As we move into the twenty - first century, technology is affecting many different areas of life and education is no exception. Indeed, in some institutions traditional forms of education have been revolutionised by new technology to the extent that the lecture is no longer the main method of delivery. While there are a variety of benefits to this new approach, there are also significant drawbacks.
Perhaps the greatest bonus of the introduction of technology is the flexibility it offers. This is evident in two different ways. Firstly, it is now no longer essential for students to be present in the lecture theatre for their courses. This means that part - time courses for adults who are in employment and distance learning courses for people in other countries are now much more practical. Another area of flexibility is of course that the lecturer and tutor are able to use Moodles, interactive whiteboards and other tools to deliver their courses in a more stimulating way to large numbers of students.
Not everything, however, about the introduction of this new technology into education is positive. One major problem is that not all students are comfortable with using technology, even if they are part of the digital native generation. This is a serious issue as they may suffer from their lack of technological skills. Another related issue is that education is a human activity and it works best with as much human interaction as possible. Impersonal technology cannot replace the human contact found in traditional face - to - face tutorials and seminars.
As we have seen, there are major benefits to the introduction of technology into education, not least because it enables modern forms of education such as distance learning courses. This is balanced, however, by the fact that it can be too impersonal for some and disadvantages others for their lack of technological skills.
As we
move
into the twenty
-
first
century,
technology
is affecting
many
different
areas of life and
education
is no exception.
Indeed
, in
some
institutions traditional forms of
education
have been
revolutionised
by new
technology
to the extent that the lecture is no longer the main method of delivery. While there are a variety of benefits to this new approach, there are
also
significant drawbacks.
Perhaps the greatest bonus of the introduction of
technology
is the flexibility it offers. This is evident in two
different
ways.
Firstly
, it is
now
no longer essential for students to be present in the lecture
theatre
for their
courses
. This means that part
-
time
courses
for adults who are in employment and distance learning
courses
for
people
in other countries are
now
much more practical. Another area of flexibility is of
course
that the lecturer and tutor are able to
use
Moodles
, interactive whiteboards and other tools to deliver their
courses
in a more stimulating way to large numbers of students.
Not everything,
however
, about the introduction of this new
technology
into
education
is
positive
. One major problem is that not all students are
comfortable with using
technology
, even if they are part of the digital native generation. This is a serious issue as they may suffer from their lack of technological
skills
. Another related issue is that
education
is a human activity and it works best with as much human interaction as possible. Impersonal
technology
cannot replace the human contact found in traditional face
-
to
-
face tutorials and seminars.
As we have
seen
, there are major benefits to the introduction of
technology
into
education
, not least
because
it enables modern forms of
education
such as distance learning
courses
. This
is balanced
,
however
, by the fact that it can be too impersonal for
some
and disadvantages others for their lack of technological
skills
.