Computers were uncommon in the classroom even a decade ago. In contrast, the students of today are “digital natives”. They have grown up in the presence of digital technology like computers, internet, mp3 players, and cell phones. Computers in both education and home settings have increased the awareness of the students regarding technology as well as global economy. Students can now use their cell phones to gain real time updates for several activities like create a movie, download songs from the internet. Cell phones also come in handy for purposes of education – students can check e-mails from peers, conduct research related to their topic of study and even read their textbooks in the popular e-book format while on the move. The dependence of college students on modern technology leads to enhancement in their overall academic performance.
Technology is used extensively in the field of education in recent times in most of the developed countries in the world. The social and cognitive capacities of children can be approved if technology is applied in a suitable manner. In college, technology becomes integrated into the study environment to offer more support options to students. The face of education and instruction in the majority of subject areas has changed due to the adoption of computers and internet within the classroom. .
The achievement outcomes of students are impacted by computer usage in the home or collage environment. There are no reports to prove that the use of computers in the classrooms negatively influences the learning outcomes of college students. In fact, computers help foster positive relationships between the academic progress of students and computers. Instructional activities which involve the usage of technology manage to hold the interest of college students since it supports their comprehension of the content and even offers various methods to express knowledge, leading to a positive impact on performance. I find it easier to follow instructions and understand the text when there are related illustrations or diagrams. The use of computers in our college has made it easier for teachers to provide us with study materials that come with handy charts and figures. Graphics not only add a bit of color to the entire presentation but they enable students to grasp the concept in an easy and practical manner.
The access of college students to the internet and computers has grown exponentially throughout the world. In spite of the massive spike in technology usage, the use and access of technology is unbalanced in many parts of the world, with students belonging to minorities and lower income groups possessing minimal access to technology usage . I have seen students who belong to the underserved sections of society completely ill at ease when using computers and other forms of technology. They find it hard to familiarize with objects which they have never used before which affects their education in college since much of the syllabus involves the use of computers.
Students in college who tend to use computers on daily basis exhibit considerably higher scores of achievement in comparison to individuals whose computer usage frequency is moderate or low. This suggests that the quality of incorporating the use of computers into effective activities of instruction affects the academic outcomes of the students in colleges .
In colleges, however, interactive computer programs seem to help students increase the rate of literacy, especially mathematical skills. Assistive technology can even help students with learning disabilities, who are otherwise low-performers. Professional tutoring software offers instruction in small, varying levels of difficulty so that the students are able to use the software according to their own pace. Even at-risks college students hailing from minority backgrounds or low socioeconomic groups can enhance their opportunities by using online technology within the classroom. Technology, especially computers, may even assist physically challenged learners. I have seen students with low IQ scores memorize complicated equations and definitions if the right technological tool is used to guide them. The application of technology to the life of a learner can lead to positive outcomes.
The main aim of technology in current college education is interactive education which indicates the capacity to teach a class with a bi-directional approach. Interactive instruction needs participation from the student body to deliver course related materials, use efficient systems for tutoring, play multimedia and communicate easily with each other. The design of educational technology presents a challenge to the students to participate in a particular course in college, even if they are not in the immediate vicinity at the time. Contemporary college educational technology allows students to take classes irrespective of physical location, at their own convenience, with uninterrupted and easy access to online resource and contents. If full advantage of every instructional technology is used, college students can become lifelong learners and gain fresh knowledge with innovative methods. College learners can make effective use of technology in order to compete in a successful manner in a world economy being driven by technology . I possessed sufficient knowledge of technology to get a job in college while one of my friends who did not have adequate computer skills failed to bag a good job. Hence, college students need to understand the significance of technology on their career.
Technology is capable of affecting the career choices of college students. Computer skills and digital literacy is now essential for every college student. Underserved or minority students from low-income families are not competitive enough or may be accepted into colleges with the lack of proper technological skills. Even the students who get into colleges may struggle to finish their studies owing to the lack of proper technological skills. Finally, the lack of a college degree can lead to severe issues of inequality. Care must be taken to ensure that students belonging to low socioeconomic groups have access to technology during their initial experience with education . I think basic technological education must be provided from the school level since it can help combat illiteracy in the field of technology among the underprivileged children.
Students who suffer from low grades and poor test scores do not receive computer education for project-based learning or critical thinking skills. Instead of this approach, colleges must deem technology to be a valuable tool for instruction. Educators must receive sufficient professional development to impart students with the right sort of knowledge. Students must possess access to technology outside the college environment. Colleges must gain funding to implement technology-base learning within the curriculum. In order to enhance the education experience in college, it is important to legitimize the valuable role played by culture in the educational experience of the college students. Both the college as well as its students must continue to challenge the pre-conceived notions regarding the role of technology in the field of education. The college must encourage more students to recognize the important link shared by professional development in the field of technology and classroom practice. Colleges must try to form opportunities for students to access technology outside the confines of the classroom. Despite the challenges, the college must continue to ask for the necessary funding for technology .
I feel that education with the help of technology that suits the needs of the students can be implemented with the help of sufficient professional support and development. This sort of education will have a positive and strong impact on the test scores of the college students. But the achievement in college is presently measured in terms of standardized tests that have no contribution to education and support the teaching of 21st century skills which are important in order to become successful in a workplace that is extremely competitive.
One of the most important results of using technology in the field of education is students are free to acquire a wide range of skills based on technology that will help college students compete in the international market. These kinds of skills include the capacity to “communicate, collaborate, analyze, create, innovate and solve problems”. Such activities are rarely addressed in recent times with a pencil-and-paper approach in public, private and non-profit fields but colleges that do not support the routine incorporation of technology into the main instruction can hinder the students from applying and learning the tools that are necessary to gain knowledge beyond the limits of formal education .
However, technological dependence has its own share of negative aspects. Technology has become such an essential part of the life of college students that most of them are unable to comprehend doing the most routine, easy tasks without seeking help from personal GPS or global positioning system, cell phones and laptops. Even though people of most age groups rely on technology, teenagers and college-goers seem to be more at risk since they use technology frequently. It is true that the advancement of technology offers easier access to information and facilitation but the introduction of technology in the college environment is unable to alter the ability of the college students to retain and gather information or the message received by the students.
Technology which is incorporated into the classroom setting in order to enhance the process of learning is commonly called TEL or technology enhanced learning. In spite of the high expectations of the skill of college teachers and administrators to improve the learning ability of the students through incorporation of technology within the classroom, TEL programs fail to produce the expected results. Problems involving TEL have developed owing to the lack of understanding regarding the most efficient approaches to select which kind of technologies are suitable for use, the best methods to integrate technology along with a lack of understanding of the factors that are capable of improving the effectiveness of the TEL programs. Even during the process of integration of technology in the college environments, it is a usual problem for teachers to rely on technology for imparting education to students instead of using it in the form of an educational tool. So, the technology is often used in circumstances where its use is not necessary.
While introducing technology within the curriculum, it is necessary to examine the tasks that students will be able to complete without the use of different sorts of technology. It is important to understand the effects of the overuse of technology in the college settings. In my opinion, teachers and the education staff in colleges must first develop their own knowledge of technology; they must understand how to use the potential power of technology before they attempt to teach us anything. But it is also true that simply relying on technology is good. Teachers should be in charge of computers at least in the field of education instead of the other way around .
It cannot be denied that the pros of technology outweigh the cons by a great deal. Technology is developing at a rapid pace and may have significant implications for the future of not only education but human civilization as a whole. College learning has now become enhanced learning owing to the integration of technology. The present technology makes use of data processing, email systems, videos webinar/ laptop audio. Computers will play a greater role in the learning of students with time. College students can learn from computers since the technology used generally serves as tutors in order to increase the basic skills and knowledge level of the students. They can even learn along with the computers. In this case, the technology is used in the form of a tool that is applied to different goals in the process of learning and can even act as a resource to facilitate thinking of the higher order, research skills and creativity. Aside from fostering independent processes of thought among college students, technological processes can help college students to join the workforce with enhanced abilities .
Personally I feel technology has brought the fun back in college education; students no longer consider it a chore to wade through pages and pages of course material if they have effective images and diagrams to explain the content in a simple way to them. Browsing the internet on our mobile phones and laptops is not just meant for entertainment. Of course, there are some who misuse the internet to suit their own needs but most college students harness the power of the internet to stay in touch with their peers and know about the latest happenings in college. The internet often provides us with small nuggets of information which might help out with our studies in college.
Works Cited
Chih-Yuan Sun, Jerry and Susan E. Metros. "The Digital Divide and Its Impact on Academic Performance." US-China Education Review (2011): 153-161. Web. 22 June 2013. <http://davidpublishing.org/davidpublishing/Upfile/8/24/2011/2011082471085969.pdf>.
Gulek, James C. and Hakan Demirtas. "Learning with Technology: The Impact of Laptop Use on Student Achievement." The Journal of Technology, Learning, and Assessment 3.2 (2005). Web. 22 June 2013. <http://napoleon.bc.edu/ojs/index.php/jtla/article/viewFile/1655/1501>.
ISTE. "Technology and Student Achievement—The Indelible Link." June 2008. International Society for Technology in Education. Web. 21 June 2013. <http://www.k12hsn.org/files/research/Technology/ISTE_policy_brief_student_achievement.pdf>.
Papanastasiou, Elena, Michalinos Zembylas and Charalambos Vrasidas. "Can computer use hurt Science achievement? The USA results from PISA." Journal of Science Education and Technology 12.3 (2003): 325-332. Web. 21 June 2013. <http://www.academia.edu/1433958/Can_Computer_Use_Hurt_Science_Achievement_The_USA_Results_from_PISA>.
Schmid, Richard F., et al. "Technology's effect on achievement in higher education: a Stage I meta-analysis of classroom applications." Journal of Computers in Higher Education 21 (2009): 95-109. Web. 22 June 2013. <http://www.physics.emory.edu/~weeks/journal/schmid-jche09.pdf>.
