Gone are the days when knowledge was imparted via a blackboard and chalk, and students worked their assignments and reports with paper and pencil. Not that the traditional method of teaching and learning was completely inefficient or has become obsolete. But with the advancements in technology, the education sector has reaped great benefits and given teachers the option to use a combination of traditional and modern educational tools to teach in the classroom. In order to increase the performance of children in schools and colleges, it is important to keep their attention directed towards their academic pursuits and to help them achieve their goals. Today’s technology continues to give students an incentive to go to school, do their homework on time and participate in all school projects. This is because technology has the power to make, getting an education fun and worthwhile.
Today students submit their written assignments using tools like Microsoft Word and while teachers may no longer have the privilege to enjoy the elegant handwriting of some students, they are also spared from illegible handwriting of others. But most importantly, typing out assignments on the computer has a number of advantages. Not only can students make use of unlimited resources on the internet for their assignment including websites and online academic journals but they can also erase and redo their work with half the hassle that is required on paper. In addition to this, doing typed work adds a grain of professionalism which is a great way to train students for life after college.
With the aid of technological tools like computers and multi-media devices, teachers find it easy to communicate with the students and introduce a more interactive method of teaching. These tools also help engage the students who would normally do not listen to lectures in the class. Students, nowadays, use dozens of applications on computers like Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint etc. to make their presentations, assignments and reports. Students are also encouraged to conduct independent research that allow them to learn aspects of different subjects that are beyond the scope of their classroom and help them to get a good grip on their concepts.
Many parents and educators think that technology in education is actually replacing the need for having teachers in the first place. The reason this cannot be true is the fact that technology has uses that are considered to be distracting and wasteful. If the use of technology is not controlled in the classroom then the use of technology could be counteractive its original purpose in the classroom. Teachers need to keep themselves abreast with the latest teaching technological tools so that they can decide how they can implement them in the classroom in order to get improved class participation and to impart as much knowledge to the children effectively as possible. Parents should also educate themselves about the latest technologies being used in their children’s school so that they know exactly how their children are benefiting from these technological tools.
