TECHNOLOGY

………ADVANTAGES &
DISADVANTAGES …………
Introducing technology to students in a classroom setting can certainly
help the educational environment, but it also requires equal access for all
students to ensure that everyone receives the same opportunities to success.
That is why each school district, teacher, and parent should periodically
review the advantages and disadvantages of technology in education settings.
~Advantages of Technology
in Education

1. Technology helps children to stay motivated during the learning

process.
Most students don’t like to go to school if they feel like they are
wasting their time. When there is technology allowed in the
classroom, then teachers have an opportunity to let kids work at
a pace which suits them the best without disturbing others. They
can look up additional information about a subject they are
learning about that day, play educational games that reinforce
the lesson, or work on advanced material using specific
programs.
2. It encourages more communication between teachers and parents.
When there is technology in the classroom, then there are more
opportunities for parents and teachers to connect with each
other. Using a blog for the classroom can help parents get to see
what their children are learning each day. Apps and software
options allow teachers to instantly report on a child’s behavior
to let parents know in real-time what is happening throughout
the day. There are options for chat boxes, instant messaging, and
other forms of communication as well.

3. Technology options in the classroom are very affordable.

Although the cost of having technology in the classroom can be
significant if you are introducing new options to an entire
district, the cost of student computers, tablets, and class
essentials is minimal. Most student computers cost less than $200
each, and there are several grants available on local, state, and
national levels that help to offset these costs to local taxpayers.
“The Internet is the first technology since the printing press
which could lower the cost of a great education and, in doing so,
make the cost-benefit analysis much easier for most students,”
said John Katz man. “It could allow American schools to serve
twice as many students as they do now, and in ways that are
both effective and cost-effective.”

4. It creates new ways to learn for today’s student.

There are three critical forms of intelligence that we see in
children today: emotional, creative, and instructional. The
traditional classroom environment, which typically encourages
lecture-based lessons, focuses more on the latter option.
Standardized tests and similar ranking tools do the same. When
kids have access to technology today, then those who excel
outside of the standard learning setup can still achieve their full
potential.
5. Technology allows us to give students access to data from a
single location.
Do you remember when a research project meant a visit to the
library so that you could pull 4-5 books to read, have access to an
encyclopedia, and even microfilm to view so that you had
enough resources to finish your assignment? Technology allows a
student to access every item they need for a project from a
central resource. Instead of spending all of that time searching
for something specific or waiting for your library to order it,
you can run a few queries on Google and find what you need.

6. It gives us better access to behavioral data on students.

The various apps, software choices, and technological platforms
collect data on students that can show attendance patterns,
learning issues in specific subjects, and how they react in
particular situations. This information leads to the creation of a
profile where teachers, schools, and parents can work together to
identify places where additional learning may be necessary.

7. Technology helps to prepare students for their future world.

Even if there are warnings from medical providers about the
amount of screen time that students receive in their classroom
environment, the reality of the modern educational system is
that we must have technology exposure now to prepare our
children for the world they will face as adults. This sector will
continue to evolve. If they are not prepared to use these items
today, then tomorrow could be a struggle for them.

8. The introduction of technology allows for the teaching of needed

vocational skills.
Although there are regions of extreme poverty and isolation
which do not have Internet access in the United States right
now, over 90% of Americans have a home connection to online
resources. By introducing technology to students from an early
age, we can teach them the critical vocational skills that are
necessary for success in a digital world. That is why writing
continues to be a top priority in formatting guidelines and
software use after, and knowing how to research efficiently is
approached as an essential skill.

9. Technology in the classroom encourages collaboration.

Students retain very little of the information they receive when
a teacher lectures from a textbook. When there are interactive
lessons on a chalkboard or whiteboard, kids can remember about
20% of what they were taught. If a teacher encourages a small
group discussion, that percentage can quadruple.

10. It encourages students to stay engaged with their learning

environment.
Kids get bored very easily when they feel like they already know
what is being taught in their classroom. Some children will
transform into mentors or leaders in this situation to help their
fellow students, but there are many more who disengage because
they lack stimulation. By introducing technology to the
classroom, there are fewer places where repetitive learning must
take place. Teachers can introduce new subjects, try new
techniques, or use different projects to encourage ongoing
learning, which creates more overall engagement.

11. Teachers have more credibility when they use technology in the
classroom.
Teachers are sometimes hesitant to use technology in the
classroom because they are unsure of what a student might have
at home. Giving homework assignments that require computer
access to a student without that technology at home would be a
waste of time. There can also be pushback from parents who are
uncomfortable giving their kids additional screen time for
learning. When you can introduce these elements to the
classroom and have children learn there, then you can overcome
the socioeconomic barriers that are sometimes in place for low-
income families.

~Disadvantages of
Technology in
Education

1. The presence of technology can be distracting to students.

When kids play video games, they can find themselves reacting
with addiction-like behaviors. Their focus is on the
entertainment they receive more than anything else. If the
educational environment uses reward-based games to encourage
learning, then the child might be more concerned with what
they receive through the software or app instead of what they
are learning.

2. Technology can make it easier to cheat.

Remember the TV shows and movies where kids would break
into a teacher’s classroom, steal the answer key to a test, and
then write down everything on their wrist, shoe, or a slip of
paper? Now a student can send themselves a text with that
information. They can send that data to anyone else with a
phone.

3. Using tech can cause some students to disconnect from the

classroom.
Interacting online with others is a different experience than
when you collaborate over the Internet with someone. Being
behind a screen provides you with a layer of anonymity that
you don’t receive with a face-to-face conversation. Learning how
to work with one another using technology is an essential skill,
but it cannot be the other option that teachers introduce to their
classroom.

4. Some students may not know the difference between reliable and
unreliable resources.
There is a lot of information on the Internet today that is fake or
exaggerated in some way, but it masquerades as being real.
According to research published by New York Magazine, less
than 60% of web traffic today is actually human-based searches
or content interaction. Not only is the content sometimes fake,
but then also the users might not be real too.

5. Technology is a resource that not all families can afford.

Whether technology is in the classroom or at home, there is the
issue of affordability to worry about in today’s world. Some
households cannot afford to purchase computers for their kids to
manage their school work. There are school districts that don’t
have enough money to pay their salaries each year, much less
add new tech components for learning.

6. Some technologies could replace the teacher in some classrooms.

Interactive learning lessons are so effective today that the
software or app can become the teacher instead of having
someone present to help a student. One of the best examples of
this potential disadvantage is ABC Mouse, which provides clear
instructions to students as young as 3 so that they can start
learning when they are ready.

7. There are privacy concerns to consider with technology in the

classroom.
When we introduce technology to the classroom, we are placing
the identity of our children at risk every day. Even when apps,
computers, mobile devices, and operating systems have
advanced privacy filters that reduce the threat of identity loss,
there is no way to guarantee that all risks are gone unless the
equipment never goes online. If we take this step, then we end up
losing many of the advantages of having technology in the
classroom in the first place.

8. Technology in the classroom could create medical problems for

some kids.
Eye strain occurs when you look at a computer screen for too
long. Symptoms of this issue include back pain, eye pain, and
neck pain, feelings of tiredness, blurred vision, and problems
with focus. Continuous heavy computer usage may lead to issues
with early myopia, with a prevalence rate of more than 60% for
those older than the age of 12. For some people, the impact of this
health issue is cumulative, which means the time they spend in
front of a phone, tablet, and television can contribute to eye
health issues as well.

9. Kids often lose track of time when using technology in the

classroom.
Although kids can adapt to changing environments without
much of a second thought, their idea of normal is often defined
by what they experience in the classroom. Teachers and schools
have as much, if not more, time with children than their parents
throughout the day, which means the classroom becomes an
influential part of life for each student. Encouraging the use of
tech might help to create more learning opportunities, but it can
also lead to a lifestyle that is more sedentary.

10. Many classrooms place limits on technology access.

Because of the awareness that schools have with the potential
disadvantages that technology can cause in the classroom, there
are limits placed on the use of items under the guise of child
protection. Although firewalls and site blockers can prevent
most dangerous content from reaching the eyes of children, it is
not unusual to see this issue taken a step further by restricting
computer work to word processing and basic research. Students
come home with assignments to use tech of their own, at a
library, or through a loan program to place this responsibility
on the parents instead.

11. Technology can create dependencies for information recalling.

Having access to a treasure-trove of resources is wonderful, but
it can also create a dependency because of its presence. If we do
not teach students how to recall info by themselves without the
use of a smart device or computer, then the next generation of
students may be unable to function unless there is technology for
them to access.

Verdict on the Advantages

and Disadvantages of
Technology in the
Classroom

These advantages and disadvantages of technology in the

classroom indicate that students and teachers can be more
effective in their roles with its presence. Although there can be
varying levels of comfort based on the amount of exposure each
person has to computers, electronic whiteboards, and other
items, an introduction of new tech is an investment that can
offer ongoing dividends.

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