With modern advancement in technology the educational sphere is being largely impacted. From computers to smartphones to interactive projectors, classrooms are changing and although there are clearly pros and cons to this influx of modern technology, the question remains, is it bettering our educations or hindering them?

Most people would argue that the pros to technology far outweigh the cons, especially within education. But the cons must still be addressed in hopes that they too can be addressed and handled well as technology moves its way further and further into fields of society. I asked two friends to share their views on technology within education, one of them shared that, “technology should be used minimally in any aspect of society, face to face interaction promotes higher educational experiences and a reliance on technology is dangerous.” A surprising but valid standpoint, in the sense that face to face interaction is so key and social skills need to be developed further especially during our educational times. But the article, “Pros and Cons of Technology in Education,” by Susie Kelley addresses this point by saying that although there is a valid concern that technology could hinder our social development, it doesn’t need to. We can institute greater use of technology and do it in such a way that promotes social work and relational development. Technology can improve group work and presentations as well as group learning. Rather than limiting social interaction, it could provide a new dynamic to it and help students learn to adapt and incorporate more parts when interacting with one another.

My other friend, shared his opinion on technology within the education field by saying, “Many pros and cons to technology in education; a large pro is that it enables research and provides a huge resource but one of the biggest cons is that it is also very distracting.” And he is so right! One of the biggest cons to technology in education. In this article, “Technology and Student Distraction,” from the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University,  it is shared that according to studies, over 92% of college students report using their phones to send text messages during classes, and I am sure that if any Penn State professor was asked they could support this statistic. When giving children a piece of technology to learn from the fear of distraction is even greater and more real. This con can be seen as an outlet for teaching children about how to be responsible and engage when they need to. And if that isn’t a strong enough argument there are learning programs and systems that limit technology uses during learning or instructional periods of time. As far as college students learn, technology will always be a distraction but once that age is reached students must learn for themselves the consequences of not paying attention during lecture.

According to the article, “7 Ways Technology is Impacting Modern Education,” technology is pushing our educational levels to new heights in many ways. One being that students can actively engage with their learning material. This means that students can learn by doing in new ways that weren’t possible before. Geography can be seen via google maps, rather than just via an image. Another aspect is that technology strongly ties back real issues and real world application to what students are learning. Via websites and news articles, billions at the fingertips of each student, they can clearly connect how what they are learning about is affecting and part of the world around them, this then makes them more eager and motivated to learn. Modeling and simulation software also enables students to learn in ways that they never could have beforehand. This technology allows them to visually see how planets orbit or how storms develop or how the earth has changed over thousands of years. Another huge way that technology is bettering education is in the connectivity of the world that it enables. Virtual groups and discussion boards connect students to people around the world that know more than they do and are different from them, by doing this they are able to gain a larger perspective and understand the world around them better as a whole.

 

Although I’m sure the debate surrounding technology will continue for years to come, the benefits that come from technology in school settings and beyond are undeniable and will certainly continue to shape the course of learning forever.