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Technology! It is surrounding us everywhere we go and its variety is simply uncountable! Technology is found nearly everywhere now, schools, universities, offices, airlines, restaurants and houses. One of the major fields technology affects is education. This essay showcases that using technology such as computers, projectors, and internet in classroom is very important to keep students modernized and updated. However, it has several advantages and disadvantages. Nevertheless, maintaining balance is vital when using these technologies. They must, at all cost, avoid being overwhelmed by the traditional way of using books and papers. There is a huge difference in how education used to be long time ago and now. According to Alex Wilhelm’s in his article “How Technology Has Changed Education”, he states that technology has many effects in education such as in researching, studying, and teaching. He also points out that education is a very complex process that can be shaped and enhanced through variable aspects, specifically technology. [1] The use of technology in classroom teaching, such as projectors, computers and internet, has motivated students to study and learn more. For example, online activities in class, such as polls, multiple choice or true/false questions, and quizzes, interests and motivates students to participate in class. This increases the rapport relationship among students and as a result optimizes productivity and at the same time facilitates learning. Online games helps students engage Moreover, technology used in classroom aids the teacher in retaining immediate feedback on whether the students have understood the lesson or not. [2] In other words, from the student responses teachers can know what areas they need to review and focus on with the students. Again, due to the availability of technology, the teacher is able to automatically keep track of students’ performance in addition to attendance. Furthermore, technology makes obtaining the required and needed information effortless for students during class or outside class. On the contrary, before the use of technology in classrooms, students used to suffer while learning and researching new information. The lack of resources, and inventions made it extremely difficult for them. They only had simple resources such as blackboards, some books and papers. Although a lot of people support pencraft (no technology involved) education, no one can deny the transformation that occurred to our daily lives due to the usage of technology, mainly the internet. However, technology in classroom has advantages, but it also has disadvantages. One of the most important negative impacts is cheating, technology makes it a lot easier for students. For example, in writing assignments, students simply copy and paste what’s written, instead of researching the internet for concepts and ideas for them to develop. Unfortunately, this is causing students to become more dependable and lazy. On the other hand, other students use it in a productive manner. They research what they need online and then put a lot of effort into developing their own ideas. Besides, all this resulted in having teachers concentrate on paper graded exams rather than online exams. Another major concern is the overuse of technological devices and utilities in classrooms. [2] This includes the overuse of projectors and the unlimited use of internet (by showing videos, online games/quizzes, etc.), which as a result distracts students and makes them lose their concentration. However, this can be enhanced by professional teachers. These teachers are capable of using the tools that technology offers without sabotaging education. They ultimately aid students in achieving the sole purpose of using technology in education. Thus, teachers should maintain balance and be smart enough to use it efficiently so that as a result, students will have a wider imagination and an open mind. The effect technology has in our education process is tremendous; it has transferred education into a whole new level. Teaching, studying and researching, for example, are now a lot easier. However, technology should be used in a balanced way to overcome the disadvantages. If we are able to do this, then we can envision a brighter future for the forthcoming generation. References: [1]A. Wilhelm, "How Technology Has Changed Education", The Next Web, 2020. [Online]. Available: http://thenextweb.com/insider/2011/01/05/how-technology-has-changed-education/. [Accessed: 13- Jan- 2020]. [2]"Six Major Pros & Cons of Technology in the Classroom", Top Hat, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://tophat.com/blog/6-pros-cons-technology-classroom/. [Accessed: 13- Jan- 2020].
