The use of technology in the classroom to enhance teaching and learning is nothing new. The old generations of educators who labeled technology as a distraction are slowly being overpowered by teachers who used tech tools to get educated and know how helpful they are.
How has technology improved education? Are there clear indicators that prove we should abandon the old-school approach and focus on introducing as much technology as possible in classrooms? There's another important question: does technology speed up the educational process? Are we going to see students earning degrees at a faster pace?
We've seen quite a bit of research on these matters recently.
How Is Technology Improving Education?
1. Tech Tools Help Students to Focus
In a 2018 study by researchers from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, the connection between technologies and an enhanced learning capacity was clear. Over 500 undergraduate chemistry students took part in the study. They were asked to collaboratively build 3D models of molecules and turn them into drawings in 2D format. In the control group, the students used paper and pencil to draw the 2D models. The other group of students used educational technology that encouraged collaboration and offered feedback. The tech group showed lower learning gains when asked to generate drawings on paper. Clearly, they lacked the practice. However, when compared to the control group, the tech group showed clearly higher learning gains when asked to focus on physical models.
This study shows us that when technology is used for a particular purpose in learning, it helps the students focus and achieve results quicker than the ones who don't use technology. At the same time, it shows that focusing on too much technology distracts students from gains they would develop with traditional methods of learning.There's clearly a positive side to the use of tech in modern education, but we shouldn't go all in.
2. The Right Tech Tools Do Wonders in the Hands of the Right Teacher
A report on the performance of 15-year-old European students showed that too many laptops and tablets in the classroom can disrupt the productivity of the learners. The educational performance of the students was significantly lower in that situation. They didn't pay much attention to the lectures.
When the students are distracted during class, they have a hard time completing homework and studying for tests and exams. In those cases, one good option is to pay for essay online and spend more time in research when preparing for exams. A better option would be to pay more attention to the teacher instead of the tablet during class.
The same report showed that when in the hands of teachers, technology has a positive impact on the general educational performance of the students.
The problem with this study is that it only evaluates hardware. The researchers didn't try to change the software the students used on their tools. When the teacher introduces appropriate apps, technology can have a positive impact even when every student has their device.
3. Online Learning Has a Massive Impact on Students' Performance
When talking about technology helping education, we can't avoid the topic of online learning. Researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology, Harvard University and National Bureau of Economic Research showed that thanks to online education, more people were pursuing degrees.
The ability to access a program online means decreased expenses for students. As a result, the annual production of MA degrees in computer science will be increased by at least 7% in the USA.
How is this speeding up the educational process? Instead of spending years working for the sake of earning enough money for higher education, more students can enter an online program without delays. More people with graduate degrees will enter the workforce on a yearly basis.
The Future of Education Is Dependent on Technology
Too much technology without focused use will distract students and cause negative effects on their academic achievements. However, when teachers and students use the right tools in a controlled environment, the focus levels grow and the coursework material can be processed at a faster pace.
The greatest effect that technology has over education is seen through online education. It enables people to enroll in high-quality graduate programs at a lower price, so they can earn their degrees without taking time off for saving money. That puts more fresh talent in the workforce on a yearly basis.
When used the right way, technology is always a good thing.
BIO: Robert Everett is an academic writer and tech blogger. He is passionate about productivity-enhancing methods. That's why he takes online courses instead of going for formal education.
