Educational Technology- a Essay
Over the past few years, technology has greatly transformed the society and changed various aspects of peoples` lives. Today, technology has revolutionized every sector, with education being on the lead mark. The increased use of technology has resulted in the growing consensus to the general public and the educators who conceive that technology in the current world plays integral role student`s education (Murphy, 2016). The use of the technology by the schools has continued to increase steadily over the recent years, as the educators attempt to introduce and integrate technology in the academic curriculum. Today, research and development in the education world has been boosted by technology. On the other hand, besides the educators, the other stakeholders in the education sector consider technology as an essential aspect of learning that allows both the educators and the students to interact and acquire adverse knowledge. The technology in the learning environment also allows the students and the educators to receive a wide range of information and interact with contemporary issues that are critical to learning.
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According to Hegedus, Dalton & Tapper (2015), educational technology is not only restricted to computer use, but it also involves other applications and equipment such as digital television, video conferencing, electronic whiteboards, and digital cameras that are used in learning institutions to promote learning. Educators have put much effort and decisions regarding the appropriate technology to use and how to use it. Hegedus, Dalton, & Tapper, agree that there is no specific type of technology to be used in one particular way. However, the appropriate technology for school setup should match the teaching and learning goals and be relevant and appropriate to students who use it. different schools have different technological goals which include; reducing inequality in computer access, increasing the economic competitiveness of the students, improving student`s achievements and finally creating an active learning environment that enables students to excel in research and development. Also important, technology has resulted to digital learning and electronic learning, where research and development by students is facilitated on online classes. Educational Technology- a Essay
Perry & Steck (2015), presents that classroom learning, especially learning mathematics tend to struggle for many students. With advanced use of technology in education, classroom learning has been enhanced through presentations and other approaches. Therefore the methods used by the educators to deliver mathematical knowledge to the student greatly impacts student`s understanding. In this regard, educators have recognized the need for different curricula, strategies, methods and professional training to meet student`s needs in learning especially in mathematics and science. Perry & Steck addressed four technology questions in their study which include; first, what is the impact on making iPads part of geometry course on the engagement of the student? Secondly, what is the impact of making iPads part of the geometry course for the standard proficiency score on the students? Thirdly, what is the impact of making iPads part of geometry course on the reported self-efficacy of the student? Lastly, what is the impact of making iPads part of geometry course on self-regulation and meta-cognitive of the student?
When responding to the first question about student`s engagement, Perry, & Steck, revealed that there is a higher rate of student engagement when iPads are made to be part of the geometry course. They attribute this to the fact that the use of gadgets such as iPads in classroom study enhances the student`s attention since the student view the simultaneous information directly. However, although the attention of the students increased when using iPads to study, the student`s behavior regarding non-academic activities also increased. Regarding the second question about the test score improvement, Perry, & Steck, revealed that the improvement of the students using the iPads slightly dropped. The drop was attributed to the instructors` instruction methods that are based on collaborative and explorative learning. The third research question regarding the student`s self-efficacy indicated positive results by using iPads in the geometry class. However, the researchers were unable to ascertain whether the positive result was self-efficacy of the content in geometry or simply self-efficacy with iPad use. Over the recent periods, iPads have become popular gadgets due to its user-friendliness with efficient portability, and touch screen (Dogan & Almus, 2014).on the same note, the student indicated positive results in the forth questions the act which, showed that technology plays important role in advancing student`s learning. Although the use of technology such as iPads in classrooms has drawbacks, it increases the student engagement and attention that act the increase the performance in classrooms test. The use of iPads also enables the students to learn new information from the internet sources which eventually advances their knowledge and understanding of their courses. Educational Technology- a Essay
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Another study by Liu, Chou, & Yang, et al., (2006), presents that the use of wireless technology in the classroom plays an important role in enhancing student-teacher interaction. The study focused on the understanding of how classroom technology enhances the student-teacher interaction and improving problem-solving skills. In connection with this, they discovered that the use of technology in the classroom has an outstanding outcome which implies that technology increases student-teacher interactions that eventually improve the student`s performance. The use of technology in the classroom improves students engagements that result in concentration and accuracy in the student`s class activities (Liu, Chou, & Yang, et al., 2006). For example, the use of technology in classrooms increases student`s attention and reducing the errors since it improves student`s focus on the classroom work.
Similarly, the study by Stephen, Hegedus, Sara, & John (2015), on the impacts of technology integrated curriculum in student learning, discovered that technology implementation in classroom not only beneficial to the engagements of the student but also to the students learning. The study also discovered that the students learning algebraic concepts using classroom technologies develop increased skills and understanding compared to the students who do not use technology. However, the study only focused on the improvement of the students by using technology but did not consider the impacts the instructor`s as a possible factor for the increased improvement. The other limitations of this study were that it did not consider other variables such as students` ages that also may have impacts on the performance. Nevertheless, based on the findings that the use of technology helps to improve students understanding of the academic activities, they recommended that technology should be integrated into the classroom studies. The study also recommended that should be exposed to technological learning at their early ages since this will make them have significant experience in learning (Stephen, Hegedus, Sara, & John 2015). The technology should be integrated into all subjects with weightier focus given to mathematics and science since they involve complex concepts that need a high level of concentration and understanding. Educational Technology- a Essay
In conclusion, integrating technology in the educational curriculum plays an important in students` learning. Technology in the classroom enhances students’ concentration the act that allows them to understand complex concepts that require critical understanding. Besides enhancing the students` class concentration, technology also enhances a student-teacher interaction that eventually improves students’ performance in the class tests. Despite the benefits of technology in academic activities it also has some drawbacks. However, the drawbacks are minimal compared to the benefits that both the instructors and students generate from its use in the academic activities. The importance of technology in education should not be ignored; technology and education should be upheld and encouraged. Educational Technology- a Essay
References
Dogan, B., & Almus, K. (2014). School administrators’ use of iPads: Impact of training and attitudes toward school use. Computers in the Schools, 31(3), 233-250.
Hegedus, S. J., Dalton, S., & Tapper, J. R. (2015). The impact of technology-enhanced curriculum on learning advanced algebra in US high school classrooms. Educational Technology Research and Development, 63(2), 203-228.
Liu, C. C., Chou, C. C., Liu, B. J., & Yang, J. W. (2006). Improving mathematics teaching and learning experiences for hard of hearing students with wireless technology–enhanced classrooms. American Annals of the Deaf, 151(3), 345-355.
Murphy, D. (2016). A literature review: The effect of implementing technology in a high school mathematics classroom. International Journal of Research in Education and Science, 2(2), 295-299.
Perry, D. R., & Steck, A. K. (2015). Increasing student engagement, self-efficacy, and meta-cognitive self-regulation in the high school geometry classroom: Do iPads help?. Computers in the Schools, 32(2), 122-143.
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