World Revolves Around Technology

 

Debate#1: Technology in the classroom enhances learning

We live in a world where we can not say no to technology. You want to wake up? Set an alarm at 5’o clock. Oops, you either need a conventional table clock or you must be using the cell phone to do this job. Who I am kidding, even I set my reminder or alarm for every important events. I believe most of us do the same.

 

Kids are no different. Nowadays they are more inclined in high-tech lifestyle. They do everything with their cell phone. Children needs their gadget glued to them.

They use Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter , YouTube and lots of other uncountable apps. Sure we can learn by using technology and it makes our life easy.

As I am 80’s kid (not kid anymore), Wikipedia was a wonder to us! It felt like we got the whole world in a square-shaped box. Whenever I stumbled upon something unfamiliar and wanted to know I practically dived into the computer. I browsed internet explorer to learn. Seems like an ancient time.

I was over the moon when I  found that I can get and read my favourite book online such as e-book, kindle and its free!

     

There is no doubt technology contributes in education significantly. Teachers teach science, arts, history, linguistics in much simpler way through Learning Management System (L.M.S.). But to teach through technology and march with the children, teachers also need to invest their time to learn. Itself technology can not enhance the learning process better overnight. While we solely depend on digital media to augment our learning there are some issues we can not ignore.

Is technology best for learning process? It is highly debatable. There is no right or wrong answer. I have been looking for the correct response but everyone has their own perception and interestingly none seems to be illogical. In TEDx Talks  Scott Widman shared his notion about effect of technology in class. While he agrees to the fact technology is infinitely beneficial and a reservoir of information but it can turn into a layman to an expert with a click of a thumb. He mentioned how students have more powerful and also dangerous tool in their pocket at the same time.

We are dealing with the generation Z students who never experienced world without technology. So the question should not be whether technology is enhancing or have negative impact on the learning process. It is more of choice how to utilize the knowledge in our classroom with students.  As technology is developing day by day. It is not likely reach a certain point and then stop thriving. Hence it is a big challenge for us. It is our responsibility towards new generation to teach them how use the technology for better outcome and rise the awareness such as addiction, cyber-bullying and reduced span of concentration if  using for long time.

So what is my stand in this highly debatable context? Well this is hard for me too to answer. But if I must then I would say technology sure helps but it took our ability to think, resonate and sense of responsibility. What is happening mostly is we can not find answer, reach out to internet rather then asking people around first and connect! I am not saying I repel tech-based life-style. I personally prefer human contact rather than only machine learning. Technology was invented to serve our purpose, not us serving the technology.