HOW TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED THE WAY WE LEARN

 

                                    The introduction of technology into the learning environment has provided benefits to both learner and  teacher alike. No longer restricted to the classroom and the library, devices such as PC's, tablets and the humble smart phone have made us rethink the way we interact with technology and each other.

                                    Teachers may now direct learners to resources outside the confines of the classroom walls to an electronic library, to internet resources such as 'You tube' and 'Ted Talks' and many more via their I-pads or other devices.

                                    Crawley. J. (2011) warns us though that technology itself will not improve learning but used properly it can enhance and add value.

                                    This said, the advantages would appear to outweigh the disadvantages. Communication skills may improve as students interact with each other and the teacher. Confidence in expressing themselves via a key board will give students a greater sense of achievement when they see their work professionally displayed on the screen. Photographs taken with a mobile device bring the quality of the studio into the classroom and then into the students projects. Embedding sound clips and or video clips enhance power point presentations. The applications to the way we teach and learn are countless and breath taking. The students I have taught in my placement college are digital natives. They have all grown up with new technology as a norm in their lives. To the new teacher such as myself the benefits are enormous. I don't need to explain how the software works, they know how it works.

              It allows me to plan my lessons in a form that will appeal to the students, (Power Point, You Tube etc). It has been a huge help when teaching technical English to my U.A.E. aerospace students. If they are struggling with a word or a concept I can either "Google" it or find something on You Tube. Assignments can be set, completed and marked online, (no danger of masses of paper work). Even my register can be done online, photographs of students included.

             There are social implications for the students as well.  Where once students may have had a pen pal in another country, wrote and posted a letter and waited weeks for a reply, contact is now instantaneous using Skype, email or text. It brings the opportunity of studying different cultures to the heart of the school and all in a moment.

              Information that at one time had to be looked up physically in an actual library can now be accessed over the internet, saving time that can be used for other things.

     Petty. G. (2009) asserts that technology presents teachers and learners alike with an unprecedented and potent tool that defies the imagination. If used properly and wisely they can only enhance both the teaching and the learning experience.   

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

 

Crawley. J. In at the DEEP END A Survival Guide for Teachers in Post-Compulsory Education. 2nd edition. (2011) P 104. Oxford. England. Routledge.
Petty. G. Teaching Today, A Practical Guide. (2009) P 391. Cheltenham. England. Stanley Thornes Ltd.