The Way Technology Affects Student Learning

Even in the classroom, technology has become more and more common: many rooms have document cameras and LED projectors, and a growing number of schools provides teachers with a SMART Board or other personal education tools. Also, with the push to get applications of technology, 21^st century students are making significant gains as a result of accessing computers as well as mobile devices. Here are examples how technology imparts to the teaching and students’ learning.

1. Change in Student and Teacher Roles

Student Role

With the use of technology as a tool for supporting the communication with other peers, students are now in an active role rather than the passive role of an information recipient being transmitted by a teacher, or textbook. Using technology enables more learners to fully think about information and knowledge, actively make choices and execute skills. Rather than in teacher-led lessons, students with curriculums using technology are supported to perform their authentic tasks, therefore they are in the position of designing their own decisions, defining their goals as well as evaluating their progress.

Teacher Role

When applying technology to teaching, teacher’s roles changes as well. Teachers are no longer the center of dispenser of knowledge and information, but play an important role as a facilitator, who set project goals, provide guidelines, suggestions and needed support for student activity. It comes to say that tool uses of technology seem to be highly compatible with the new role of teachers as they promote so much active mental work on the part of learners.

2. Additional Resources for Students

The presence of the internet itself is believed to revolutionize the process of how people access and disseminate information. From computers, educational apps to search engines and online courses, technology turns out to change the face of education today. The usage of educational technologies includes, but not limited to, the following 24/7 learning support tools:

· Educational applications - especially mobile apps for learning (or M-learning) - can be the newest avatar or modern educational technologies.

· E-books - a new way to access books and articles through tablets and e-readers. E-books and online libraries are now in vogue. With just one click, publishers and readers are now able to discover each other via the internet.

· Video games – with real life problems simulated, can bring about behavioral changes in learners via making them more goal-oriented. While solving hypothetical problems offered, students have a chance to orchestrate their skills, but also simultaneously garnering information. Even though there are certainly downsides due to an obsessive indulgence in video games of many children, it cannot refute the fact that these gaming models are indeed a great source of “edutainment” if they are played under proper guidance.

· Multimedia – Technology and media have brought numerous positive impacts on education field. Such multimedia aids as videos, animation have transformed the traditional learning styles into more engaging, fun and entertaining ones.

3. Increased Motivation and Self Esteem

As reported by the US Department of Education, the vast majority of teachers surveyed responded that they saw a jump in students’ engaging in classroom activity when using technology. Both teachers and students are sometimes surprised at the magnitude of technology-based accomplishment on learners who have presented much less initiative or facility with more conventional classroom tasks. Learning to use technology can enhance their self-esteem, and make them more excited about participating in academic work.

4. Technical Skills

Many students, even at the elementary school level, can be able to acquire a significant level of skill with a wide range of computer software, such as ones for architecture and design, artwork, or industrial art students. Though some specific software tools in use would be likely to change before students enter the world of work, these learners achieve a basic understanding of how those computer tools behave as well as a confidence about their ability to learn new tools supporting for their learning of new software applications.