Why Should You Introduce Technology in Education?

There has being a lot of talk regarding why educational organizations should introduce technology in classrooms. This year, New York City's Department of Education plans to increase its technology expenses to $542 million for setting up internet connections and giving wireless access to all the city schools.

There is absolutely no reason to believe that the 'brick and mortar' classrooms didn't help students get the kind of education they deserved. Prior to technology, students still learnt and came through tests with flying colors. However, technology has brought in some significant benefits that even the most vocal critic can't disagree with.

I will share with you some crucial points in support of implementing technology in educational organizations. Let's figure them out.

Expansion of Time and Place

In technology minus classrooms, students had a fixed time to meet their teachers and exchange ideas and notes. A normal class period would be around 40 to 45 minutes in duration. However, technology has erased the time and place constraint. Now, a student can easily chat and discuss with a teacher whenever he/she wants to. Skype, online forums, etc. have made it possible to connect with the school faculty, 24x7 at their convenience.

Depth of Understanding

You can expand your knowledge base about a specific subject or lesson via interactive simulation and illustrations. Using a projector, a teacher can now demonstrate and explain a topic far easily to a large group of learners than just sitting in the class and giving lectures.

Learning at Your Own Pace

You can readily access and download learning materials as and when needed. Technology has eliminated the physical barrier of collecting notes and coursework only from the campus library or from the teacher. Now, all you need is a computer with an internet connection to get the information from anywhere and at any time.

New Media for Self-expression

In traditional classrooms, students had to write every assignment and homework in notebooks to let the teacher review it. Using modern technology, students can create several online slide presentations, videos, and set up a website or blog to make their assignments or projects accessible to the teacher, 24x7.

Collaboration Online

Students can at anytime add, remove or edit information online. They don't need to carry textbooks to school, as e-books can easily be viewed and downloaded from the internet. Large chunks of coursework can be organized and stored in a computer database for future usage. Educational projects can be collaboratively done by small groups of students residing at different locations. Online tools such as the web, email, text messaging, etc. helps you to complete homework in conversation with your classmates, without anyone's physical presence.