10 major importance of Technology in Education: It is no news that technology has come to stay. Every aspect of our lives has felt the impact of technology and education is not left out. The traditional method of teaching which includes textbooks and teachers is getting outdated and has been proved inefficient.
Technology means the use of science in industry, engineering, education and other sectors to invent useful things or to solve problems. It also refers to a machine, piece of equipment, method, gadget or application that is created by technology.
Education as used here envisages the action or process of teaching someone especially in a school, college, or university mainly with methods of teaching and learning in schools. It is a system engineered to enable people to acquire knowledge.
Since the 20th century, there has been various technological improvements and it has translated to giant changes in the way education is run the world over. Here are a few reasons for the indispensability of technology in the process of teaching and learning.
Importance of Technology in Education
1. The Advent of Distant Learning: The lockdown necessitated by the Corona virus pandemic was one of the main propellers of the use of technology in education. This is not to say that technology has not been in use for teaching and learning before that time, but the importance of it was all the more glaring with the advent of social distancing and lockdown of public facilities during the Corona virus pandemic.
Schools resorted to online classes and electronic teaching aids to keep the academic calendar running while everyone stays safe.
2. Children Have A Natural Liking for Technology: Following from the above, there has not been much hindrances to the adoption of technology in the way subjects and courses are taught in schools. This is accountable to the fact that young people– who make up almost the whole of the population of students– take a natural liking to anything tech. Kids are the digital native.
Most students are already adept at online video calls and meetings and know how to source and manage information from the net long before it became a part of the learning process in their schools. It is no wonder then that the introduction of technology to education was met with open arms by the students because technology has been part of their lifestyle.
3. Access to A World of Limitless Resources: Information and knowledge is ever expanding thus educational materials and resources are increasing geometrically. Libraries are fast becoming unable to house the evergrowing quantity of resources and materials and literature churned out by authors and writers in general for the advancement of education.
Technology has provided a solution to this problem by presenting limitless ways to store and access resources for education. These resources are couched in exciting and captivating apps and features that keep students yearning for more knowledge.
4. Preparation for the Outside World: Besides education, technology is required for anyone to get on well in the real life outside school. What better place is there to learn how to utilize this indispensable tool than in the school. Students are taught computer studies and data processing to prepare them for a world that is steady becoming more reliant on technology and digital devices than on the sun rising. University education is highly dependent on technology.
Laptops and mobile phones are one of the basic digital gadgets needed by students to get by comfortably in tertiary institutions. Every white collar job now requires at least minimal knowledge of the workings of a computer system and applications like Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel.
5. Examination can be Less Stressful Now: Owing to the increasing population of students in the world, there has been a need to design an easier and faster means of testing candidates and compiling the results of such examination. To this end, technology has been employed to provide seamless computer based tests and examinations.
Online tests where the candidates can log in from anywhere in the world at the designated time for the exam and be logged out at the expiration of the time of allocated for such exam, has become the ain thing. Results are also compiled and published in real time.
6. Technology is loved by All: In addition, students and teachers alike, literally demand for the inclusion of technology in the learning process. It makes it easier for all parties: teachers need not search so hard to find resources or teaching aids to do their jobs and the students have an easy access to a multitude of resources to help them understand subjects or courses better and widen their horizon too. Students are also prone to do better at computer based tests than on the traditional methods of examination and the teachers on the other hand find it easier and faster to compile results of such exams thus making life easier.
7. Students can Learn at their own Pace: More so, the use of digital devices by students for learning has provided an avenue whereby they can learn at their own pace. Different students have different levels of understanding. Not everyone learns at the same speed. Lectures can now be recorded and accessed by students who can replay it as many times as they want if they do not understand the topic at first. They can use resources provided by other teachers online.
Gone are the days of verbatim dictation and rote learning. Students can now explore a variety of learning channels and options ranging from visual to audio to audio- visual, etcetera. Students with special needs are also captured in this way. Advanced students can go ahead and those who are slow to learn can as well catch up.
8. Students’ Attention is at a hundred Percent: Technology also assists in keeping very young students engaged. Pupils in the nursery and primary levels of education and even junior secondary are known for their short attention span. This challenge to their learning process is countered with the introduction of digital devices which come in kids- friendly designs and features that cause the children to maintain laser focus and attention while learning.
9. Improved Student-Teacher Relations: Good education requires that a healthy relationship exists between the tutor and the student. When the teacher is able to effectively and efficiently integrate technology into subject areas, the teacher also plays the role of an adviser, content expert, and coach. Technology helps make teaching and learning more meaningful and fun. Students are also able to collaborate with their own classmates through technological applications.
10. Exposure: Students are able to explore how learning is done by their counterparts in other schools and even other parts of the world, all thanks to technology. They can source the latest version of educational materials at the click of a button. They also have access to Information about international school competitions and championships that will help put them on a global standing.
In conclusion, it is obvious from the foregoing that technology is an imperative tool, a must have for the advancement of education especially in this era. Every aspect of human life is now intertwined with technology and education is not left out at all. In developed countries, getting a degree is now as easy as pie. You can get one even without ever visiting the physical school location!
However, it is not every one that has access to the means of having certain digital devices or gadgets and systems that facilitate education. Educational technology is not always cheap. Laptops, palmtops, smartphones and other such digital devices cost a considerable amount of money which some people cannot afford or do not have access to. Also, technology works hand in hand with telecommunication networks and this is sometimes faced with problems like poor connection and unavailability of strong network system. Data tariffs are also very expensive in some places thus causing financial strain on the education system and students too.
Governments are encouraged to assist by providing digital devices and machines in schools to promote seamless education, ensuring that every child has a good knowledge of technology and benefit from the impact of technology in education. They should also inculcate ICT in the school curriculum. Telecommunication companies can be liased with to provide subsidized data rates that will not tear the pockets of the masses.
