2017) emphasized the discussion has shifted form whether technology should be integrated into schools to how it can be used. The concern is that it should be used to improve learning experiences for all students thereby promoting access to high-quality education. Kimble (1999) warned against replacing teachers with machines such as computers arguing that doing so leads to, for instance, “… unfacilitated surfing of the internet by students… a waste of time which does provide students the academic skills or knowledge needed” (p. 3). Only through understanding an institution’s goals and objectives can the management know the extent to which technology should be integrated into the traditional learning system. The motivation is to help avoid cases of cheating which not only damage an institution’s reputation but affect the students’ ability to understand course concepts.
Conclusion
The integration of technology in education has brought about a number of advantages to both students and teachers. Through such kind of assisted learning, instructors are able to use interactive features in teaching technologies to keep students engaged. Thus, a high level of commitment in schoolwork leads to positive academic outcomes. Students are finding it easy to complete course assignments through using the internet as a resource where they can carry out their research. Technological devices such as tablet computers have made it easy for students to read through books with ease as they can highlight important points that they can revisit later. While that is the case, it is important to consider that technology provides an incentive to cheat. Therefore, there is a need to school administration to consider the extent to which technology should be integrated in the classroom. Despite this particular setback, technology will continue to revolutionize the educational experience of both students and teachers.
References
Devaux, A., Belanger, Julie., Grand-Clement, Sarah. & Manville, C. (2017). Education: Digital technology's role in enabling skills development for a connected world. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. Retrieved from https://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PE238.html.
Grand-Clement, S., Devaux, A., Belanger, J. & Manville, C. (2017). Digital learning: Education and skills in the digital age. RAND Corporation and Corsham Institute. Retrieved from https://www.rand.org/pubs/conf_proceedings/CF369.html.
Kimble, C. (1999). The impact of technology on learning. Policy Brief . MID- Continent Regional Educational Laboratory. Retrieved from http://edshare.soton.ac.uk/8726/3/Impact_of_Technology_policy_brief.pdfhttp://edshare.soton.ac.uk/8726/3/Impact_of_Technology_policy_brief.pdf
Montrieux H, Vanderlinde R, Schellens T, De Marez L (2015) Teaching and learning with mobile technology: A qualitative explorative study about the introduction of tablet devices in secondary education. PLoS ONE 10 (12): e0144008. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0144008
Purcell, K., Heaps, A., Buchanan, J., & Friedrich, L. (2013, February 28). Part III: Bringing Technology into the Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/02/28/part-iii-bringing-technology-into-the-classroom/
Simon, M., Graziano, M., & Lenhart, A. (2001, September 01). The Internet and Education. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2001/09/01/the-internet-and-education/
U.S. Department of Education. (2017). Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education: 2017 National Education Technology Plan Update . Retrieved from https://tech.ed.gov/files/2017/01/NETP17.pdf
U.S. Department of Education. (2016). Policy Brief on Early Learning and Use of Technology . Washington, D.C. Retrieved from https://tech.ed.gov/files/2016/10/Early-Learning-Tech-Policy-Brief.pdf
Appendix
Sources One and Two
The RAND Corporation is a non-profit organization in America, a think tank, created in 1948. The goal of the corporation is to provide research and analysis in various fields. The U.S. government alongside private endowments, universities, companies and private individuals fund the corporation hence allowing it to remain operational.
Source Three
MID- Continent Regional Educational Laboratory (McREL) is a federal educational resrarch laboratory focused on reducing the gap between research and practice. It is a non-profit organization and receives funding from donors alongside the government and other entities.
Source Four
PLOS One is a peer-reviewed journal website. Its authors are funded by institutions, foundations and government agencies to assist in meeting publication fees. Authors can have access to a full list of funders and institutions that can support research.
Sources Five and Six
The Pew Research Center is a non-profit organization that is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, which is its primary financier.
Sources Seven and Eight
These are reports written by personnel in the U.S. Department of Education. The federal government provides funding for any research the department initiates to aid in exploring opportunities and issues surrounding the education sector.
