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Today I have Brianna Davis as guest blogger. Please be sure to check out her unique guest post.
Guest posts are always welcome, please contact me.
There’s no doubting that technology has myriad uses in the world of academia – it has revolutionized education in the span of just a few years, and we can’t imagine going back to a world of just books and paper. It allows us to do much more in less time, it provides us with easy and instant access to information, and it makes learning much easier and more interesting. However, much of technology’s lure lies in the way it is used, and when it comes to education, technology is most useful when:
• It is understood: Not everyone gets technology, and some folks are just plain reluctant to use it because they’re afraid they don’t know how to. So when you introduce technology in such situations, it’s not going to be used because it is not understood. Efforts must first be made to get those who will use the technology on a regular basis to understand it, before investing time and money in introducing it into an academic setting.
• It is not distractive: Technology is a hindrance at times because of the disruptive power it wields – what with all the options that it offers, it’s not easy for students to resist the temptation to use it for reasons that are not academic. Social media, online games and other distractions prevent technology from being put to the most effective use in education, so unless filters and other technology are used to keep out these distractions, or unless learners are disciplined and mature enough to avoid them on their own, technology is not going to augment education in any way.
• It is used: This may sound like a no-brainer, but how many of us actually utilize the full power of technology? We may tap the tip of the iceberg, but most of the time, the rest of its potential is ignored. We revert back to the old way of doing things, or we use the technology but do so less effectively than optimal; whatever the reason, when technology is unused or used half-heartedly, it serves no purpose in the world of education.
• It makes a difference: Very often, you hear stories of how much time, effort and money have gone into bringing technology to an academic institution, but in spite of the sophisticated and innovative new system, there’s not much of a difference or improvement in the way things are done. In this case, efforts must be made to include technology as part of everyday life at the institution, and only then can you actually gauge if it is making a difference or not.
For technology to be useful in the field of education, it has to make learning easier and more accessible to many more people, and also minimize the disturbances and distractions that are an integral part of it.
Many thanks to Brianna Davis.Guest posts are always welcome, please contact me.
• It is understood: Not everyone gets technology, and some folks are just plain reluctant to use it because they’re afraid they don’t know how to. So when you introduce technology in such situations, it’s not going to be used because it is not understood. Efforts must first be made to get those who will use the technology on a regular basis to understand it, before investing time and money in introducing it into an academic setting.
• It is not distractive: Technology is a hindrance at times because of the disruptive power it wields – what with all the options that it offers, it’s not easy for students to resist the temptation to use it for reasons that are not academic. Social media, online games and other distractions prevent technology from being put to the most effective use in education, so unless filters and other technology are used to keep out these distractions, or unless learners are disciplined and mature enough to avoid them on their own, technology is not going to augment education in any way.
• It is used: This may sound like a no-brainer, but how many of us actually utilize the full power of technology? We may tap the tip of the iceberg, but most of the time, the rest of its potential is ignored. We revert back to the old way of doing things, or we use the technology but do so less effectively than optimal; whatever the reason, when technology is unused or used half-heartedly, it serves no purpose in the world of education.
• It makes a difference: Very often, you hear stories of how much time, effort and money have gone into bringing technology to an academic institution, but in spite of the sophisticated and innovative new system, there’s not much of a difference or improvement in the way things are done. In this case, efforts must be made to include technology as part of everyday life at the institution, and only then can you actually gauge if it is making a difference or not.
For technology to be useful in the field of education, it has to make learning easier and more accessible to many more people, and also minimize the disturbances and distractions that are an integral part of it.
This guest post is contributed by Brianna Davis, who writes on the topic of bachelor of arts online .
Brianna welcomes your comments at her email id
Brianna welcomes your comments at her email id
Enjoy your reading!
