/ Pros and Cons / 12 Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology in Education

12 Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology in Education

navajocodetalkersadmin on June 29, 2015 - 5:27 pm in Pros and Cons

Advances in technology have shaped and changed our world in ways that no one could have ever predicted. Business, recreation, and yes even education, have been deeply impacted by things like the internet, cell phones, and computers. Everything is able to be streamlined, and anything you could ever want to know can be found with a couple clicks of a button. How does this truly effect us? This is a question that students, lawmakers, parents, and teachers have been arguing over for the past decade. Is the use of technology in the classroom truly hurting the youth of the world or is it preparing them for a technologically demanding future?

Advantages of Technology in Education

1. A More Interactive Experience
Utilizing technology give the teachers and students an ability to really get into the subject that they are learning about. You can use games, videos, and simulations to help ensure that students are not only excited about what they are doing, but comprehending it as well.

2. An Unlimited Source of Resources
The answer to any question that a person has can be found in the click of a button using computers, smart phones, tablets, and the internet. This is a priceless benefit for technology because students can expand their own understanding, and seek answers or information on subjects very easily.

3. Necessary Skills for the Future
Business is dominated by technology, as well as just about all of the workforce. If we do not implement technology and it’s use in our classrooms then we will have a generation of students who are not prepared with the necessary skills they need to be employed.

4. Saves Precious Resources
One often overlooked benefit of using technology in the classroom is the amount of resources that would be saved. Books, assignments, and many other things require materials like paper to do. If things became digitized then the sheer amount of these resources would be drastically cut down.

5. Instantly Updated Information
The things that we know are always changing, and when this happens, educational resources like textbooks must be updated as well. This is possible with technology, and it has the ability to happen exponentially faster and cheaper than if all new books and resources has to be purchased.

6. No More Heavy Backpacks
The further into your education that you get, the more things you are required bring with you each day. The backpacks of high school students are loaded down with the weight of textbooks, this would no longer be a problem if all learning resources for their education would through technology.

Disadvantages of Technology in Education

1. What a Distraction
By far, the biggest problem with using technology in education is how distracting it can be. While many great educational things can be accessed, things that are not useful and waste time can be as well. Games, video, and music all distract students from what they are supposed to be doing with their technology.

2. Inappropriate Access
The wealth of great information on the internet is easily over shadowed by the amount of bad things present as well. Violence, pornographic materials, and hateful things can all be accessed by students, and if this is done on school time, premises, or technology big problems can arise.

3. Not Everything on the Internet is True
Anyone can post anything on the internet, but this doesn’t mean that it is true or correct. This is a problem when it comes to education because if students are seeking answers to a question, they could easily come across the incorrect answer and not realize it.

4. Easier Cheating
Another one of the big problems that are argued when it comes to technology in education is just how easy it has become for students to cheat. They are able to simply search an answer to a question and instantly find the answer.

5. Extremely Expensive To Keep Up To Date
It is not secret that the newest and most up to date technology is very expensive. In order for a school to use technology like this they have to pay for it, which is difficult for most public schools to do because of the sheer cost. This is also difficult for parents because the students become accustomed to some technology that they do not have at home.

6. Hinders Basic Skills
Technology automates just about everything. Instead of learning and understanding basic math, students can simply use their calculator on their phones. Spelling is another example of this, we need to make sure that students retain the ability to problem solve and think for themselves.

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