It is indeed right to appreciate the fact that change is inevitable. In every aspect of our living, it is very difficult for many factors to remain the same because humans are dynamic beings. A paradigm shift is a significant change that is seen on a particular aspect and usually takes a period for the change to be effected. There are many factors in the world we live in today that have experienced significant degrees of change; they include human interaction, science, the family setting, governance, education and many others. In this case, the primary concern will be drawn to education. Education has gained overwhelming momentum in advancing toward better delivery of educational services and therefore improving the quality of education offered in schools (Urbaczewski and Beaver 124). Many factors have steered the paramount paradigm shift in technology; some of them include the use of computers in schools, the internet, new trends and many others.
Currently, there has been so much interest on how education is received and how it is disseminated to the students. There is more insight into how the learning process takes place and not the product of the learning process. With current technology, it is possible to do brain scans. The primary purpose of these scans is to understand and gain insight into how the brain works. It gives more information on how the brain learns (Demchenko). It also provides more data on how the brain processes information and how it stores it too. Though this technology has not been fully exploited, it is of fundamental interest since it would aid teaching methods and learning content.
In the past, man learned to speak and how to relate to his or her environment. After that, there was a change when literacy became necessary, and knowledge was acquired through text and pictures. Later, there was the invention of books and writing in the dissemination of knowledge amongst learners. In the recent past, there has been a great change in the learning methods, which has been facilitated by the integration of computers into education. The use of computers for students has shown high efficiency and significant indicators to the quality of education. Learners use computers for storing material like notes and do assignments using computers; this has made learning facilitation quite simpler for both the students and the teachers (Urbaczewski & Beaver 124). Students also store information online or in computers. Even more interestingly, students do not have to write physically notes on notebooks. Instead, they are issued with soft notes and e-books.
The education aspect has been responsive to the current global challenges. This has been made possible by the use of the internet. Despite the use of computers in learning, the paradigm shift has enabled students to freely access learning material online. A good example is online libraries; students do not have to go to physical books online. There is only a required subscription, and they can access as much educational material as needed. Even more interestingly, learning institutions are moving from physical libraries to digital ones. This should assist students to save much time in accessing and selecting educational material (Demchenko). In this case, even students from different continents can also access libraries from other learning institutions. Therefore, in this instance, education has taken a turn into not only accessing the digital libraries of one’s institution but also those of other institutions.
Another pointer of the paradigm shift in educational technology is the use of internet platforms to facilitate education. Despite the fact that students can learn various aspects through online sources, there has been the incorporation of e-learning, a good example being Microsoft Virtual Academy. In this case, students register to online learning institutions, and they take up courses. The courses taken by students will incorporate learning methods that can be administered online. They can learn and attend classes online. The most interesting bit about this shift in educational technology is that it breaks the distance barrier; a student does not have to go to a physical school to learn various things (Evanouski). Also, it has saved on time and cost of learning. Long distance learning is a paradigm shift in educational technology that has enabled many students to learn without physically attending a class or lecture.
There is also the use of online platforms that allow students all over the world to interact. There are question and answer platforms for the student to interact and engage in constructive discussion (Evanouski). This technological paradigm shift has widened the spectrum from having discussions in class to having discussions online. This has enabled various students to know what is happening on the other side. They would be more informed and have better insight into various educational aspects.
A technological paradigm shift in education has also played a significant role in the research done by students. It has improved the tools available for students to use. The research conducted in the past (even with the use of available technology at that time), was not extensive as it is currently. Considering the students in the IT field, due to the paradigm shift in educational technology, there is the availability of simulation tools that enable students (even in marginalized areas) learn more about various aspects without really going to a physical lab (Fogle). A good example is packet tracer for networking students.
The paradigm shift has enabled the use of animation software and PowerPoint slides in teaching. This aspect incorporates audio-visual entities to facilitate learning. Through the use of projectors and interactive screens, computer-aided teaching has become a success. Students get to have an interactive learning session and a very interesting one at that. This method has proven useful for increasing student attentiveness in class and also improved student attendance. Despite the interactive learning, students are also expected to display whatever they have learned empirically. This kind of learning helped the transition from ‘bookish’ learning to ‘real’ learning (Fogle).
With the paradigm shift in technology, there has been an improved mechanism for handling data. Instead of using the basic tools of data analysis like simple pen and paper calculations or use of Microsoft Excel, there has been an integration of technology whereby data is fed and analyzed automatically. A good example being OpenRefine software. This has made statistical learning quite easier and less tedious (Boggs).
Presentations made by students have also been made simpler. There has been the incorporation of tools like PowerPoint presentation slides to improve communication to an audience, there is the use of laser pointers during presentation, use of projectors and interactive screens (Fogle). These technological integrations have made presentations more vivid and communicative to particular audiences. They help the presenter bring the point home. In this case, there is also a more interesting shift in technology; in rare cases, there has been the use of holograms in more hi-tech presentations. This is a technology that has not been vastly explored due to various limiting factors like cost, but the fact that it is already in use is a distinct sign that there is a significant paradigm shift in educational technology.
The paradigm shifts in educational technology cannot be exhausted. Another fantastic technological integration is the use of web seminars. It goes without saying that not all schools have enough resources and finances. In the past, if the school could not afford to take students on a school trip, then they would learn about different places from books. With the incorporation of web seminars, students can virtually have a class trip should the school fail to have enough resources to facilitate a class trip. Students can attend various web seminars, put up by museums and several other institutions of educational value. NASA, is a good example that has such a program which allows students gain more insight into various aspects of NASA and even more amazing, they still can talk to astronauts in space (Boggs). The paradigm shift in technology is indeed overwhelming.
Technological advancements have also assisted students with learning disabilities to be at par with the rest. In the past, students with learning disabilities would have to be home-schooled because they could not keep up with the other students (Urbaczewski & Beaver 124). This would segregate them, and they would not be very interactive. Thanks to technology, there are platforms like Time4Learning that assist students with learning disabilities learn aspects like spelling, basic arithmetic, history and so forth. They are designed to fit their needs and their learning pace.
The paradigm shift in education has brought about positive changes in the education sector and most importantly, it has improved the quality of education. The question on one’s mind remains, why then are some methods of the past currently being used in the educational sector? Firstly, as aforementioned, a paradigm shift occurs over a period. Change is gradual. Therefore, the shift cannot be an immediate one (Urbaczewski & Beaver 124). Secondly, the shift in educational technology has not been a bed of roses; it also exhibits various disadvantages. It causes students to be over-reliant on technology. An excellent example being, one cannot just give a simple definition for their thinking. The first thing they will think of is googling the word instead of just thinking of it.
Technology has increased the rate of cheating in assignments and examinations, especially those that are administered online. This has been a great challenge though various educational institutions are in the process of finding ways to deal with such challenges. Also, it has resulted in students lacking self-discipline, especially in the case of distant learning where lecturer are administered online. It encourages laziness if the students are not focused on their ultimate educational goal hence this method becomes less efficient.
All in all despite the few setbacks here and there, the paradigm shift in educational technology has brought about many positive changes in the education sector. It is evident that change is inevitable, and therefore it is expected that there would be more and more advancements in educational technology, hence more positive impacts on the quality of education.
Works Cited
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Evanouski, Lora. "Impact of Technology in Education." Academia.edu. N.P., 2009. Web. 22
Apr. 2016.
Fogle, Karen. "Paradigm Shift in Education." Karenfogle.com. N.P., 2013. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
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