The new Covid era of online learning has provided teachers and students with a new set of obstacles and distractions. Technology that was created to make learning simpler, has the ability to do the exact opposite.
What function does technology play in schools? The COVID-19 epidemic has raised awareness of the benefits and problems of virtual learning. Teachers can now use online education as a valuable teaching tool by incorporating technology into existing courses rather than treating it as a last-resort option.
Students’ engagement can be increased, teachers’ lesson plans can be improved, and learning can be enabled through the use of digital learning technology in the classroom. It also supports the development of critical 21st-century abilities in students. But can technology also hurt or hinder children’s learning?
It’s critical to emphasize that technology is a means to an end rather than an end in itself. The growth of online learning will be determined by how administrators use virtual classrooms to best meet the requirements of their children.
Challenges in Education Technology
There are major disadvantages to instructional technology, notably in terms of adaption and utilization. Despite increased interest in the use of augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technology in the classroom, few colleges have these tools in their courses. Other issues include excessive screen time, the effectiveness of academics, and doubts about future tech fairness.
This issue has grown more important as a result of the COVID-19 adaptation. Educators should be able to develop and comment on online educational content, especially to encourage students to approach a topic from many perspectives. This was not achievable due to the time limits imposed by the crisis. Access is also a problem; for example, not every school district has the resources to provide each student with a laptop, and internet connectivity in homes can be spotty.
On the other hand, the internet has also proven to be a useful tool when it comes to learning. For example, there is an endless amount of useful material regarding a wide variety of subjects.
Student Disadvantage
Although it may seem like everyone has access to the internet in this day in age, what about the students who don’t? Relying so heavily on technology in order to provide students with education will further disadvantage those who come from low-income households, as well as homeless children, teens and college students. Online learning and technology unfairly provide advantages for those with stable home internet access and greatly hinder the 9 to 12 million students who don’t.
Some students thrive in online classrooms, others suffer for a variety of reasons, including a lack of support services. In this scenario, a student who previously struggled in face-to-face encounters may suffer even more. Students may have used materials that they no longer have access to at home.
The children who were once reliant on school as an escape from a not-so-ideal home environment are now provided no curricular or extracurricular getaway. This will lead to isolation, lack of inspiration, and lack of opportunity for those who could be using the advantages of in-person learning to help them succeed.
Additional Training for Teachers
Aside from students, there are also have issues regarding teachers. Just as online learning requires a separate set of skills than in-person learning, so does online teaching. Instructors switching to online teaching must acquire extra expertise in order to adapt to the COVID era classroom. While online learning can be looked at as an opportunity to use a wider range of teaching techniques now that we have such high amounts of technology at our hands, this brings a new set of issues.
By giving engaging and exciting opportunities, teachers can encourage intellectual inventiveness and open-mindedness, which is now being linked to scholastic performance in studies. Students benefit from enthusiasm when learning arithmetic and reading topics. Augmented reality, films, and podcasts are all examples of content that can be used to create compelling content. Students can, for example, connect movies or communicate with other youngsters from around the world when presenting tasks.
On a side note, technology is also helping students in completing other fields, such as helping student loan refinance.
The Effectiveness and Efficiency of Teachers
More traditional teachers who were not previously reliant on technology in their classrooms have to adapt to programs and software they have never used before. This requires additional training for new instructors to master prior to taking over a virtual classroom, resulting in more schooling and higher student debt for those aspiring to teach. This could deter future teacher prospects from entering the field.
Tutors, on the other hand, were able to increase student commitment and help while also increasing their productivity and introducing useful digital strategies to aid their students’ academic abilities. It also allows teachers to improve their teaching abilities and personalize their lessons to their students’ requirements. Technology can help education by lowering the cost of traditional instructional materials, increasing functional recovery, and maximizing instructor time.
Adaptation
Educators who are unfamiliar with some of the technologies used in education may have missed out on learning about them as part of their professional development or job preparation. Professional development programs are available to teachers who desire to make the switch and learn how to incorporate technology into their classrooms.
Educators who wish to help change the education system through technology can get a Master of Arts in Teaching and a Master of Arts in Education Policy and Leadership from American University’s school Online. Graduate students can choose courses like Education Program and Policy Implementation and Teaching Science in Elementary School to learn how to effectively integrate technology into educational settings.
